Tests of weak equivalence principle with the gravitational wave signals in the LIGO-Virgo catalogue GWTC-1

Abstract

The weak equivalence principle (WEP) is the cornerstone of gravitational theories. At the local scale, WEP has been tested to high accuracy by various experiments. On the intergalactic distance scale, WEP could be tested by comparing the arrival time of different messengers emitted from the same source. The gravitational time delay caused by massive galaxies is proportional to $\gamma +1$, where the parameter $\gamma$ is unity in general relativity. The values of $\gamma$ for different massless particles should be different if WEP is violated, i.e., $\Delta \gamma$ is used to indicate the deviation from WEP. So far, $|\Delta \gamma |$ has been constrained with gamma-ray bursts, fast radio bursts, etc. Here we report a new constraint of $|\Delta \gamma |$ by using the gravitational wave data of binary black hole coalescences in the LIGO-Virgo catalogue GWTC-1. The best constraints imply that $|\Delta \gamma |\lesssim 10^{-15}$ at 90 per cent confidence level.

arXiv comment14 pages, 3 figures

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• Constraints on Equivalence Principle Violation from Gamma Ray Bursts
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• Upper limits on Einstein's weak equivalence principle placed by uncertainties of dispersion measures of fast radio bursts