Aberration and the speed of gravity

1999/09/30 by S. Carlip · 4 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #General relativity #Gravitation #Gravitational acceleration #Gravitational wave #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #Quadrupole #Relativity and Gravitational Theory #Speed of gravity #Tests of general relativity #Theory of relativity #gr-qc

paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/s0375-9601(00)00101-8

published as Phys.Lett.A267:81-87,2000 · 9 pages, LaTeX, one figure using LaTeX picture environment; references added, abstract shortened, typos corrected, discussion of aberration and radiation reaction amplified; no change in essential argument

arxiv created 1999/12/31 · openalex publication_date 2000/03/01 · arxiv updated 2010/04/28 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

The observed absence of gravitational aberration requires that ``Newtonian'' gravity propagate at a speed c_g>2×10¹⁰c. By evaluating the gravitational effect of an accelerating mass, I show that aberration in general relativity is almost exactly canceled by velocity-dependent interactions, permitting c_g=c. This cancellation is dictated by conservation laws and the quadrupole nature of gravitational radiation.

Citations

• Binary pulsars and relativistic gravity

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