Watching Gravitational Waves

TL;DR

This paper explores how gravitational waves interact with magnetic fields and plasma near astrophysical events, potentially enabling indirect detection and explaining gamma-ray burst phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces theoretical models of gravitational wave interactions with magnetic fields and plasma, deriving dispersion relations for magnetosonic waves driven by gravitational waves.

Findings

Partial conversion of gravitational to electromagnetic waves near neutron stars

Excitation of magnetosonic plasma waves by gravitational waves

Derived dispersion relation for plasma waves driven by gravitational waves

Abstract

In the vicinity of merging neutron strar binaries or supernova remnants, gravitational waves can interact with the prevailing strong magnetic fields. The resulting partial conversion of gravitational waves into electromagnetic (radio) waves might prove to be an indirect way of detecting gravitational waves from such sources. Another interesting interaction considered in this article is the excitation of magnetosonic plasma waves by a gravitational wave passing through the surrounding plasma. The transfer of gravitational wave energy into the plasma might help to fuel the `fireball' of electromagnetic radiation observed in gamma ray bursts. In the last section of the article, a dispersion relation is derived for such magnetosonic plasma waves driven by a gravitational wave.