Dirac particles in a gravitational shock wave. (21st May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Collas, Peter; Klein, David
• Is Part Of: Classical and quantum gravity. Volume 35:Number 12(2018:Jun.)
• Publication Date: 2018-05-21
• Subjects: gravitational waves -- Dirac equation -- spin polarization -- exact solutions -- Fermi coordinates; Quantum gravity -- Periodicals; Gravitation -- Periodicals; Relativity (Physics) -- Periodicals; Space and time -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 521.1
• DOI: 10.1088/1361-6382/aac144
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-9381

Abstract

Abstract: Using the Newman–Penrose formalism we calculate the positive energy momentum eigenstates of the Dirac equation for a plane polarized gravitational wave pulse. We then consider Dirac particles whose spins are polarized in each orthonormal coordinate direction prior to the arrival of the gravitational wave pulse, and determine how the spins are changed by the pulse after its departure.