arXiv subjects

Mattias Marklund

Publications and source records attributed to Mattias Marklund.

84 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2001

Cyclotron damping and Faraday rotation of gravitational waves

We study the propagation of gravitational waves in a collisionless plasma with an external magnetic field parallel to the direction of propagation. Due to resonant interaction with the plasma particles the gravitational wave experiences cyclotron damping or growth, the latter case being possible if the distribution function for any of the particle species deviates from thermodynamical equilibrium. Furthermore, we examine how the damping and dispersion depends on temperature and on the ratio between the cyclotron- and gravitational wave frequency. The presence of the magnetic field leads to different dispersion relations for different polarizations, which in turn imply Faraday rotation of gravitational waves.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2000

Cosmological Electromagnetic Fields due to Gravitational Wave Perturbations

We consider the dynamics of electromagnetic fields in an almost-Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe using the covariant and gauge-invariant approach of Ellis and Bruni. Focusing on the situation where deviations from the background model are generated by tensor perturbations only, we demonstrate that the coupling between gravitational waves and a weak magnetic test field can generate electromagnetic waves. We show that this coupling leads to an initial pulse of electromagnetic waves whose width and amplitude is determined by the wavelengths of the magnetic field and gravitational waves. A number of implications for cosmology are discussed, in particular we calculate an upper bound of the magnitude of this effect using limits on the quadrapole anisotropy of the Cosmic Microwave Background.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2000

Non-linear gravitational wave interactions with plasmas

We consider the interactions of a strong gravitational wave with electromagnetic fields using the 1+3 orthonormal tetrad formalism. A general system of equations are derived, describing the influence of a plane fronted parallel (pp) gravitational wave on a cold relativistic multi-component plasma. We focus our attention on phenomena that are induced by terms that are higher order in the gravitational wave amplitude. In particular, it is shown that parametric excitations of plasma oscillations takes place, due to higher order gravitational non-linearities. The implications of the results are discussed.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2000

Partially locally rotationally symmetric perfect fluid cosmologies

We show that there are no new consistent cosmological perfect fluid solutions when in an open neighbourhood ${\cal U}$ of an event the fluid kinematical variables and the electric and magnetic Weyl curvature are all assumed rotationally symmetric about a common spatial axis, specialising the Weyl curvature tensor to algebraic Petrov type D. The consistent solutions of this kind are either locally rotationally symmetric, or are subcases of the Szekeres dust models. Parts of our results require the assumption of a barotropic equation of state. Additionally we demonstrate that local rotational symmetry of perfect fluid cosmologies follows from rotational symmetry of the Riemann curvature tensor and of its covariant derivatives only up to second order, thus strengthening a previous result.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2000

Radio wave emissions due to gravitational radiation

We consider the interaction of a weak gravitational wave with electromagnetic fields in a thin plasma on a Minkowski background spacetime using the 1+3 orthonormal frame formalism. Because gravitational and electromagnetic waves satisfy the same dispersion relation, electromagnetic waves can be effectively generated as a result of this interaction. In the case of the interaction with a static magnetic field, the amplitude of the electromagnetic waves depends on the size of the excitation region in which the magnetic field is contained. It is argued that due to the presence of a plasma this process can also lead to the generation of higher harmonics of the original mode. Estimates are given for this effect in the case of a binary pulsar and a cold electron plasma. It is found that the emmited radiation will lie in the radio frequency band. We also speculate on the possible relevance of this process on situations in cosmology, in particular whether this could be used to constrain primordial magnetic fields.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1999

The Wahlquist metric cannot describe an isolated rotating body

It is proven that the Wahlquist perfect fluid space-time cannot be smoothly joined to an exterior asymptotically flat vacuum region. The proof uses a power series expansion in the angular velocity, to a precision of the second order. In this approximation, the Wahlquist metric is a special case of the rotating Whittaker space-time. The exterior vacuum domain is treated in a like manner. We compute the conditions of matching at the possible boundary surface in both the interior and the vacuum domain. The conditions for matching the induced metrics and the extrinsic curvatures are mutually contradictory.

gr-qc↗

arXiv1998

A rotating incompressible perfect fluid space-time

A rigidly rotating incompressible perfect fluid solution of Einstein's gravitational equations is discussed. The Petrov type is D, and the metric admits a four-parameter isometry group. The Gaussian curvature of the constant-pressure surfaces is positive and they have two ring-shaped cusps.

gr-qc↗

arXiv1998

Parametric excitation of plasma waves by gravitational radiation

We consider the parametric excitation of a Langmuir wave and an electromagnetic wave by gravitational radiation, in a thin plasma on a Minkowski background. We calculate the coupling coefficients starting from a kinetic description, and the growth rate of the instability is found. The Manley-Rowe relations are fulfilled only in the limit of a cold plasma. As a consequence, it is generally difficult to view the process quantum mechanically, i.e. as the decay of a graviton into a photon and a plasmon. Finally we discuss the relevance of our investigation to realistic physical situations.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1998

Rotating perfect fluid sources of the NUT metric

Locally rotationally symmetric perfect fluid solutions of Einstein's gravitational equations are matched along the hypersurface of vanishing pressure with the NUT metric. These rigidly rotating fluids are interpreted as sources for the vacuum exterior which consists only of a stationary region of the Taub-NUT space-time. The solution of the matching conditions leaves generally three parameters in the global solution. Examples of perfect fluid sources are discussed.

gr-qc↗

arXiv1997

Nonholonomic approach to rotating matter in general relativity

Rigidly rotating stationary matter in general relativity has been investigated by Kramer by the Ernst coordinate method. A weakness of this approach is that the Ernst potential does not exist for differential rotation. We now generalize the techniques by the use of a nonholonomic and nonrigid frame. We apply these techniques for differentially rotating perfect fluids. We construct a complex analytic tensor, characterizing the class of matter states in which both the interior Schwarzschild and the Kerr solution are contained. We derive consistency relations for this class of perfect fluids. We investigate incompressible fluids characterized by these tensors.

gr-qc↗

arXiv1996

Invariant construction of solutions to Einstein`s field equations - LRS perfect fluids I

The properties of some locally rotationally symmetric (LRS) perfect fluid space-times are examined in order to demonstrate the usage of the description of geometries in terms of the Riemann tensor and a finite number of its covariant derivatives for finding solutions to Einstein's field equations. A new method is introduced, which makes it possible to choose the coordinates at any stage of the calculations. Three classes are examined, one with fluid rotation, one with spatial twist in the preferred direction and the space-time homogeneous models. It is also shown that there are no LRS space-times with dependence on one null coordinate. Using an extension of the method, we find the full metric in terms of curvature quantities for the first two classes.

gr-qc↗

arXiv1996

Rotating matter in general relativity -- stationary state I

Stationary rotating matter configurations in general relativity are considered. A formalism for general stationary space times is developed. Axisymmetric systems are discussed by the use of a nonholonomic and nonrigid frame in the three-space of the time-like Killing trajectories. Two symmetric and trace-free tensors are constructed. They characterize a class of matter states in which both the interior Schwarzschild and the Kerr solution are contained. Consistency relations for this class of perfect fluids are derived. Incompressible fluids characterized by these tensors are investigated, and one differentially rotating solution is found.

gr-qc↗