Gravitational Wave Generation and Detection in Gravitational Quantum Field Theory

TL;DR

This paper explores the generation and detection of multiple polarization modes of gravitational waves predicted by Gravitational Quantum Field Theory, highlighting differences from General Relativity and assessing observability with current and future detectors.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive analysis of five GW modes in GQFT, deriving analytic expressions and examining their production and detectability, which extends beyond traditional GR predictions.

Findings

Current detectors can observe scalar and tensor modes.

Vector GWs require specialized detectors for detection.

Antisymmetric stress tensors significantly enhance vector GW coupling.

Abstract

We investigate the production and detection of gravitational waves (GWs) within the framework of Gravitational Quantum Field Theory (GQFT). In this theory, GWs exhibit five propagating modes: one scalar, two vector, and two tensor modes. Unlike General Relativity, the gravitational field equations in GQFT involve both symmetric and antisymmetric tensors, governed by their respective energy-momentum tensors, both of which can act as sources for GW radiation. By solving the linearized gravitational equations, we derive general analytic expressions for the different GW degrees of freedom. Our analysis reveals that the symmetric energy-momentum tensor generates scalar and tensor GWs through the trace and traceless parts of the quadrupole moment, respectively. In contrast, the antisymmetric stress tensor induces scalar and vector GWs with enhanced coupling strengths. We examine two illustrative examples: a black hole binary with a slightly elliptical orbit, which produces scalar GWs, and a neutron star binary where one component has a net spin aligned with its velocity, leading to vector GW emission. Finally, we study the detectability of these GW polarizations by analyzing their signatures in GW detectors. Our findings indicate that current observatories can detect both scalar and tensor modes, while a newly designed detector would be required to probe vector GWs.