Abstract
Considerable attention has recently focused on gravity theories obtained by extending general relativity with additional scalar, vector, or tensor degrees of freedom. In this Letter, we show that the black-hole solutions of these theories are essentially indistinguishable from those of general relativity. Thus, we conclude that a potential observational verification of the Kerr metric around an astrophysical black hole cannot, in and of itself, be used to distinguish between these theories. On the other hand, it remains true that detection of deviations from the Kerr metric will signify the need for a major change in our understanding of gravitational physics.
- Received 30 April 2007
- Publisher error corrected 17 March 2008
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.091101
©2008 American Physical Society
Corrections
17 March 2008