Special Astrophysics Seminar

Strong field tests of gravity with PSR J1141-6545

Vivek V. Krishnan

University in Melbourne

Pulsars in relativistic binary systems provide the most stringent tests of gravity to date in the strong field regime. While pulsars such as the double neutron star system (B1913+16) and the double pulsar (J0737-3039A/B) provide significant tests for the predictions of the General Theory of Relativity (GR), their gravitational symmetry makes them less sensitive to testing the predictions of alternative theories of gravity such as scalar-tensor theories. Such theories are natural extensions of GR that deviate strongly from GR in the strong-field regime, especially in the predictions of multipolar contributions to the gravitational radiation losses in the system. Pulsars in gravitationally asymmetric binaries, such as pulsars with white dwarf or black hole companions, are better-suited systems for testing such theories. PSR J1141-6545 is one such pulsar in a 4.8-hour relativistic orbit around a white dwarf companion. In this talk, I will talk about the 17-year timing campaign of this pulsar and the test of GR and scalar-tensor theories with this pulsar.