PHYSICS / GRAVITATION

LR-SPEED-OF-GRAVITY-CONSTRAINTOPEN LIMIT

Tightest constraint on the speed of gravity relative to light

Name: Tightest constraint on the speed of gravity relative to light
Creator: Limits Registry
Published: 2017-10-16T00:00:00.000Z
Keywords: PHYSICS / GRAVITATION

The neutron-star merger GW170817, detected by LIGO and Virgo on 17 August 2017, was followed 1.7 seconds later by the gamma-ray burst GRB 170817A seen by the Fermi and INTEGRAL satellites. Over the 40-megaparsec path, that delay constrained the speed of gravity to equal the speed of light within -3x10^-15 to +7x10^-16, ruling out many modified-gravity theories.

— page viewsSpecification version 1Published 2017-10-161 evidence records

About this problem

The question, scope, and sources behind this Registry record.

Description

Formal question

The smallest experimentally bounded value of |v_gw - c|/c, the fractional difference between gravitational-wave and light speeds.

Scope & constraints

Current published specification applies.

Primary sources

LIGO, Virgo, Fermi-GBM & INTEGRAL, 'Gravitational Waves and Gamma-Rays from a Binary Neutron Star Merger: GW170817 and GRB 170817A', ApJL 848, L13 — Tightest constraint on the speed of gravity relative to light LIGO Hanford/Livingston (USA) and Virgo (Italy)

Scope audit

Does your result fit this record?

Change a parameter to stress-test whether a proposed result is still inside the published specification. This is an audit aid, not a proof checker.

This record has no editable parameters. Read the formal question and assumptions before challenging it.

Scope matches the published specificationNo parameters changed

What we know

Current frontiers derived from accepted Claims.

Best demonstrated value3e-15

An observed or demonstrated result; no opposing bound is implied.

The frontier is not sacred

Think this record is wrong? Good.

Most progress starts with a disagreement that survives contact with evidence. If you can push the known lower bound up or pull the upper bound down, show us the work.

Push the floor upPropose ≥ when you have shown that at least this value is achievable.

Pull the ceiling downPropose ≤ when you have shown that anything above this value is impossible.

No vibes. State the value, define the scope, and link the paper, proof, code, or reproduction that lets another person check it. Editors review every challenge before the public record changes.

Challenge this record

Claims

Assertions tied to evidence, attribution, and review.

2026

CLM-SPEED-OF-GRAVITY-CONSTRAINT= 3e-15CONSTRUCTIONArrival-time comparison of the gravitational-wave merger signal and the associated gamma-ray burst, using a conservative distance lower bound and allowing for intrinsic emission delays.Evidence quality: PAPER · Source: LIGO, Virgo, Fermi-GBM & INTEGRAL, 'Gravitational Waves and Gamma-Rays from a Binary Neutron Star Merger: GW170817 and GRB 170817A', ApJL 848, L13 — Tightest constraint on the speed of gravity relative to light ↗

SOURCE CONFIRMED

Timeline

The frontier as it changed over time.

How this frontier is derived

Only accepted Claims matching the current specification contribute to the displayed bounds. Strict inequalities remain open; contradictory Claims require editorial review.

—No breakthrough events recorded yetEvents appear here when an accepted Claim tightens a bound or closes the frontier.

Tightest constraint on the speed of gravity relative to light

About this problem

Does your result fit this record?

What we know

Think this record is wrong? Good.

Claims

Timeline

Evidence-backed record

What changed

Active verified incentives

Machine-checked history

Tightest constraint on the speed of gravity relative to light

About this problem

Does your result fit this record?

What we know

Think this record is wrong? Good.

Claims

Timeline

Related Limits

Evidence-backed record

What changed

Active verified incentives

Machine-checked history