Previous
abstract 
Next
abstract
Session 8 - Relativistic Astrophysics.
Display session, Wednesday, January 07
Exhibit Hall,
We summarize here the general relativistic phenomena to be considered for the future Space Interferometry Mission. These sudies will include the measurement of the curvature of the solar system space-time via the relativistic light deflection experiments. Thus, the corresponding PPN parameter \gamma will be routinely measured to one part in 10^5. The detection of the higher gravitational multipole influence (notably, the quadrupole and the octupole) on the gravitational light bending is also possible. As a result, a considerable improvement of existing models for high precision astrometric observations should be performed. Solution to the light propagation problem, including derivation of the corresponding relativistic expressions for range and Doppler measurements as well as for aberrational, parallax and proper motion relationships must be established for a number of gravity theories, notably the scalar-tensor theories. We will discuss the ways of establishment of a physically well founded hierarchy of relativistic astronomical reference frames, including the most complicated case of relativistic rotational frames.
