Extragalactic test of general relativity with time-delay gravitational lenses

Abstract Strong gravitational lensing, a key prediction of general relativity (GR), offers a unique environment for examining alternative modified gravity theories. In this Letter, we employ a model-independent approach to estimate the parameterized post-Newtonian parameter $$\gamma _\textrm{PPN}$$ γ PPN using the time-delay measurements from H0LiCOW strong lensing systems. To minimize potential biases from cosmological models in testing GR, we use Gaussian Process regression (GPR) to reconstruct angular diameter distances ( $$D_\textrm{A}$$ D A ) from the newest baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) measurements, provided by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) DR2 data. Based on the reconstructed angular diameter distances and four H0LiCOW lenses, we directly estimate the post-Newtonian parameter $$\gamma _\textrm{PPN}=0.93^{+0.16}_{-0.17}$$ γ PPN = 0 . 93 - 0.17 + 0.16 and the sound horizon scale $$r_\textrm{d}=136.36^{+5.14}_{-3.20}~\textrm{Mpc}$$ r d = 136 . 36 - 3.20 + 5.14 Mpc . This is the first simultaneous measurement of $$\gamma _\textrm{PPN}$$ γ PPN and $$r_\textrm{d}$$ r d without any assumptions about the contents of the universe or the theory of gravity. In the new framework of distance ratio $$D_{\Delta t}/D_\textrm{l}$$ D Δ t / D l which avoids the bias introduced by $$r_\textrm{d}$$ r d , the $$\gamma _\textrm{PPN}$$ γ PPN constraint can be further improved to $$\gamma _\textrm{PPN}=0.89^{+0.19}_{-0.15}$$ γ PPN = 0 . 89 - 0.15 + 0.19 . Our results provide a direct test of GR at the extragalactic scale, which is well consistent with the prediction of GR within $$1\sigma $$ 1