In order for a modified gravity model to be a candidate for cosmological dark energy it has to pass stringent local gravity experiments. We find that a Brans-Dicke (BD) theory with well-defined second order corrections that include the Gauss-Bonnet term possess this feature. We construct the generic second order theory that gives, to linear order, a BD metric solution for a point-like mass source. We find that these theories interpolate between general relativity (GR) and BD gravity. In particular it is found that the relevant Eddington parameter, that is commonly heavily constrained by time delay experiments, can be arbitrarily close to the GR value of 1, with an arbitrary BD parameter. We find the region where the solution is stable to small timelike perturbations.
The central theme of this thesis is the study and analysis of black hole mimickers. The concept of a black hole mimicker is introduced, and various mimicker spacetime models are examined within the framework of classical general relativity. The mimickers examined fall into the classes of regular black holes and traversable wormholes under spherical symmetry. The regular black holes examined can be further categorised as static spacetimes, however the traversable wormhole is allowed to have a dynamic (non-static) throat. Astrophysical observables are calculated for a recently proposed regular b…
We present a physically plausible solution representing Einstein's cluster mimicking the behaviors of compact star in the context of teleparallel equivalent of general relativity. The Teleparallel gravity (TEGR) is an alternative formulation of gravity which uses tetrads as the dynamical variables. We focus on two particularly interesting scenarios. First, we develop the Einstein clusters in TEGR field equations using effective energy-momentum tensor for diagonal as well as off-diagonal tetrad. We then study the clusters in modified $f(T)-$gravity for anisotropic fluid distribution. Based on t…
Recent work in the literature has advocated using the Earth-Moon-planetoid Lagrangian points as observables, in order to test general relativity and effective field theories of gravity in the solar system. However, since the three-body problem of classical celestial mechanics is just an approximation of a much more complicated setting, where all celestial bodies in the solar system are subject to their mutual gravitational interactions, while solar radiation pressure and other sources of nongravitational perturbations also affect the dynamics, it is conceptually desirable to improve the curren…
Spatial averaging and time evolving are non-commutative operations in General Relativity, which questions the reliability of the FLRW model. The long standing issue of the importance of backreactions induced by cosmic inhomogeneities is addressed for a toy model assuming a peak in the primordial spectrum of density perturbations and a simple CDM cosmology. The backreactions of initial Hubble-size inhomogeneities are determined in a fully relativistic framework, from a series of simulations using the BSSN formalism of numerical relativity. In the FLRW picture, these backreactions can be effecti…
The recent observation of the the gravitational wave event GW170817 and of its electromagnetic counterpart GRB170817A, from a binary neutron star merger, has established that the speed of gravitational waves deviates from the speed of light by less than one part in $10^{15}$. As a consequence, many extensions of General Relativity are inevitably ruled out. Among these we find the most relevant sectors of Horndeski gravity. In its original formulation, mimetic gravity is able to mimic cosmological dark matter, has tensorial perturbations that travel exactly at the speed of light but has vanishi…
Astrodynamical Space Test of Relativity using Optical Devices I (ASTROD I) - A class-M fundamental physics mission proposal for Cosmic Vision 2015-2025
We estimate the changes in solar system tests of general relativity when "dark energy" arises from a Weyl scaling invariant action, using the modified Schwarzschild-like spherically symmetric solution obtained in this case by Adler and Ramazano\vglu. We show that the standard results of general relativity are modified by amounts that are far below current experimental errors. However, because the metric is not conformally flat when the central mass $M$ vanishes, there is a contribution to light deflection proportional to the cosmological constant $Λ$, with opposite sign to the one proportional…
This paper discusses three matter-of-principle methods for measuring the general relativity correction to the Newtonian values of the position of collinear Lagrangian points L1 and L2 of the Sun-Earth-satellite system. All approaches are based on time measurements. The first approach exploits a pulsar emitting signals and two receiving antennas located at L1 and L2, respectively. The second method is based on a relativistic positioning system based on the Lagrangian points themselves. These first two methods depend crucially on the synchronization of clocks at L1 and L2. The third method combi…
General Relativity extensions based on Renormalization Group effects are motivated by a known physical principle and constitute a class of extended gravity theories that have some unexplored unique aspects. In this work we develop in detail the Newtonian and post Newtonian limits of a realisation called Renormalization Group extended General Relativity (RGGR). Special attention is taken to the external potential effect, which constitutes a type of screening mechanism typical of RGGR. In the Solar System, RGGR depends on a single dimensionless parameter $\bar ν_\odot$, and this parameter is suc…
In this paper, we conduct a study on the scalar field obtained from $\mathit{f(R)}$ gravity via Weyl transformation of the spacetime metric $g_{μν}$ from the Jordan frame to the Einstein frame. The scalar field is obtained as a result of the modification in the geometrical part of Einstein's field equation of General Relativity. For the Hu-Sawicki model of $\mathit{f(R)}$ gravity, we find the effective potential of the scalar field and calculate its mass. Our study shows that the scalar field (also named as scalaron) obtained from this model has the chameleonic property, i.e.\ the scalaron bec…
We evaluated the prospects of quantifying the parameterized post-Newtonian parameter beta and solar quadrupole moment J2 with observations of near-Earth asteroids with large orbital precession rates (9 to 27 arcsec century$^{-1}$). We considered existing optical and radar astrometry, as well as radar astrometry that can realistically be obtained with the Arecibo planetary radar in the next five years. Our sensitivity calculations relied on a traditional covariance analysis and Monte Carlo simulations. We found that independent estimates of beta and J2 can be obtained with precisions of $6\time…
In this proceeding, we show how observations of Solar System Objects with Gaia can be used to test General Relativity and to constrain modified gravitational theories. The high number of Solar System objects observed and the variety of their orbital parameters associated with the impressive astrometric accuracy will allow us to perform local tests of General Relativity. In this communication, we present a preliminary sensitivity study of the Gaia observations on dynamical parameters such as the Sun quadrupolar moment and on various extensions to general relativity such as the parametrized post…
We study how a strong gravity affects the equation of state of matters. For this purpose, we employ a canonical ensemble of classical monoatomic ideal gas inside a box in a Rindler spacetime. The total energy decreases monotonically with the increase of the external gravity representing its attractiveness. It is however bounded below, which is different from that of the Newtonian gravity case. As for the entropy, it decreases with the external gravity in the Newtonian regime. However, in the presence of strong gravity or ultra-relativistic high temperature, the entropy increases with the gravi…
The General Theory of Relativity predicts the redshift of spectral lines in the solar photosphere, as a consequence of the gravitational potential of the Sun. This effect can be measured from a solar disk-integrated flux spectrum of the Sun's reflected light on solar system bodies. The laser frequency comb (LFC) calibration system attached to the HARPS spectrograph offers the possibility to perform an accurate measurement of the solar gravitational redshift (GRS) by observing the Moon or other solar system bodies. We have analysed the line shift observed in Fe absorption lines from five high-q…
Explicit form of the Scalar-Tensor metric to be used for propagation of light in the Solar system in continuity of the GR IAU2000 metric
IAU 2000决议推荐的度规允许在广义相对论框架中的c-3水平上计算光的传播。在最近的一篇论文[1]中，受到即将进行的涉及太阳系中光传播的空间实验（ASTROD，GAIA，LATOR，ODYSSEY，SAGAS，SIM，TIPO，...）的启发，我们提出了在c-4水平上对IAU度规方程的一种扩展。这是在广义相对论的框架下进行的。然而，标量-张量理论可能会引起数值上与c-4广义相对论项相当的修正。因此，本文提出了将[1]推广到标量张量情形。一个强层次系统（如太阳系）的情况下强调。在这种情况下，提出了一个明确的度量解决方案。
The increasing precision of spacecraft radiometric tracking data experienced in the last number of years, coupled with the huge amount of data collected and the long baselines of the available datasets, has made the direct observation of Solar System dynamics possible, and in particular relativistic effects, through the measurement of some key parameters as the post-Newtonian parameters, the Nordtvedt parameter "eta" and the graviton mass. In this work we investigate the potentialities of the datasets provided by the most promising past, present and future interplanetary missions to draw a rea…
It is now established that, contrary to common belief, (electro-)vacuum Brans-Dicke gravity does not reduce to general relativity for large values of the Brans-Dicke coupling $ω$. Since the essence of experimental tests of scalar-tensor gravity consists of providing stringent lower bounds on $ω$, the PPN formalism on which these tests are based could be in jeopardy. We show that, in the linearized approximation used by the PPN formalism, the anomaly in the limit to general relativity disappears. However, it survives to second (and higher) order and in strong gravity. This fact is relevant for …
Violations of Lorentz (and specifically boost) invariance can make gravity renormalizable in the ultraviolet, as initially noted by Hořava, but are increasingly constrained in the infrared. At low energies, Hořava gravity is characterized by three dimensionless couplings, $α$, $β$ and $λ$, which vanish in the general relativistic limit. Solar system and gravitational wave experiments bound two of these couplings ($α$ and $β$) to tiny values, but the third remains relatively unconstrained ($0\leqλ\lesssim 0.01-0.1$). Moreover, demanding that (slowly moving) black-hole solutions are regular away…
The perihelion precession, the deflection of light, and the radar echo delay are classical tests of General Relativity here used to probe brane world topologically charged black holes in a f(R) bulk and to constrain the parameter that arises from the Shiromizu-Maeda-Sasaki procedure applied to a f(R) bulk as well. The existing Solar system observational data constrain the possible values of the tidal charge parameter and the effective cosmological constant including f(R) brane world effects. We show that the observational/experimental data for both perihelion precession and radar echo delay ma…
