Gravitational waves and cosmic magnetism; a cosmological approach

TL;DR

This paper develops a covariant formalism to study how magnetic fields in the universe influence gravitational waves, revealing their complex interactions with spacetime geometry and potential effects on wave propagation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel geometrical approach to analyze the interaction between magnetic fields and gravitational radiation in a cosmological setting.

Findings

Magnetic tension can either boost or suppress gravitational waves.

Anisotropic magnetic fields can act as sources of gravitational wave perturbations.

The spatial curvature distortion influences the magnetic field's effect on waves.

Abstract

We present the formalism for the covariant treatment of gravitational radiation in a magnetized environment and discuss the implications of the field for gravity waves in the cosmological context. Our geometrical approach brings to the fore the tension properties of the magnetic force lines and reveals their intricate interconnection to the spatial geometry of a magnetised spacetime. We show how the generic anisotropy of the field can act as a source of gravitational wave perturbations and how, depending on the spatial curvature distortion, the magnetic tension can boost or suppress waves passing through a magnetized region.