Bounds on the charge of the graviton using gravitational wave observations

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Main Authors: Nair, Sreejith, Vijaykumar, Aditya, Sarkar, Sudipta
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Nair, Sreejith
Vijaykumar, Aditya
Sarkar, Sudipta
author_facet Nair, Sreejith
Vijaykumar, Aditya
Sarkar, Sudipta
contents If the graviton possesses a non-zero charge $q_g$, gravitational waves (GW) originating from astrophysical sources would experience an additional time delay due to intergalactic magnetic fields. This would result in a modification of the phase evolution of the observed GW signal similar to the effect induced by a massive graviton. As a result, we can reinterpret the most recent upper limits on the graviton's mass as constraints on the joint mass-charge parameter space, finding $|q_g|/{e} < 3\times 10^{-34}$ where $e$ represents the charge of an electron. Additionally, we illustrate that a charged graviton would introduce a constant phase difference in the gravitational waves detected by two spatially separated GW detectors due to the Aharonov-Bohm effect. Using the non-observation of such a phase difference for the GW event GW190814, we establish a mass-independent constraint $|q_g|/e < 2\times 10^{-26}$. To the best of our knowledge, our results constitute the first-ever bounds on the charge of the graviton. We also discuss various caveats involved in our measurements and prospects for strengthening these bounds with future GW observations.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2405_05038
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Bounds on the charge of the graviton using gravitational wave observations
Nair, Sreejith
Vijaykumar, Aditya
Sarkar, Sudipta
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Theory
If the graviton possesses a non-zero charge $q_g$, gravitational waves (GW) originating from astrophysical sources would experience an additional time delay due to intergalactic magnetic fields. This would result in a modification of the phase evolution of the observed GW signal similar to the effect induced by a massive graviton. As a result, we can reinterpret the most recent upper limits on the graviton's mass as constraints on the joint mass-charge parameter space, finding $|q_g|/{e} < 3\times 10^{-34}$ where $e$ represents the charge of an electron. Additionally, we illustrate that a charged graviton would introduce a constant phase difference in the gravitational waves detected by two spatially separated GW detectors due to the Aharonov-Bohm effect. Using the non-observation of such a phase difference for the GW event GW190814, we establish a mass-independent constraint $|q_g|/e < 2\times 10^{-26}$. To the best of our knowledge, our results constitute the first-ever bounds on the charge of the graviton. We also discuss various caveats involved in our measurements and prospects for strengthening these bounds with future GW observations.
title Bounds on the charge of the graviton using gravitational wave observations
topic General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Theory
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.05038