Gravitational shock waves and vacuum fluctuations

Authors: Hortasu M.; lker K.

Source: Classical and Quantum Gravity, Volume 15, Number 5, 1998 , pp. 1415-1420(6)

Publisher: IOP Publishing

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Abstract:

Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences and Letters, ITU, 80626 Maslak, Istanbul, Turkey

Received 7 October 1997

Abstract:

We show that the vacuum expectation value of the stress-energy tensor of a scalar particle on the background of a spherical gravitational shock wave does not give a finite expression in second-order perturbation theory, in contrast to the case seen for the impulsive wave. No infrared divergences appear at this order. This result shows that there is a qualitative difference between the shock and impulsive wave solutions which is not exhibited in first order.

Language: English

Document Type: Miscellaneous

Publication date: 1998-01-01