Gravitational waves and dynamics of compact binary systems

Abstract

Part A of this article is devoted to the general investigation of the gravitational-wave emission by post-Newtonian sources. We show how the radiation field far from the source, as well as its near-zone inner gravitational field, can (in principle) be calculated in terms of the matter stress-energy tensor up to any order in the post-Newtonian expansion. Part B presents some recent applications to the problems of the dynamics and gravitational-wave flux of compact binary systems. The precision reached in these developments corresponds to the third post-Newtonian approximation.

Plenary lecture given at the 16th International Conference on General Relativity and Gravitation. To appear in the proceedings, edited by N.T. Bishop and S.D. Maharaj, World Scientific