Constraint on reconstructed f(R) gravity models from gravitational waves

TL;DR

This paper uses gravitational wave observations from neutron star mergers to place constraints on f(R) gravity models by examining the graviton mass, thereby testing the validity of these theories.

Contribution

It demonstrates how gravitational wave data can constrain the parameters of f(R) gravity models, linking GW observations to modifications of gravity.

Findings

Gravitational wave data constrains the graviton mass in f(R) models.

The parameter in f(R) gravity can be limited using GW bounds.

GW observations provide a new test for the viability of f(R) gravity theories.

Abstract

The gravitational wave (GW) detection of a binary neutron star inspiral made by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo paves the unprecedented way for multi-messenger observations. The propagation speed of this GW can be scrutinized by comparing the arrival times between GW and neutrinos or photons. It provides the constraint on the mass of the graviton. f(R) gravity theories have the habitual non-zero mass gravitons in addition to usual massless ones. Previously, we show that the model independent f(R) gravity theories can be constructed from the both background evolution and the matter growth with one undetermined parameter. We show that this parameter can be constrained from the graviton mass bound obtained from GW detection. Thus, the GW detection provides the invaluable constraint on the validity of f(R) gravity theories.