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Scalar gravitational waves in the effective theory of gravity

Journal Article · · Journal of High Energy Physics (Online)
As a low energy effective field theory, classical General Relativity receives an infrared relevant modification from the conformal trace anomaly of the energy-momentum tensor of massless, or nearly massless, quantum fields. The local form of the effective action associated with the trace anomaly is expressed in terms of a dynamical scalar field that couples to the conformal factor of the spacetime metric, allowing it to propagate over macroscopic distances. Linearized around flat spacetime, this semi-classical EFT admits scalar gravitational wave solutions in addition to the transversely polarized tensor waves of the classical Einstein theory. The amplitude of the scalar wave modes, as well as their energy and energy flux which are positive and contain a monopole moment, are computed. As a result, astrophysical sources for scalar gravitational waves are considered, with the excited gluonic condensates in the interiors of neutron stars in merger events with other compact objects likely to provide the strongest burst signals.
Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
LDRD; USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-06NA25396
OSTI ID:
1398910
Report Number(s):
LA-UR--16-23649
Journal Information:
Journal of High Energy Physics (Online), Journal Name: Journal of High Energy Physics (Online) Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 2017; ISSN 1029-8479
Publisher:
Springer BerlinCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (2)

Tests for the existence of black holes through gravitational wave echoes journal September 2017
Primordial scalar gravitational waves produced at the QCD phase transition due to the trace anomaly journal June 2019

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