2017/10/31 by Jeremy Sakstein · 2 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrobiology #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Computer science #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Environmental science #Physics #Relativity and Gravitational Theory #Space (punctuation) #astro-ph.CO #gr-qc #hep-ph #hep-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevd.97.064028
published as Phys. Rev. D 97, 064028 (2018) · 10 pages, seven figures, plot added to figure 3 and appendix A added
arxiv created 2018/03/01 · openalex publication_date 2018/03/23 · arxiv updated 2018/03/28 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Future space-based tests of relativistic gravitation---laser ranging to Phobos, accelerometers in orbit, and optical networks surrounding Earth---will constrain the theory of gravity with unprecedented precision by testing the inverse-square law, the strong and weak equivalence principles, and the deflection and time delay of light by massive bodies. In this paper, we estimate the bounds that could be obtained on alternative gravity theories that use screening mechanisms to suppress deviations from general relativity in the Solar System: chameleon, symmetron, and Galileon models. We find that space-based tests of the parametrized post-Newtonian parameter \ensuremathγ will constrain chameleon and symmetron theories to new levels, and that tests of the inverse-square law using laser ranging to Phobos will provide the most stringent constraints on Galileon theories to date. We end by discussing the potential for constraining these theories using upcoming tests of the weak equivalence principle, and conclude that further theoretical modeling is required in order to fully utilize the data.