COO2 - Theoretical Gravitational Lensing |
Speaker_ |
Keeton, Charles |
Co-autors |
Arlie Petters |
Talk _ |
Testing Theories of Gravity with Lensing by Compact Objects |
Abstract _ |
The gravitational deflection of light provided one of the first observational confirmations of general relativity. Now we are considering how gravitational lensing can provide a stronger and more fundamental test of Einstein's theory, and of intriguing new alternatives. We introduce a rigorous and comprehensive analytical framework for black hole lensing, and use it to make concrete predictions that are testable with current or near-future technology. Two examples: (1) In post-post-Newtonian models, there are universal relations among lensing observables. Observed violations of these relations would falsify all PPN models in one fell swoop. (2) In braneworld gravity, there could be many primordial black holes in our Solar System that would produce interference fringes in the energy spectra of gamma-ray bursts, which could be detected with the GLAST satellite starting in 2007. |