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GRG Editor's Choice: Extreme gravity tests with gravitational waves from compact binary coalescences: (I) inspiral–merger

Journal cover: General Relativity and GravitationBerti, E., Yagi, K. & Yunes, N., Extreme gravity tests with gravitational waves from compact binary coalescences: (I) inspiral–merger, Gen Relativ Gravit (2018) 50: 46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10714-018-2362-8

Editor's Choice (Review Article)

First Online: 03 April 2018

Part of the Topical Collection: "Testing the Kerr spacetime with gravitational-wave and electromagnetic observations"

"This is the first part of an excellent review article on extreme gravity tests that could be performed with the detection of gravitational waves from compact binary coalesence. All three authors are recognized world-experts and leaders in this field. The article has a good structure and covers the subject in depth, using numerous appropriate references when describing historical as well as new developments in the field."

Abstract:

The observation of the inspiral and merger of compact binaries by the LIGO/Virgo collaboration ushered in a new era in the study of strong-field gravity. We review current and future tests of strong gravity and of the Kerr paradigm with gravitational-wave interferometers, both within a theory-agnostic framework (the parametrized post-Einsteinian formalism) and in the context of specific modified theories of gravity (scalar–tensor, Einstein–dilaton–Gauss–Bonnet, dynamical Chern–Simons, Lorentz-violating, and extra dimensional theories). In this contribution we focus on (i) the information carried by the inspiral radiation, and (ii) recent progress in numerical simulations of compact binary mergers in modified gravity.

The authors: 

yagi-berti-yunes_GERG © SpringerKent Yagi is an Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia doing research on probes of fundamental physics using astrophysical compact objects, such as black holes and neutron stars. 

Emanuele Berti is an Associate Professor at the University of Mississippi, working on gravitational physics, and in particular on black holes, neutron stars, gravitational radiation, relativistic astrophysics and strong-field tests of general relativity. 

Nicolás Yunes is an Associate Professor at Montana State University specializing in the dynamics of black holes and neutron stars.

GRG Editor's Choice:

In each volume of GRG, a few papers are marked as “Editor’s Choice”. The primary criteria is original, high quality research that is of wide interest within the community.