Quantum gravitational optics: Effective Raychaudhuri equation

Journal Article · Tue Aug 15 04:00:00 EDT 2006 · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.74.044034· OSTI ID:20871012

Ahmadi, N ^[1]; Nouri-Zonoz, M ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, University of Tehran, North Karegar Avenue, Tehran 14395-547 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

Vacuum polarization in QED in a background gravitational field induces interactions which effectively modify the classical picture of light rays, as the null geodesics of spacetime. These interactions violate the strong equivalence principle and affect the propagation of light leading to superluminal photon velocities. Taking into account the QED vacuum polarization, we study the propagation of a bundle of rays in a background gravitational field. To do so we study the perturbative deformation of the Raychaudhuri equation through the influence of vacuum polarization on photon propagation. We analyze the contribution of the above interactions to the optical scalars, namely, shear, vorticity, and expansion using the Newman-Penrose formalism.

• OSTI ID: 20871012
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Journal Name: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 74; ISSN PRVDAQ; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
BASIC INTERACTIONS
DEFORMATION
EQUIVALENCE PRINCIPLE
EXPANSION
FIELD EQUATIONS
GEODESICS
GRAVITATIONAL FIELDS
OPTICS
PHOTONS
QUANTUM ELECTRODYNAMICS
SCALARS
SHEAR
SPACE-TIME
VACUUM POLARIZATION
VELOCITY