Generalized Einstein-Aether theories and the Solar System

TL;DR

This paper investigates how generalized Einstein-Aether theories affect Solar System gravity, using observational data to constrain possible deviations from General Relativity and identifying theories consistent with current measurements.

Contribution

It analyzes the impact of a broad class of Einstein-Aether theories on Solar System dynamics and derives observational constraints on their parameters.

Findings

Certain subclasses of Einstein-Aether theories are compatible with Solar System tests.

Constraints from Mercury's perihelion shift limit deviations in gravitational potential.

Radar time delay measurements further restrict the parameter space of these theories.

Abstract

It has been shown that generalized Einstein-Aether theories may lead to significant modifications to the non-relativistic limit of the Einstein equations. In this paper we study the effect of a general class of such theories on the Solar System. We consider corrections to the gravitational potential in negative and positive powers of distance from the source. Using measurements of the perihelion shift of Mercury and time delay of radar signals to Cassini, we place constraints on these corrections. We find that a subclass of generalized Einstein-Aether theories are compatible with these constraints.