VSL-Gravity in light of PSR B1913+16 Full Data Set: Upper limits on graviton mass and its theoretical consequences

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Main Authors: Bonilla, Alexander, Santoni, Alessandro, Nunes, Rafael C., Said, Jackson Levi
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Bonilla, Alexander
Santoni, Alessandro
Nunes, Rafael C.
Said, Jackson Levi
author_facet Bonilla, Alexander
Santoni, Alessandro
Nunes, Rafael C.
Said, Jackson Levi
contents Very Special Linear Gravity (VSL-Gravity) is an alternative model of linearized gravity that incorporates massive gravitons while retaining only two physical degrees of freedom thanks to gauge invariance. Recently, the gravitational period-decay dynamics of the model has been determined using effective field theory techniques. In this study, we conduct a comprehensive Bayesian analysis of the PSR B1913+16 binary pulsar dataset to test the predictions of VSL-Gravity. Our results place a 95\% confidence level upper bound on the graviton mass at $m_g \lesssim 10^{-19} \, \text{eV}/c^2$. Additionally, we observe a significant discrepancy in the predicted mass of one of the binary's companion stars. Lastly, we discuss the broader implications of a non-zero graviton mass, from astrophysical consequences to potential cosmological effects.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_12195
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle VSL-Gravity in light of PSR B1913+16 Full Data Set: Upper limits on graviton mass and its theoretical consequences
Bonilla, Alexander
Santoni, Alessandro
Nunes, Rafael C.
Said, Jackson Levi
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
Very Special Linear Gravity (VSL-Gravity) is an alternative model of linearized gravity that incorporates massive gravitons while retaining only two physical degrees of freedom thanks to gauge invariance. Recently, the gravitational period-decay dynamics of the model has been determined using effective field theory techniques. In this study, we conduct a comprehensive Bayesian analysis of the PSR B1913+16 binary pulsar dataset to test the predictions of VSL-Gravity. Our results place a 95\% confidence level upper bound on the graviton mass at $m_g \lesssim 10^{-19} \, \text{eV}/c^2$. Additionally, we observe a significant discrepancy in the predicted mass of one of the binary's companion stars. Lastly, we discuss the broader implications of a non-zero graviton mass, from astrophysical consequences to potential cosmological effects.
title VSL-Gravity in light of PSR B1913+16 Full Data Set: Upper limits on graviton mass and its theoretical consequences
topic General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.12195