Equations of motion for the mass centers in a scalar theory of gravitation

Abstract

A scalar theory of gravitation with a preferred reference frame (PRF) is considered, that accounts for special relativity and reduces to it if the gravitational field cancels. The gravitating system consists of a finite number of perfect-fluid bodies. An " asymptotic " post-Newtonian (PN) approximation scheme is used, allowing an explicit weak-field limit with all fields expanded. Exact mass centers are defined and their exact equations of motion are derived. The PN expansion of these equations is obtained: the zero-order equations are those of Newtonian gravity (NG), and the equations for the first-order (PN) corrections depend linearly on the PN fields. For PN corrections to the motion of the mass centers, especially in the solar system, one may assume " very-well-separated " rigidly moving bodies with spherical self-fields of the zero-order approximation. The PN corrections reduce then to a time integration and include spin effects, which might be significant. It is shown that the Newtonian masses are not correct zero-order masses for the PN calculations. An algorithm is proposed, in order to minimize the residual and to assess the velocity in the PRF.