Tests of Modified Gravity with Dwarf Galaxies
  In modified gravity theories that seek to explain cosmic acceleration, dwarf
galaxies in low density environments can be subject to enhanced forces. The
class of scalar-tensor theories, which includes f(R) gravity, predict such a
force enhancement (massive galaxies like the Milky Way can evade it through a
screening mechanism that protects the interior of the galaxy from this "fifth"
force). We study observable deviations from GR in the disks of late-type dwarf
galaxies moving under gravity. The fifth-force acts on the dark matter and HI
gas disk, but not on the stellar disk owing to the self-screening of main
sequence stars. We find four distinct observable effects in such disk galaxies:
1. A displacement of the stellar disk from the HI disk. 2. Warping of the
stellar disk along the direction of the external force. 3. Enhancement of the
rotation curve measured from the HI gas compared to that of the stellar disk.
4. Asymmetry in the rotation curve of the stellar disk. We estimate that the
spatial effects can be up to 1 kpc and the rotation velocity effects about 10
km/s in infalling dwarf galaxies. Such deviations are measurable: we expect
that with a careful analysis of a sample of nearby dwarf galaxies one can
improve astrophysical constraints on gravity theories by over three orders of
magnitude, and even solar system constraints by one order of magnitude. Thus
effective tests of gravity along the lines suggested by Hui et al (2009) and
Jain (2011) can be carried out with low-redshift galaxies, though care must be
exercised in understanding possible complications from astrophysical effects.
