Binary-pulsar tests of theories of gravity

by Dr Ramesh Bhat (Swinburne University of Technology, Australia)

Monday 30 Aug 2010, 16:00 → 17:00 Asia/Kolkata

A-269 (Colaba Campus)

Pulsars in close binary systems have provided the most stringent tests of strong-field gravity to date. Pulsar J1141-6545, which inhabits an eccentric 4.7-hour orbit around a solar-mass white dwarf makes a powerful laboratory for such tests due to its gravitationally asymmetric nature. In this talk, I will describe the gravitational tests derived from this system, and also comment on the future prospects and some challenges to counter in order to enable further stringent tests.