Testing gravitational theories using Eccentric Eclipsing Detached Binaries

TL;DR

This study compares various gravitational theories' effects on the apsidal motion of eccentric eclipsing binary stars, finding no significant differences from General Relativity within current observational limits.

Contribution

It applies Post-Newtonian formalism to test multiple gravitational theories against observed binary star data, highlighting the proximity of f(R) theory to GR.

Findings

No significant difference from GR detected in current data

f(R) theory closely aligns with General Relativity

Potential to distinguish theories with longer-term observations

Abstract

In this paper we compare the effects of different theories of gravitation on the apsidal motion of a sample of Eccentric Eclipsing Detached Binary stars. The comparison is performed by using the formalism of the Post-Newtonian parametrization to calculate the theoretical advance at periastron and compare it to the observed one, after having considered the effects of the structure and rotation of the involved stars. A variance analysis on the results of this comparison, shows that no significant difference can be found due to the effect of the different theories under test with respect to the standard General Relativity. It will be possible to observe differences, as we would expect, by checking the observed period variation on a much larger lapse of time. It can also be noticed from our results, that f(R) theory is the nearest to GR with respect to the other tested theories.