English

Gravitons to Photons -- attenuation of gravitational waves

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology 2015-12-09 v3 High Energy Physics - Theory

Abstract

In this essay we examine the response of an Unruh-DeWitt detector (a quantum two-level system) to a gravitational wave background. The spectrum of the Unruh-Dewitt detector is of the same form as some scattering processes or three body decays such as muon-electron scattering or muon decay. Based on this similarity we propose that the Unruh-DeWitt detector response implies a "decay" or attenuation of gravitons, GG, into photons, γ\gamma, via G+Gγ+γG + G \rightarrow \gamma + \gamma or Gγ+γ+GG \rightarrow \gamma + \gamma + G. Over large distances such a decay/attenuation may have consequences in regard to the detection of gravitational waves.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1505.04843,
  title  = {Gravitons to Photons -- attenuation of gravitational waves},
  author = {Preston Jones and Douglas Singleton},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1505.04843},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

8 pages, 0 figures. "Honorable mention" in the 2015 Gravity Research Foundation Essay Contest. Acknowledgment added. Published version