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arxiv: 0806.1531 · v1 · pith:7MJCXP33new · submitted 2008-06-09 · 🌌 astro-ph · gr-qc

Probes and Tests of Strong-Field Gravity with Observations in the Electromagnetic Spectrum

classification 🌌 astro-ph gr-qc
keywords observationscompactgeneralgravityneutronstarsstrong-fieldtests
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Neutron stars and black holes are the astrophysical systems with the strongest gravitational fields in the universe. In this article, I review the prospect of probing with observations of such compact objects some of the most intriguing General Relativistic predictions in the strong-field regime: the absence of stable circular orbits near a compact object and the presence of event horizons around black-hole singularities. I discuss the need for a theoretical framework within which future experiments will provide detailed, quantitative tests of gravity theories. Finally, I summarize the constraints imposed by current observations of neutron stars on potential deviations from General Relativity.

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