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friend
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Since gravitational waves have energy, they can curve space all by themselves. I wonder in what conditions, if any, two gravitational waves could orbit each other. Thanks.
friend said:Since gravitational waves have energy, they can curve space all by themselves.
friend said:I wonder in what conditions, if any, two gravitational waves could orbit each other.
friend said:Since gravitational waves have energy, they can curve space all by themselves. I wonder in what conditions, if any, two gravitational waves could orbit each other. Thanks.
pervect said:The concept is called a geon
PeterDonis said:Actually, no, because you are conflating two different meanings for "have energy". Gravitational waves have zero stress-energy, and it is stress-energy that curves spacetime. Gravitational waves carry energy in the sense that they can do work (for example, they can heat up an object if they pass through it). But that is not the same as having stress-energy and curving spacetime all by themselves. This is one of the more counterintuitive areas of GR.
Non of this means that the stess energy tensor isn't zero.haael said:The above statement is in contradiction to all I know about GR.
Could you point me to some paper or could you derive the stress-energy of a g-wave to show it is zero?
I have read more than once that gravitational waves do carry the charge of gravity. The gravitational waves interact with each other through self-interaction. This does not mean that they can orbit or even attract each other, but nevertheless they will interact. Two g-waves passing through each other will not only interfere linearily, but also will show some diffraction. That is what I understand. I'm open to be proven wrong.
haael said:Could you point me to some paper or could you derive the stress-energy of a g-wave to show it is zero?
haael said:I have read more than once that gravitational waves do carry the charge of gravity.
haael said:The gravitational waves interact with each other through self-interaction.
martinbn said:Non of this means that the stess energy tensor isn't zero.
I should have said almost none.PeterDonis said:That's not quite correct. The "charge of gravity" is stress-energy, so if gravitational waves did carry the charge of gravity, they would have nonzero stress-energy. But they don't, just as electromagnetic waves don't carry the charge of electromagnetism.
haael said:The above statement is in contradiction to all I know about GR.
Could you point me to some paper or could you derive the stress-energy of a g-wave to show it is zero?
I have read more than once that gravitational waves do carry the charge of gravity. The gravitational waves interact with each other through self-interaction. This does not mean that they can orbit or even attract each other, but nevertheless they will interact. Two g-waves passing through each other will not only interfere linearily, but also will show some diffraction. That is what I understand. I'm open to be proven wrong.
Yes, it is possible for two gravitational waves to orbit each other. This is known as a binary gravitational wave system.
While individual gravitational waves are indeed just ripples in space-time, when two waves interact with each other, they can create a standing wave pattern that behaves like a particle. This allows for the possibility of two gravitational waves orbiting each other.
It depends on the specific parameters of the system, such as the masses and velocities of the waves. In some cases, the orbits may be stable and in others, they may eventually merge or break apart.
Currently, the most common method of detecting gravitational waves is through the use of interferometers, such as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). These instruments measure the tiny distortions in space-time caused by passing gravitational waves.
Studying orbiting gravitational waves can provide valuable insights into the properties of the waves themselves, as well as the objects that are creating them. It can also help us better understand the fundamental nature of gravity and how it behaves in extreme situations.