In summary, the conversation discusses whether a particle with non-zero mass can experience a force due to its own mass when undergoing acceleration, similar to how a charged particle feels a radiation reaction. A paper is referenced which suggests that there is a gravitational radiation reaction in this scenario, but the results seem odd. The calculation shows that the reaction depends on the particle's proper velocity and is linear in mass, rather than mass squared, which goes against expectations. The conversation ends with a request for further explanation or alternative articles on the topic.
In GR, can a particle with non-zero mass undergoing acceleration feel a force due to the effect of its own mass? Something akin to how a charged particle feels a radiation reaction / "self-force" when it is accelerated.
It says yes, there is a gravitational radiation reaction.
However, the result they get seems very odd to me ... the first non-zero correction to just following a geodesic depends on the proper velocity of the particle. This seems wrong to me. Choosing a frame where the velocity is initially zero seems to say it will stay zero ... thus there is no reaction force at all. Also, in analogy to the EM case, I was expected the reaction radiation to be based on the third derivative of position with respect to proper time, not the first derivative.
Note only that, but the radiation reaction they calcuation is linear in m (the mass of the particle), not m^2. Which means that all masses would feel the same radiation reaction. So the effect is independent of the distortion of local space caused by the particle, so this isn't the particle interaction with its own "field".
Neither of these features make any sense to me. Can someone help explain, or maybe suggest another article?