Does Gravitational Field Flux Cause Gravitational Waves?

In summary, there are some analogous effects between gravitational and electromagnetic fields, but they are not exactly the same. There is only one gravitational field, just like there is only one electromagnetic field, and it is described by the Riemann curvature tensor. However, this tensor can be broken down into smaller parts, one of which is the Weyl curvature that is responsible for gravitational waves.
  • #1
Saksham Dhull
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As most of know that magnetic field arises due to change in electric field flux over a surface.
In the same way, is there any kind of field arising due to gravitational field flux about a surface ?
And if yes then does gravitational field and that field cause each other (in the same way electric field and magnetic fields do)?
 
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  • #2
Saksham Dhull said:
In the same way, is there any kind of field arising due to gravitational field flux about a surface ?

I believe there are some analogous effects, but not exactly. Have a look at this wiki article*: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitoelectromagnetism
As the article states in the first paragraph, these are analogies and approximations that are only valid in certain situations. There is still only one gravitational field, just like there is only one electromagnetic field (the electric and magnetic components are joined into a single field). I've never heard of the gravitational field being split into multiple components, so I assume the analogies and approximations are not that useful in most cases where we do calculations involving gravity.

*This article's reliability is questionable, as it is lacking valid references in many areas.
 
  • #3
The gravitational field is described by the Riemann curvature tensor, which has 20 components. (In contrast, the electromagnetic field has 6 independent components.) You can break down the Riemann curvature tensor into smaller parts. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricci_decomposition
One of the parts is the Weyl curvature. There are gravitational waves which are oscillations in the Weyl curvature.
 

1. What is gravitational field flux?

Gravitational field flux is a measure of the amount of gravitational field passing through a given area. It is a concept in physics that helps us understand the strength of a gravitational field in a particular region.

2. How is gravitational field flux calculated?

Gravitational field flux is calculated by multiplying the strength of the gravitational field by the area through which it is passing. The formula is Φ = gA, where Φ is the flux, g is the gravitational field strength, and A is the area.

3. What is the unit of measurement for gravitational field flux?

The unit of measurement for gravitational field flux is Newtons per square meter (N/m²), as it is a measure of force per area.

4. How does the concept of gravitational field flux relate to the law of gravity?

The concept of gravitational field flux is directly related to the law of gravity, as it helps us quantify the strength of a gravitational field. The law of gravity states that the force of gravity between two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Gravitational field flux takes into account the distance between objects and the strength of the gravitational field to give us a measure of the force acting on an object due to gravity.

5. Can gravitational field flux be negative?

Yes, gravitational field flux can be negative. This indicates that the direction of the flux is opposite to the direction of the gravitational field. Negative flux can occur if the area is facing away from the source of the gravitational field, or if the gravitational field itself is negative, as in the case of repulsive forces.

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