Physical Society Colloquium

Pulsar Tests of General Relativity

Ingrid Stairs

Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of British Columbia

Pulsars are radio-emitting neutron stars, and therefore offer the opportunity to probe relativistic effects near strongly self-gravitating objects. Pulsars orbiting white dwarfs, which are far less dense, allow for tests of various equivalence principles. Pulsars in double-neutron-star binaries often permit the measurement of multiple relativistic corrections to a Keplerian orbit, resulting in self-consistency tests for different gravitational theories. I will review the principles of pulsar timing and the current status of these various tests, including the latest results from the only known double-pulsar system. I will also discuss the prospects for direct detection of gravitational waves via pulsar timing.