Zombie alert! Solar system tests of GR are still alive

COFFEE_KLATCH · Invited

Abstract

We have entered an era of testing general relativity in the strong-field, dynamical regime, using gravitational wave detections, direct observations of neutron stars and black holes, and cosmological observations. Yet, like the zombies of cinema, solar system tests continue to trudge along, adding new and interesting constraints on gravitational theories, while fortunately not devouring everything in their wakes. In this talk, we review some recent results, including tests of the equivalence principle using the MICROSCOPE and Galileo satellites, a test of light bending performed by an amateur astronomer, new bounds on frame dragging from the LAGEOS/LARES satellites, and a bound on the graviton mass from solar system ephemeris data. We also describe future tests that could come from the BepiColombo Mercury orbiters, the ACES clock experiment on the Space Station, and from the GAIA astrometry satellite.

Authors

  • Clifford Will

    University of Florida