Gravitational atoms: Gravitational radiation from excited boson stars

Journal Article · Sun Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Physical Review (Section) D: Particles and Fields; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.40.2524· OSTI ID:5353038

Ferrell, R ^[1]; Gleiser, M ^[2]

---

1. Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106 (US)
2. Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106

Boson stars are gravitationally bound states of complex scalar fields. In general, as a solution of the Einstein-Klein-Gordon system, the scalar field can be expanded as a sum over modes given by the product of radial functions and spherical harmonics. We show that if the configuration is not in its ground state, the excited modes will decay to the ground state through emission of scalar and gravitational radiation. Using a Newtonian approximation, we obtain the power radiated in gravitational waves and the frequency of the gravitons emitted in the decay, in the case where most of the star is already in its ground state. The process is similar to the spontaneous emission of a photon in atoms, hence the name gravitational atoms.''

• OSTI ID: 5353038
• Journal Information: Physical Review (Section) D: Particles and Fields; (USA), Journal Name: Physical Review (Section) D: Particles and Fields; (USA) Vol. 40:8; ISSN PRVDA; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

645400* -- High Energy Physics-- Field Theory
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ATOMS
BLACK HOLES
BOSONS
BOUND STATE
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS OF STATE
GRAVITATIONAL RADIATION
MASSLESS PARTICLES
PHOTONS
RADIATIONS
SCALAR FIELDS
SPACE-TIME