On-shell approach to (spinning) gravitational absorption processes

We study scalar-tensor gravitational theories using on-shell amplitude methods. We focus on theories with gravity coupled to a massless scalar via the Gauss-Bonnet and Chern-Simons terms. In this framework, we calculate the waveforms for classical scalar radiation emitted in scattering of macroscopic objects, including spin effects. To this end, we use the Kosower-Maybee-O'Connell formalism, with the 5-particle amplitude for scalar emission in matter scattering calculated at ...

Recently, a proposal has appeared for the extraction of the 2-point function of linearised quantum gravity, within the spinfoam formalism. This relies on the use of a boundary state, which introduces a semi-classical flat geometry on the boundary. In this paper, we investigate this proposal considering a toy model in the (Riemannian) 3d case, where the semi-classical limit is better understood. We show that in this limit the propagation kernel of the model is the one for the ...

We compute the far-field time-domain waveform of the gravitational waves produced in the scattering of two spinning massive objects. The results include linear-in-spin ($S$) couplings and first-order gravitational corrections ($G^3$), and are valid for encounters in the weak-field regime. Employing a field-theory framework based on the scattering of massive scalar and vector particles coupled to Einstein-Hilbert gravity, we derive results for leading and the next-to-leading s...

Using adiabatic point-particle black hole perturbation theory, we simulate plausible gravitational wave~(GW) signatures in two exotic scenarios (i) where a small black hole is emitted by a larger one ('black hole emission') and (ii) where a small black hole is emitted by a larger one and subsequently absorbed back ('black hole absorption'). While such scenarios are forbidden in general relativity!(GR), alternative theories (such as certain quantum gravity scenarios obeying th...

We provide a new efficient diagrammatic tool, in the context of the scattering equations, for computation of covariant $D$-dimensional tree-level $n$-point amplitudes with pairs of spinning massive particles using compact exponential numerators. We discuss how this framework allows non-integer spin extensions of recurrence relations for amplitudes developed for integer spin. Our results facilitate the on-going program for generating observables in classical general relativity...

Observations by laser interferometric detectors of gravitational waves from inspiraling compact binary systems can be used to search for a dependence of the waves' propagation speed on wavelength, and thereby to bound the mass or Compton wavelength of a putative graviton. We study the effect of including higher harmonics, as well as their post-Newtonian amplitude corrections, in the template gravitational waveforms employed in the process of parameter estimation using matched...

On-shell methods have revitalized interest in scattering amplitudes which have, in turn, shed some much needed light on the structure of quantum field theories. These developments have been warmly embraced by the particle physics community. Less so in the astrophyical and cosmological contexts. As part of an effort to address this imbalance, we illustrate these methods by revisiting two classic problems in gravity: gravitational light-bending and the vDVZ discontinuity of mas...

We propose a candidate Compton amplitude which is valid for any (integer) quantum spin and free from any spurious poles. We consider the cases of electromagnetism and gravity. We obtain such amplitudes by calculating the corresponding ones from superstring theory involving states on the leading Regge trajectory. To extract the associated field-theory amplitudes a few considerations in the form of simple physical constraints are required, such as: Soft momentum transfer, compa...

We report on some recent work, which points out the relevance of future measurements of gravitational waves by resonant-mass detectors of spherical shape for theories of gravity of non-Einstein type.

Using an effective one body approach we describe in detail gravitational waves from classical three body problem on a non-rotating straight line and derive their basic physical characteristics. Special attention is paid to the irregular motions of such systems and to the significance of double and triple collisions. The conclusive role of the collinear solutions is also discussed in short. It is shown that the residuals may contain information about irregular motion of the so...