Abstract
We consider the observational effects of a deficit angle, , in the topology of the solar system and in the “double pulsar” system PSR J0737-3039A/B. Using observations of the perihelion precession of Mercury, and the gravitational deflection of light due to the Sun, we constrain the magnitude of such a deficit angle in the solar system to be , with at 95% confidence. We calculate the effects of a deficit angle on the periastron advance, geodetic precession rate and inclination angle of the double pulsar system and use the observational data to obtain the constraint at 95% confidence. Although this result is weaker than the solar system bound, it is in a very different physical environment, where accumulating data is likely to lead to tighter constraints in the future.
- Received 25 January 2010
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.81.063006
©2010 American Physical Society