arXiv subjects

Ludovic Planté

Publications and source records attributed to Ludovic Planté.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2023

The Relation Between KMOC and Worldline Formalisms for Classical Gravity

We demonstrate the equivalence between KMOC and worldline formalisms for classical general relativity, highlighting how the Keldysh-Schwinger in-in formalism is contained in both of them even though the KMOC representation conventionally leads to the evaluation of scattering amplitudes with Feynman propagators. The relationship between the two approaches is illustrated in detail for the momentum kick at second Post-Minkowskian order.

hep-th↗

arXiv2023

Classical Observables from the Exponential Representation of the Gravitational S-Matrix

By combining the KMOC-formalism with the exponential representation of the scattering matrix we show that the two-body scattering angle is given by the corresponding matrix element of the exponential representation. This holds to all orders in the Post-Minkowskian expansion of gravity when restricted to the conservative sector. Once gravitational radiation is taken into account new terms correcting this relationship appear starting at fourth Post-Minkowskian order. A systematic expansion of the momentum kick is provided to any order, thus illustrating the iterative structure that partly recycles terms from lower orders in the Post-Minkowskian expansion. We provide explicit results for this computation to fourth Post-Minkowskian order, the first complete calculation at this order based on scattering amplitudes.

hep-th↗

arXiv2022

Effective Field Theory and Applications: Weak Field Observables from Scattering Amplitudes in Quantum Field Theory

In this chapter, we will review the field-theoretic treatment of General Relativity based on an effective field theory extension of the Einstein-Hilbert action. This pragmatic route to low-energy quantum effects in gravity critically underpins miscellaneous investigations of phenomenological and quantum extensions of General Relativity. We discuss how it allows quantum field theory to be a theoretical laboratory for testing Einstein's theory of gravity and demonstrate the current state of the art of an efficient and practical scheme for evaluating the classical components of perturbative weak-field scattering amplitudes until the fourth post-Minkowskian order. Such results complement numerical predictions in Einstein's theory of gravity.

hep-th↗

arXiv2021

Classical Gravity from Loop Amplitudes

We describe an efficient method for extracting the parts of $D$-dimensional loop integrals that are needed to derive observables in classical general relativity from scattering amplitudes. Our approach simplifies the soft-region method of integration by judiciously combining terms before the final integrations. We demonstrate the method by computing the required integrals for black-hole scattering to the second Post-Minkowskian order in Einstein gravity coupled to scalars. We also confirm recent results at the third Post-Minkowskian order regarding universality and high-energy behavior of gravitational interactions in maximal supergravity.

hep-th↗

arXiv2018

General Relativity from Scattering Amplitudes

We outline the program to apply modern quantum field theory methods to calculate observables in classical general relativity through a truncation to classical terms of the multi-graviton two-body on-shell scattering amplitudes between massive fields. Since only long-distance interactions corresponding to non-analytic pieces need to be included, unitarity cuts provide substantial simplifications for both post-Newtonian and post-Minkowskian expansions. We illustrate this quantum field theoretic approach to classical general relativity by computing the interaction potentials to second order in the post-Newtonian expansion, as well as the scattering functions for two massive objects to second order in the post-Minkowskian expansion. We also derive an all-order exact result for gravitational light-by-light scattering.

hep-th↗

arXiv2017

Bending of Light in Quantum Gravity

We consider the scattering of lightlike matter in the presence of a heavy scalar object (such as the Sun or a Schwarzschild black hole). By treating general relativity as an effective field theory we directly compute the nonanalytic components of the one-loop gravitational amplitude for the scattering of massless scalars or photons from an external massive scalar field. These results allow a semiclassical computation of the bending angle for light rays grazing the Sun, including long-range $\hbar$ contributions. We discuss implications of this computation, in particular the violation of some classical formulations of the equivalence principle.

hep-th↗

arXiv2017

Illuminating Light Bending

The interactions of gravitons with spin-1 matter are calculated in parallel with the well known photon case. It is shown that graviton scattering amplitudes can be factorized into a product of familiar electromagnetic forms, and cross sections for various reactions are straightforwardly evaluated using helicity methods. Universality relations are identified. Extrapolation to zero mass yields scattering amplitudes for photon-graviton and graviton-graviton scattering. The phenomenon of light bending near a massive object, which is generally treated using classical general relativity, is discussed from alternative points of view.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2015

The Equivalence Principle in a Quantum World

We show how modern methods can be applied to quantum gravity at low energy. We test how quantum corrections challenge the classical framework behind the Equivalence Principle, for instance through introduction of non-locality from quantum physics, embodied in the Uncertainty Principle. When the energy is small we now have the tools to address this conflict explicitly. Despite the violation of some classical concepts, the EP continues to provide the core of the quantum gravity framework through the symmetry - general coordinate invariance - that is used to organize the effective field theory.

hep-th↗

arXiv2015

Graviton-Photon Scattering

We use the feature that the gravitational Compton scattering amplitude factorizes in terms of Abelian QED amplitudes to evaluate various gravitational Compton processes. We examine both the QED and gravitational Compton scattering from a massive spin-1 system by the use of helicity amplitude methods. In the case of gravitational Compton scattering we show how the massless limit can be used to evaluate the cross section for graviton-photon scattering and discuss the difference between photon interactions and the zero mass spin-1 limit. We show that the forward scattering cross section for graviton photoproduction has a very peculiar behavior, differing from the standard Thomson and Rutherford cross sections for a Coulomb-like potential.

gr-qc↗