Scalar charges and pulsar-timing observables in the presence of nonminimally coupled scalar fields

Abstract

Pulsar-timing has become a celebrated tool for probing modifications to General Relativity in the strong-field surroundings of neutron stars. Here we investigate whether scalar-tensor theories that incorporate a nonminimally coupled scalar degree of freedom may pass pulsar-timing tests, by computing the scalar charges entering such observables. In particular we show that for positive values of the nonminimal coupling $\xi$, pulsar-timing constraints may be evaded even in the presence of spontaneous scalarization.