On Generating Gravity Waves with Matter and Electromagnetic Waves

C. Barrabes (1) , P. A. Hogan (2)

1 LMPT - Laboratoire de Mathématiques et Physique Théorique
2 UCD - University College Dublin [Dublin]

If a homogeneous plane light-like shell collides head-on with a homogeneous plane electromagnetic shock wave having a step-function profile then no backscattered gravitational waves are produced. We demonstrate, by explicit calculation, that if the matter is accompanied by a homogeneous plane electromagnetic shock wave with a step-function profile then backscattered gravitational waves appear after the collision.

Domaines: Relativité Générale et Cosmologie Quantique [gr-qc]

C. Barrabes, P. A. Hogan. On Generating Gravity Waves with Matter and Electromagnetic Waves. Physical Review D, 2008, 77, pp.104014. ⟨hal-00776939⟩