Spin-2 particles in gravitational fields

TL;DR

This paper provides an exact, gauge-invariant solution for spin-2 particles in gravitational fields, elucidating their phase behavior and interactions such as spin-rotation coupling.

Contribution

It presents a covariant, gauge-invariant wave equation solution for spin-2 particles in gravitational backgrounds, including physical optics and spin-gravity interactions.

Findings

Solution is covariant and gauge-invariant.

Phase factor encodes gravitational effects and spin interactions.

Describes Mashhoon's spin-rotation coupling.

Abstract

We give a solution of the wave equation for massless, or massive spin-2 particles propagating in a gravitational background. The solution is covariant, gauge-invariant and exact to first order in the background gravitational field. The background contribution is confined to a phase factor from which geometrical and physical optics can be derived. The phase also describes Mashhoon's spin-rotation coupling and, in general, the spin-gravity interaction.