EikoGrav: Eikonal Exponentiation and Gravitational Waves
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen Mary University of London
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
The astounding sensitivity of gravitational-wave (GW) detectors calls for high-precision wave-form calculations. Recently a new technique has emerged to this end: extracting the Post-Minkowskian (PM) limit of General Relativity (GR) from scattering amplitudes.
This action focuses on the connection between amplitudes and GW physics via the eikonal resummation, whereby classical GR emerges via a resummation that turns the 2-to-2 amplitude into a rapidly oscillating eikonal phase. Eikonal methods have proved
instrumental in solving a recent puzzle concerning the high-energy behavior of black-hole collisions to 3PM order, bringing to the forefront the role of radiative corrections to the binary dynamics. The purpose of this action is twofold.
First, we aim to extend the eikonal programme to 4PM order, complementing recent results by including the effects of radiation backreaction on the system and combining 2-to-2 amplitudes with real graviton emissions. The natural arena to investigate this problem is N=8 supergravity, where amplitudes are significantly simpler compared to GR, while most physical and conceptual challenges are still present. Clarifying the problem in N=8 will be instrumental to the inclusion of such effects in Einstein's gravity as well.
Second, we plan to exploit eikonal methods to compute the effects of higher-derivative corrections to GR and to investigate the analytic continuation from gravitational scatterings to bound states, thus making contact with phenomenology.
This proposal includes a detailed plan for the dissemination of the research results of the action, as well as for outreach initiatives aimed at diverse audiences ranging from the general public to graduate and undergraduate students. Moreover, a thorough training plan is outlined. It focuses on the development of the applicant as a research leader, teacher and manager. It aims to enhance his profile to the best standards, for the successful progression of his career beyond this action.
This action focuses on the connection between amplitudes and GW physics via the eikonal resummation, whereby classical GR emerges via a resummation that turns the 2-to-2 amplitude into a rapidly oscillating eikonal phase. Eikonal methods have proved
instrumental in solving a recent puzzle concerning the high-energy behavior of black-hole collisions to 3PM order, bringing to the forefront the role of radiative corrections to the binary dynamics. The purpose of this action is twofold.
First, we aim to extend the eikonal programme to 4PM order, complementing recent results by including the effects of radiation backreaction on the system and combining 2-to-2 amplitudes with real graviton emissions. The natural arena to investigate this problem is N=8 supergravity, where amplitudes are significantly simpler compared to GR, while most physical and conceptual challenges are still present. Clarifying the problem in N=8 will be instrumental to the inclusion of such effects in Einstein's gravity as well.
Second, we plan to exploit eikonal methods to compute the effects of higher-derivative corrections to GR and to investigate the analytic continuation from gravitational scatterings to bound states, thus making contact with phenomenology.
This proposal includes a detailed plan for the dissemination of the research results of the action, as well as for outreach initiatives aimed at diverse audiences ranging from the general public to graduate and undergraduate students. Moreover, a thorough training plan is outlined. It focuses on the development of the applicant as a research leader, teacher and manager. It aims to enhance his profile to the best standards, for the successful progression of his career beyond this action.
Publications
Campoleoni A
(2023)
Renormalization of spin-one asymptotic charges in AdSD
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Di Vecchia P
(2024)
The gravitational eikonal: From particle, string and brane collisions to black-hole encounters
in Physics Reports
Ferrero P
(2024)
Double-copy supertranslations
in Physical Review D
Fucito F
(2025)
Gravitational wave forms for extreme mass ratio collisions from supersymmetric gauge theories
in Physical Review D
Georgoudis A
(2024)
An eikonal-inspired approach to the gravitational scattering waveform
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Georgoudis A
(2024)
Post-Newtonian multipoles from the next-to-leading post-Minkowskian gravitational waveform
in Physical Review D
Georgoudis A
(2024)
Addendum to: Inelastic exponentiation and classical gravitational scattering at one loop
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Heissenberg C
(2025)
Revisiting gravitational angular momentum and mass dipole losses in the eikonal framework
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Heissenberg C
(2023)
Angular momentum loss due to spin-orbit effects in the post-Minkowskian expansion
in Physical Review D
| Description | After the 2016 breakthrough announcement by the LIGO collaboration, research on Gavitational Waves (GW) is experiencing a golden era. The main objects under study are binaries formed by black holes or neutron stars spiralling around each other till they merge. The process produces GW that we are now able to detect. The increasing amount of data collected will test thoroughly our understanding of black holes, cosmology, astrophysics, dense nuclear matter and possible open up avenues to go beyond known fundamental theories of physics. In order exploit these possibilities, we need to sharpen our theoretical calculations describing these systems and this has been the main aim of this project. The key achievements are: - A derivation of the the gravitational waveform produced by a scattering of two bodies including the previously unknown first subleading correction; - A detailed comparison between the results for such waveform obtained by following different approaches. This has highlighted the importance of subtle conceptual issues, such as the importance of the BMS frame also at non-zero frequencies; - The discovery of new universal terms in the waveform in the small frequency limit. These results have been published in peer-reviewed journals, presented in international workshops and are available also in open access on the arXiv website. |
| Exploitation Route | The results of this project are already being heavily used by other researchers in the field. For instance, the Physics Report published in 2024 has already collected more than 80 citations and the analysis of the first correction to the scattering waveform is being used as a foundation to study the next order. Precise knowledge of this observable will be crucial in the next decades as new data from the LKV collaboration and then LISA will require very precise theoretical predictions. |
| Sectors | Education Other |
| Description | EPSRC-SFI: "CFT and Gravity: Heavy States and Black Holes" |
| Amount | £622,797 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/W019663/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2023 |
| End | 10/2028 |
| Description | Launch event for the Gravitational Wave Initiative at QMUL |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The meeting was intended to launch a collaboration on the topic of Gravitational Waves between different departments at QMUL. We had three high profile international speakers and also several participants from other UK institutions. The main aim was to bring together researchers and PhD students who are interested in GWs from different prospectives and kickstart future activities. The event was very successful and has been followed in the past year by regular monthly meetings at QMUL, PhD lectures and talks. The initiative is ongoing and very active. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://sites.google.com/view/gwiinauguralmeeting/ |