Issues

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1979

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July

  

To the centenary of A. Einstein


Experimental verification of the general theory of relativity


Lebedev Physical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prosp. 53, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation

A review is given of experimental verifications of the general theory of relativity (GTR) in which basic assumptions and consequences of the theory are compared with experiment. It may now be considered that the principle of equivalence and some of the other propositions forming the foundations of GTR, and also the effects predicted by it for weak fields ($\vert\varphi\vert$/c$^2\ll1$, where $\varphi$ is the Newtonian gravitational potential) have, on the whole, been reliably confirmed. However, in the case of strong fields, the theory has not as yet been directly confirmed. In particular, the existence of black holes has not yet been demonstrated, to say nothing of a quantitative agreement between GTR formulas and measurements of the metric near a black hole. Several suggestions are put forward in relation to further verifications of GTR.

Fulltext pdf (1.7 MB)
Fulltext is also available at DOI: 10.1070/PU1979v022n07ABEH005583
PACS: 04.80.+z
DOI: 10.1070/PU1979v022n07ABEH005583
URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/1979/7/b/
Citation: Ginzburg V L "Experimental verification of the general theory of relativity" Sov. Phys. Usp. 22 514–527 (1979)
BibTexBibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS) MedlineRefWorks
PT Journal Article
TI Experimental verification of the general theory of relativity
AU Ginzburg V L
FAU Ginzburg VL
DP 10 Jul, 1979
TA Phys. Usp.
VI 22
IP 7
PG 514-527
RX 10.1070/PU1979v022n07ABEH005583
URL https://ufn.ru/en/articles/1979/7/b/
SO Phys. Usp. 1979 Jul 10;22(7):514-527

Оригинал: Гинзбург В Л «Об экспериментальной проверке общей теории относительности» УФН 128 435–458 (1979); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0128.197907b.0435

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