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Detecting Scalar Fields with Extreme Mass Ratio Inspirals
Andrea Maselli1, Nicola Franchini2,3, Leonardo Gualtieri1
1Dipartimento di Fisica, "Sapienza" Università di Roma & Sezione INFN Roma1, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy.
Physical Review Letters
|October 16, 2020
Summary
Extreme mass ratio inspirals (EMRIs) are simplified in scalar field theories, allowing detection of scalar charges via gravitational waves. These observations promise new insights into fundamental physics with observatories like the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna.
Area of Science:
- Astrophysics
- Gravitational wave astronomy
- Theoretical physics
Background:
- Extreme mass ratio inspirals (EMRIs) involve a compact object spiraling into a supermassive black hole.
- Scalar fields in alternative gravity theories can complicate black hole properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of scalar fields on EMRIs.
- To determine if scalar charges leave observable imprints on gravitational waves from EMRIs.
Main Methods:
- The study simplifies EMRI modeling by arguing scalar effects on supermassive black holes are often negligible.
- The inspiral is modeled perturbatively, focusing on the scalar charge's influence.
Main Results:
- Scalar charges of compact objects significantly affect gravitational wave emission during EMRIs.
- This imprint is potentially observable with the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna.
Conclusions:
- EMRIs are promising tools for probing scalar fields in alternative gravity theories.
- Future high-precision waveform modeling is necessary to fully exploit this observational potential.
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