Propagation of Light in the Field of Stationary and Radiative Gravitational Multipoles

TL;DR

This paper provides a mathematically consistent solution for light propagation in complex, time-dependent gravitational fields, crucial for high-precision astronomical observations and gravitational wave detection.

Contribution

It introduces a physically adequate mathematical framework for light propagation in the field of time-dependent gravitational multipoles within the first post-Minkowskian approximation.

Findings

Develops a solution accounting for all multipole moments.

Enhances understanding of light propagation in dynamic gravitational fields.

Supports high-precision astronomical measurements.

Abstract

Extremely high precision of near-future radio/optical interferometric observatories like SKA, Gaia, SIM and the unparalleled sensitivity of LIGO/LISA gravitational-wave detectors demands more deep theoretical treatment of relativistic effects in the propagation of electromagnetic signals through variable gravitational fields of the solar system, oscillating and precessing neutron stars, coalescing binary systems, exploding supernova, and colliding galaxies. Especially important for future gravitational-wave observatories is the problem of propagation of light rays in the field of multipolar gravitational waves emitted by a localized source of gravitational radiation. Present paper suggests physically-adequate and consistent mathematical solution of this problem in the first post-Minkowskian approximation of General Relativity which accounts for all time-dependent multipole moments of an isolated astronomical system.