The Exterior Spacetime of Relativistic Stars in Quadratic Gravity

Wed 10 October 2018 @12:00 PM, level 7
Dr Alex Saffer Montana State University

Email:   alexander.saffer[at]montana.edu

Abstract

General Relativity (GR) has been the cornerstone of gravitational physics for a century. Over this time, numerous predictions and tests have strengthened the belief in GR as the foremost theory when discussing gravity. However, GR cannot in its present form be reconciled with either quantum mechanics, or many cosmological observations such as galactic rotation curves or the accelerated expansion of the universe. In an attempt to rectify these shortcomings, modified theories of gravity have been proposed. In this talk, I will present one of these theories and discuss my current work in attempting to test its validity through the development of an exterior spacetime (metric) for a neutron star. From this, we expect to be able to develop a pulse profile which can be used, in conjunction with observations made of the x-ray flux of radiating neutron stars, to place constraints on the theory.