%0 Journal Article
%T The Post-Newtonian Approximation for Relativistic Compact Binaries
%A Futamase Toshifumi
%A Itoh Yousuke
%J Living Reviews in Relativity
%D 2007
%I Max-Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics
%X We discuss various aspects of the post-Newtonian approximation in general relativity. After presenting the foundation based on the Newtonian limit, we show a method to derive post-Newtonian equations of motion for relativistic compact binaries based on a surface integral approach and the strong field point particle limit. As an application we derive third post-Newtonian equations of motion for relativistic compact binaries which respect the Lorentz invariance in the post-Newtonian perturbative sense, admit a conserved energy, and are free from any ambiguity.
%K Gravitational waves
%U http://www.livingreviews.org/lrr-2007-2