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True radiation gauge for gravity

Xiang-Song Chen and Ben-Chao Zhu
Phys. Rev. D 83, 061501(R) – Published 4 March 2011

Abstract

Corresponding to the similarity between the Lorentz gauge μAμ=0 in electrodynamics and gμνΓμνρ=0 in gravity, we show that the counterpart of the radiation gauge iAi=0 is gijΓijρ=0, instead of other forms as discussed before. Particularly, 1) at least for a weak field, gijΓijρ=0 fixes the gauge completely and picks out exactly the two physical components of the gravitational field; 2) like A0, the nondynamical components h0μ are solved instantaneously; 3) gravitational radiation is generated by the “transverse” part of the energy-momentum tensor, similar to the transverse current J. This “true” radiation gauge gijΓijρ=0 is especially pertinent for studying gravitational energy, such as the energy flow in gravitational radiation. It agrees with the transverse-traceless gauge for a pure wave, and reveals remarkably how the transverse-traceless gauge can be adapted in the presence of source.

  • Received 22 June 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.83.061501

© 2011 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Xiang-Song Chen1,2,3,* and Ben-Chao Zhu1

  • 1Department of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
  • 2Joint Center for Particle, Nuclear Physics and Cosmology, Nanjing 210093, China
  • 3Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics China, CAS, Beijing 100190, China

  • *cxs@hust.edu.cn

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Issue

Vol. 83, Iss. 6 — 15 March 2011

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