Scintillation in scalar-tensor theories of gravity
| dc.creator | Bracco, C. | |
| dc.creator | Teyssandier, P. | |
| dc.date | 1998-11-26 | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-07T03:32:48Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-07T03:32:48Z | |
| dc.description | We study the scintillation produced by time-varying gravitational fields within scalar-tensor theories of gravity. The problem is treated in the geometrical optics approximation for a very distant light source emitting quasi plane monochromatic electromagnetic waves. We obtain a general formula giving the time dependence of the photon flux received by a freely falling observer. In the weak-field approximation, we show that the contribution to the scintillation effect due to the focusing of the light beam by a gravitational wave is of first order in the amplitude of the scalar perturbation. Thus scalar-tensor theories contrast with general relativity, which predicts that the only first-order effect is due to the spectral shift. Moreover, we find that the scintillation effects caused by the scalar field have a local character: they depend only on the value of the perturbation at the observer. This effect provides in principle a mean to detect the presence of a long range scalar field in the Universe, but its smallness constitutes a tremendous challenge for detection. | |
| dc.description | 8 pages; to appear in Astronomy and Astrophysics | |
| dc.identifier | https://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/9811090 | |
| dc.identifier | http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/9811090 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/36371 | |
| dc.subject | General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology | |
| dc.title | Scintillation in scalar-tensor theories of gravity | |
| dc.type | text |