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The classical equations for Einstein's GR (modulo the cosmological constant) read $$R_{\mu\nu} - \frac{1}{2} R g_{\mu\nu} = \kappa T_{\mu\nu}.$$ These equations have a complicated linearization that is nevertheless sufficient for describing most low-energy phenomena in gravitation.

On the particle physics side, general arguments suggest the presence of a unique massless spin-2 field that couples to the stress energy tensor, which is typically what we call the graviton. The wave equations for this particle match the linearized Einstein equations. However, to the best of my understanding, this correspondence between the results of Einstein's equations and the graviton action need only hold at linear order; the leading classical terms beyond linear order in the action are not fixed by the same general arguments, and it should be possible to conceive of a classical theory of the field for such a massless spin-2 particle might look quite different from GR.

Given this: how strong of experimental evidence do we have that GR is the correct classical completion of the linearized action, as opposed to some other physics? In particular, it seems as though the regime where the higher-order corrections would come into play would generally be at very strong values of the gravitational field that would not be directly accessible via present experimental probes.

Qmechanic
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1 Answers1

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The evidence is the observed perihelion precession of Mercury. This cannot be explained by linearized GR (or by Newtonian gravity), but it is explained by the leading non-linear effect of GR: in particular, it comes from the 3-point graviton interaction term in the expansion of the Einstein-Hilbert action. See also my answer here.

The non-linear (interaction) terms of the graviton are fixed. They are fixed by consistently coupling the total energy-momentum tensor (that is, graviton $+$ matter, and not just matter) in order to ensure that energy-momentum conservation/Bianchi identity holds true. This was summarized by Deser in a 1969 paper. See my answer here for a short summary and a link to this paper.

So far, GR has passed all tests in regimes of strong gravitational fields, and non-linearity, now with the consistent verification with the observation of gravitational waves from coalescing black holes and neutron stars. There is, however, quite a lot of research being done right now to find any deviation from GR from this new data. We know for sure that GR is not a UV complete theory (even classically). But what and when the next higher-order corrections to GR will be observed in nature is a mystery. GR is very robust.

Avantgarde
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