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arXiv · 2206.12339

Gravitational memory effects and higher derivative actions

Mahdi Godazgar·George Macaulay·Ali Seraj
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Abstract

We show that charges associated with the internal Lorentz symmetries of general relativity, with higher derivative boundary terms included in the action, capture observable gravitational wave effects. In particular, the Gauss-Bonnet charge measures the precession rate of a freely-falling gyroscope, while the Pontryagin charge encodes the relative radial acceleration of freely-falling test masses. This relation highlights the importance of the tetrad formalism and the physical significance of asymptotic internal Lorentz symmetries.

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Mahdi Godazgar, George Macaulay, Ali Seraj. 2022-06-24. Gravitational memory effects and higher derivative actions. https://doi.org/10.1007/jhep09(2022)150

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