Theory and Experiment in Gravitational Physics

A comprehensive review of the testing and research conducted on Einstein's theory of general relativity.

Clifford M. Will (Author)

9781107117440, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 27 September 2018

360 pages, 16 b/w illus. 13 tables
25.3 x 19.2 x 2 cm, 0.96 kg

'As a leading researcher in this field for some 50 years and the author of many pedagogical and review papers the author is extraordinarily well-qualified to write such a book … The writing is clear and readable, and there are extensive references to the original literature for those wanting to explore further … this book is an invaluable survey and reference for those wishing to delve further.' Jonathan Thornburg, The Observatory

The 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.

Preface
1. Introduction
2. The Einstein equivalence principle
3. Gravitation as a geometric phenomenon
4. The parametrized post-Newtonian formalism
5. Metric theories of gravity and their post-Newtonian limits
6. Equations of motion in the PPN formalism
7. The classical tests
8. Tests of the strong equivalence principle
9. Other tests of post-Newtonian gravity
10. Structure and motion of compact objects
11. Gravitational radiation
12. Strong-field and dynamical tests of relativistic gravity
Index.

Subject Areas: Relativity physics [PHR], Gravity [PHDV], Physics [PH], Cosmology & the universe [PGK]