Einstein’s general relativity theory tagged posts

Limits on the differences of the γ values for three FRB observations. Credit: Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 261101 – Published 23 December 2015. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.261101

A new way to test one of the basic principles underlying Einstein’s theory of General Relativity using brief blasts of rare radio signals from space called Fast Radio Bursts (FRB) is 10-100X better than previous testing methods that used gamma-ray bursts. The new method is considered to be a significant tribute to Einstein on the 100th anniversary of his first formulation of the Equivalence Principle, which is a key component of Einstein’s theory of General Relativity...

Chandra image of the black hole at the center of spiral galaxy M81. Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Wisconsin/D.Pooley & CfA/A.Zezas; Optical: NASA/ESA/CfA/A.Zezas; UV: NASA/JPL-Caltech/CfA/J.Huchra et al.; IR: NASA/JPL-Caltech/CfA

A high-performance computing researcher has predicted a physical effect that would help physicists and astronomers provide fresh evidence of the correctness of Einstein’s general theory of relativity. Bin Chen, who works at the university’s Research Computing Center, describes the yet-to-be-observed effect in the paper “Probing the Gravitational Faraday Rotation Using Quasar X-ray Microlensing,” in the journal Scientific Reports. “To be able to test general relativity is of crucial importance to physicists and astronomers,” Chen said.

This testing is especially so in re...