Abstract
Experiments in our Solar System can test relativistic gravity only in the weak-field limit, but systems containing pulsars necessarily involve the effects of strong-field gravity. Timing observations of three binary pulsars yield tight constraints on the nature of gravity in the strong-field regime, allowing the measurement of velocity-dependent and nonlinear phenomena separately from the effects of gravitational radiation. General relativity passes these new experimental tests with complete success.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Will, C.M. Theory and Experiment in Gravitational Physics (Cambridge University Press, 1981).
Shapiro, I.I. in General Relativity and Gravitation, 1989 (eds Ashby, N., Bartlett, D.F. & Wyss, W.) 313–330 (Cambridge University Press, 1990).
Taylor, J.H. Proc. IEEE 79, 1054–1062 (1991).
Hulse, R.A. & Taylor, J.H. Astrophys. J. 195, L51–53 (1975).
Wolszczan, A. Nature 350, 688–690 (1991).
Damour, T. & Taylor, J.H. Phys. Rev. D (in the press).
Damour, T. & Schäfer, G. Phys. Rev. Lett. 66, 2549–2552 (1991).
Damour, T. & Esposito-Farèse, G. Class. Quant. Grav. (submitted).
Taylor, J.H., Fowler, L.A. & McCulloch, P.M. Nature 277, 437–440 (1979).
Taylor, J.H. & Weisberg, J.M. Astrophys. J. 253, 908–920 (1982).
Weisberg, J.M. & Taylor, J.H. Phys. Rev. Lett. 52, 1348–1350 (1984).
Taylor, J.H. & Weisberg, J.M. Astrophys. J. 345, 434–450 (1989).
Damour, T. & Taylor, J.H. Astrophys. J. 366, 501–511 (1991).
Blandford, R. & Teukolsky, S.A. Astrophys. J. 205, 580–591 (1976).
Epstein, R. Astrophys. J. 216, 92–100 (1977); erratum Astrophys. J. 231, 644 (1979).
Haugan, M.P. Astrophys. J. 296, 1–12 (1985).
Damour, T. & Deruelle, N. Ann. Inst. H. Poincaré (Phys. théor.) 44, 263–292 (1986).
Damour, T. & Deruelle, N. Ann. Inst. H. Poincaré (Phys. théor.) 43, 107–132 (1985).
Shapiro, I.I. Phys. Rev. Lett. 13, 789–791 (1964).
Will, C.M. & Zaglauer, H.W. Astrophys. J. 346, 366–377 (1989).
Taylor, J.H. in General Relativity and Gravitation (ed. MacCallum, M.A.H.) 209–222 (Cambridge University Press, 1987).
Rawley, L.A., Taylor, J.H. & Davis, M.M. Nature 319, 383–384 (1986).
Ryba, M.F. & Taylor, J.H. Astrophys. J. 371, 739–748 (1991).
Nordtvedt, K. Phys. Rev. 170, 1186–1187 (1968).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Taylor, J., Wolszzan, A., Damour, T. et al. Experimental constraints on strong-field relativistic gravity. Nature 355, 132–136 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/355132a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/355132a0
This article is cited by
-
Universality of free fall from the orbital motion of a pulsar in a stellar triple system
Nature (2018)
-
The Gravitational Waves from Test Particles around Black Holes Immersed in a Strong Magnetic Field
International Journal of Theoretical Physics (2009)
-
Advancing fundamental physics with the Laser Astrometric Test of Relativity
Experimental Astronomy (2009)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.