Pulsar Tests of General Relativity - Ingrid Stairs (UBC)
Pulsar Tests of General Relativity - Ingrid Stairs (UBC)
Pulsars are radio-emitting neutron stars, and therefore offer the opportunity
to probe relativistic effects near strongly self-gravitating objects.
Pulsars orbiting white dwarfs, which are far less dense, allow for tests of
various equivalence principles. Pulsars in double-neutron-star binaries
often permit the measurement of multiple relativistic corrections to a
Keplerian orbit, resulting in self-consistency tests for different
gravitational theories. I will review the principles of pulsar timing and
the current status of these various tests, including the latest results
from the only known double-pulsar system. I will also discuss the
prospects for direct detection of gravitational waves via pulsar timing.
Emplacement : 2900, chemin de la Tour D-460 Montréal H3T 1J6 QC Canada