Testing General Relativity through the E_{G} Statistic Using the Weyl Potential and Galaxy Velocities.

Area of Science:

• Cosmology
• Astrophysics
• General Relativity

Background:

• General relativity is the standard model for gravity.
• Testing general relativity on cosmological scales is crucial for understanding the Universe.
• Previous tests often relied on galaxy bias, introducing potential uncertainties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the consistency of general relativity at cosmological scales.
• To provide improved measurements of the E_{G} statistic.
• To develop a novel method for testing gravity independent of galaxy bias.

Main Methods:

• Combined galaxy velocity data from surveys with Weyl potential measurements from the Dark Energy Survey.
• Calculated the E_{G} statistic by taking the ratio of two model-independent observables: the growth rate of structure and the Weyl potential.
• Analyzed data at four different redshifts.

Main Results:

• Achieved precision of 6.0-11.3% for the E_{G} statistic measurements.
• Measurements confirmed the validity of general relativity at four redshifts.
• Observed deviations from predicted values were at most 1.6σ.

Conclusions:

• The study confirms the validity of general relativity on cosmological scales.
• The novel method offers improved precision and reduces reliance on galaxy bias.
• This approach provides a powerful new tool for testing fundamental physics in the Universe.