Theory and Experiment in Gravitational PhysicsThe 2015 centenary of the publication of Einstein's general theory of relativity, and the first detection of gravitational waves have focused renewed attention on the question of whether Einstein was right. This review of experimental gravity provides a detailed survey of the intensive testing of Einstein's theory of gravity, including tests in the emerging strong-field dynamical regime. It discusses the theoretical frameworks needed to analyze gravitational theories and interpret experiments. Completely revised and updated, this new edition features coverage of new alternative theories of gravity, a unified treatment of gravitational radiation, and the implications of the latest binary pulsar observations. It spans the earliest tests involving the Solar System to the latest tests using gravitational waves detected from merging black holes and neutron stars. It is a comprehensive reference for researchers and graduate students working in general relativity, cosmology, particle physics and astrophysics. |
Contents
| 11 | |
Gravitation as a Geometric Phenomenon | 61 |
The Parametrized PostNewtonian Formalism | 78 |
Metric Theories of Gravity and Their PostNewtonian Limits | 105 |
EquationsofMotioninthe PPN Formalism | 129 |
TheClassicalTests | 156 |
TestsoftheStrongEquivalencePrinciple | 170 |
OtherTestsofPostNewtonianGravity | 192 |
Structure and Motion of Compact Objects | 206 |
GravitationalRadiation | 232 |
StrongField and Dynamical Tests of Relativistic Gravity | 272 |
| 308 | |
| 344 | |
Common terms and phrases
acceleration alternative theories amplitude angular momentum ArXiv ArXiv e-prints asymptotic binary pulsar binary system black hole bounds Brans-Dicke theory center of mass clocks compact constant constraints coordinate system cosmological defined depend derivatives dipole dynamical Einstein electromagnetic energy equations of motion Equivalence Principle experiments field equations freely falling frequency function gauge given gravitation theory gravitational field gravitational radiation gravitational redshift gravitational waves interactions Lagrangian laser Lorentz Invariance measured metric theory neutron stars Newtonian nongravitational Nordtvedt effect observations obtain orbital period particle pericenter perturbations Phys physics PN order post-Newtonian limit post-Newtonian order potential PPN formalism PPN parameters precession predicted preferred frame preferred-frame quadrupole relativistic relativity result rotation scalar field scalar-tensor theories Section solar system spacetime special relativity spherical spin tensor term in Eq theories of gravity values variations vector velocity violation αβ