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Pi from the sky -- A null test of general relativity from a population of gravitational wave observations

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 نشر من قبل Carl-Johan Haster
 تاريخ النشر 2020
  مجال البحث فيزياء
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 تأليف Carl-Johan Haster




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Our understanding of observed Gravitational Waves (GWs) comes from matching data to known signal models describing General Relativity (GR). These models, expressed in the post-Newtonian formalism, contain the mathematical constant $pi$. Allowing $pi$ to vary thus enables a strong, universal and generalisable null test of GR. From a population of 22 GW observations, we make an astrophysical measurement of $pi=3.115^{+0.048}_{-0.088}$, and prefer GR as the correct theory of gravity with a Bayes factor of 321. We find the variable $pi$ test robust against simulated beyond-GR effects.

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