Equations of motion in scalar-tensor theories of gravity: A covariant multipolar approach

TL;DR

This paper develops a covariant multipolar framework to derive the equations of motion for extended test bodies in scalar-tensor theories of gravity, facilitating experimental tests of these theories.

Contribution

It introduces a systematic covariant multipolar approach for deriving equations of motion in scalar-tensor gravity, applicable to both Jordan and Einstein frames.

Findings

Provides a unified framework for equations of motion in scalar-tensor theories.

Enables experimental testing of scalar-tensor gravity using extended test bodies.

Derives equations applicable to both Jordan and Einstein formulations.

Abstract

We discuss the dynamics of extended test bodies for a large class of scalar-tensor theories of gravitation. A covariant multipolar Mathisson-Papapetrou-Dixon type of approach is used to derive the equations of motion in a systematic way for both Jordan and Einstein formulations of these theories. The results obtained provide the framework to experimentally test scalar-tensor theories by means of extended test bodies.