Putting Yukawa-like Modified Gravity (MOG) on the test in the Solar System

TL;DR

This paper tests a Yukawa-like modified gravity model (MOG) within the Solar System by comparing predicted planetary perihelion precessions with observational data, finding it inconsistent at over 3sigma.

Contribution

It provides the first Solar System test of MOG using planetary perihelion precession ratios, challenging its validity at small scales.

Findings

MOG predicts retrograde perihelion precessions inconsistent with observations.

The model is ruled out at more than 3sigma level in the Solar System.

Future independent measurements could further test or confirm these results.

Abstract

We deal with a Yukawa-like long-range modified model of gravity (MOG) which recently allowed to successfully accommodate many astrophysical and cosmological features without resorting to dark matter. On Solar System scales MOG predicts retrograde secular precessions of the planetary longitudes of the perihelia \varpi whose existence has been put on the test here by taking the ratios of the observationally estimated Pitjeva's corrections to the standard Newtonian/Einsteinian perihelion precessions for different pairs of planets. It turns out that MOG, in the present form which turned out to be phenomenologically successful on astrophysical scales, is ruled out at more than 3sigma level in the Solar System. If and when other teams of astronomers will independently estimate their own extra-precessions of the perihelia it will be possible to repeat such a test.