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arXiv · 1212.5575

Testing General Relativity with Low-Frequency, Space-Based Gravitational-Wave Detectors

Jonathan R. Gair·Michele Vallisneri·Shane L. Larson·John G. Baker
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Abstract

We review the tests of general relativity that will become possible with space-based gravitational-wave detectors operating in the ~0.01mHz - 1Hz low-frequency band. The fundamental aspects of gravitation that can be tested include the presence of additional gravitational fields other than the metric; the number and tensorial nature of gravitational-wave polarization states; the velocity of propagation of gravitational waves; the binding energy and gravitational-wave radiation of binaries, and therefore the time evolution of binary inspirals; the strength and shape of the waves emitted from binary mergers and ringdowns; the true nature of astrophysical black holes; and much more. The strength of this science alone calls for the swift implementation of a space-based detector; the remarkable richness of astrophysics, astronomy, and cosmology in the low-frequency gravitational-wave band make the case even stronger.

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Jonathan R. Gair, Michele Vallisneri, Shane L. Larson, John G. Baker. 2013-09-13. Testing General Relativity with Low-Frequency, Space-Based Gravitational-Wave Detectors. https://doi.org/10.12942/lrr-2013-7

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