Gravito-rotational Dragging

Previous work on the concept of gravito<i>-</i>rotational acceleration (GRA) and its dynamical role is surveyed, with main emphasis on the GRA's influence exerted on a test<i>-</i>body in orbital motion around a rotating gravitational source (heavy central mass). Such an influence is typically interpreted as a ʻgravito<i>-</i>rotational dragging (effect)ʼ, this phenomenon is very similar to the so<i>-</i>called Lense<i>-</i>Thirring effect (frame dragging) in the framework of general relativity theory (GRT). Some applications are considered include (i) the orbital plane dragging of artificial satellites LAGEOS, LAGEOS II and LARES; (ii) the effect of the Earth's GRA on the orbital motion of the Moon; (iii) the effect of the Sun's GRA on the orbital motion of Mercury. Also, it is shown that the conceptual existence of ʻgravito<i>-</i>rotational dragging (effect)ʼ and its quantitative agreement with GRT<i>-</i>predictions should imply, among other things, that the geometrization of gravity is unnecessary for physics.