arXiv:2510.08756v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: Gravitational waves from compact binary inspirals offer a new opportunity to constrain the cosmological time dependence of gravitational coupling parameters, due to the high precision of the observations themselves as well as the significant cosmological redshifts at which such systems exist. We calculate theory-independent equations of motion for compact objects in a binary system, implementing a new approach to sensitivities, and subsequently determine the gravitational wave signal that one should expect to measure from their inspiral. Expressions for the wave phase and amplitude are derived in terms of post-Newtonian gravitational coupling parameters, radiative flux parameters, and compact body sensitivities. These results complement recent attempts to gain theory-independent constraints on the time-evolution of gravitational coupling parameters from cosmological probes, and represent a new opportunity to constrain modified gravity with gravitational wave data.
Conclusions
The study provides a new method to constrain the time dependence of gravitational coupling parameters using gravitational waves from compact binary inspirals. This offers a unique opportunity to explore modified gravity theories and gain insights into the evolution of the universe.
Future Roadmap
Challenges
- Obtaining high precision observations to accurately measure gravitational wave signals.
- Developing robust theoretical frameworks to interpret the data and extract meaningful constraints on gravitational coupling parameters.
- Accounting for cosmological redshift effects and their impact on the analysis of compact binary inspirals.
Opportunities
- Advancing our understanding of gravity and its role in shaping the cosmos through gravitational wave observations.
- Testing modified gravity theories and potentially discovering new insights into the fundamental laws of physics.
- Collaborating with cosmologists and astrophysicists to combine gravitational wave data with other cosmological probes for a more comprehensive study of the universe.
Overall, the future of using gravitational waves to constrain gravitational coupling parameters holds great promise for advancing our knowledge of the cosmos and unveiling the mysteries of gravity.