Spinning the Probe in Kerr with WQFT

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hoogeveen, Jitze, Jakobsen, Gustav Uhre, Plefka, Jan
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866913938271109120
author Hoogeveen, Jitze
Jakobsen, Gustav Uhre
Plefka, Jan
author_facet Hoogeveen, Jitze
Jakobsen, Gustav Uhre
Plefka, Jan
contents We investigate the gravitational scattering of a spinning probe mass in a Kerr background using the worldline quantum field theory (WQFT) approach. This corresponds to the leading term (0SF) in the gravitational self-force expansion for the spinning two-body problem with large mass hierarchy. By reformulating the geodesic and Mathisson-Papapetrou-Dixon equations as a recursive Berends-Giele type equation known from multi-gluon scattering, we develop a novel integration-by-parts formalism on the worldline that enables systematic computation of scattering observables - specifically the impulse and spin kick - to arbitrary orders in Newton's constant and spin. Here, the transition to a position space formalism is key. We present explicit results up to and including the physical 7PM order, thereby incorporating all relevant higher-spin and higher-curvature terms on the worldline, advancing beyond previous calculations. This work represents an initial step to reconceptualise the gravitational self-force expansion through worldline quantum field theory.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_14626
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Spinning the Probe in Kerr with WQFT
Hoogeveen, Jitze
Jakobsen, Gustav Uhre
Plefka, Jan
High Energy Physics - Theory
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
We investigate the gravitational scattering of a spinning probe mass in a Kerr background using the worldline quantum field theory (WQFT) approach. This corresponds to the leading term (0SF) in the gravitational self-force expansion for the spinning two-body problem with large mass hierarchy. By reformulating the geodesic and Mathisson-Papapetrou-Dixon equations as a recursive Berends-Giele type equation known from multi-gluon scattering, we develop a novel integration-by-parts formalism on the worldline that enables systematic computation of scattering observables - specifically the impulse and spin kick - to arbitrary orders in Newton's constant and spin. Here, the transition to a position space formalism is key. We present explicit results up to and including the physical 7PM order, thereby incorporating all relevant higher-spin and higher-curvature terms on the worldline, advancing beyond previous calculations. This work represents an initial step to reconceptualise the gravitational self-force expansion through worldline quantum field theory.
title Spinning the Probe in Kerr with WQFT
topic High Energy Physics - Theory
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.14626