Binary Systems as Test-beds of Gravity Theories

Abstract

We review the general relativistic theory of the motion, and of the timing, of binary systems containing compact objects (neutron stars or black holes). Then we indicate the various ways one can use binary pulsar data to test the strong-field and/or radiative aspects of General Relativity, and of general classes of alternative theories of relativistic gravity.

42 pages, 3 figures, Based on lectures given at the SIGRAV School ``A Century from Einstein Relativity: Probing Gravity Theories in Binary Systems'', Villa Olmo (Como Lake, Italy), 17-21 May 2005. To appear in the Proceedings, edited by M. Colpi et al. (to be published by Springer)

References in corpus (22)

• The Confrontation between General Relativity and Experiment
• Chameleon Fields: Awaiting Surprises for Tests of Gravity in Space
• The String Dilaton and a Least Coupling Principle
• Tests of general relativity from timing the double pulsar
• An increased estimate of the merger rate of double neutron stars from observations of a highly relativistic system
• Progress in Lunar Laser Ranging Tests of Relativistic Gravity
• Tensor-scalar gravity and binary-pulsar experiments
• Detecting Dark Energy in Orbit -- the Cosmological Chameleon
• String theory and gravity
• Violations of the equivalence principle in a dilaton-runaway scenario
• Runaway dilaton and equivalence principle violations
• 3rd post-Newtonian higher order Hamilton dynamics for two-body point-mass systems
• Testing gravity to second post-Newtonian order: a field-theory approach
• Dimensional regularization of the third post-Newtonian dynamics of point particles in harmonic coordinates
• General relativistic dynamics of compact binaries at the third post-Newtonian order
• Post-Newtonian gravitational radiation and equations of motion via direct integration of the relaxed Einstein equations. II. Two-body equations of motion to second post-Newtonian order, and radiation-reaction to 3.5 post-Newtonian order
• New derivation of a third post-Newtonian equation of motion for relativistic compact binaries without ambiguity
• Discovery of a Young Radio Pulsar in a Relativistic Binary Orbit
• Discovery of Three Wide-orbit Binary Pulsars: Implications for Binary Evolution and Equivalence Principles
• The binary black-hole dynamics at the third-and-a-half post-Newtonian order in the ADM-formalism
• The Equivalence Principle and the Moon
• New limits on the violation of the Strong Equivalence Principle in strong field regimes

Cited by in corpus (16)

• The relativistic pulsar-white dwarf binary PSR J1738+0333 II. The most stringent test of scalar-tensor gravity
• Field-theoretical formulations of MOND-like gravity
• Generic tests of the existence of the gravitational dipole radiation and the variation of the gravitational constant
• Constraining nonperturbative strong-field effects in scalar-tensor gravity by combining pulsar timing and laser-interferometer gravitational-wave detectors
• Scientific Potential of DECIGO Pathfinder and Testing GR with Space-Borne Gravitational Wave Interferometers
• Tests of the universality of free fall for strongly self-gravitating bodies with radio pulsars
• Closing a spontaneous-scalarization window with binary pulsars
• Studying the solar system with the International Pulsar Timing Array
• Prospects for measuring the moment of inertia of pulsar PSR J0737-3039A
• Horndeski stars
• Dynamical constraints on some orbital and physical properties of the WD0137-349 A/B binary system
• Probing the vector charge of Sagittarius A* with pulsar timing
• In what sense a neutron star-black hole binary is the holy grail for testing gravity?
• Parametric instability in scalar gravitational fields
• Generic Gravity Tests with the Double Pulsar
• Some Applications of Binary Pulsars to Fundamental Physics