uy Pramiiga, Vol. 9, No, 4, October 1977, pp. 371-384, © printed in India. Solutions of scalar and electromagnetic wave equations in the metric of gravitational and electromagnetic waves T PADMANABHAN Department of Physics, University College, Kerala University, Trivandrum 65 Department of Pye ndence: T.C. 36/130, Furst Puthan Street, Manacad, Trivandrum 695 009 ‘MS received 23 May 1977 Anstract. The wave equation for a scalar field 9 and vector potential 4 3 solved Abstract The vi poche of a gravitational wave, The corresponding solutions wie ip the back ae ied bya plane electromagnetic wave, is obtained irom these soll. the metric 1s Berta for ihe sealar wave is discussed in detail. Tt is found that betas tions ee ection, two new Waves are generated in the lower order approximal ots, of the interaction, M0 Zane phase dependence as the original wave while the other Ono of them has (re acter, here is no interaction when the waves are along the same direction, Gravitational waves scalar wave; electromagnetic wave; photon-photon ; photon graviton interaction. 1. Introduction Im this paper the scalar and the electromagnetic wave equations, in a spacetime curved by the presence of a gravitational or electromagnetic wave are solved. From the solutions one can discuss possible interactions between them. Section 2 introduces the metric of the gravitational and electromagnetic waves, and obtains the necessary formulae needed later. In section 3 the soalar wave equation in the gravitational wave metric is solved and the solution discussed. Even though the solution obtained is exact (except for the effect of back reaction on the nett which can be made arbitrarily small by assuming the second wave to be much ‘veakes) the discussion is confined to the frst two orders of approximation, for the Take of simplicity. The solution in the metric of electromagnetic wave is obtained fom the other colution and the similarities are pointed out. In section 4 we solve the vector wave equation for the vector potential of the electromagnetic wave in the gravitational wave metric and in the metric of electromagnetic wave, A detailed discussion of this solution will be published later. ‘Sur metric has the signature (+-+-+—). Natural units with G—C=1 is used except when mentioned otherwise. We take our gravitational and electromagnetic svaves to be propagating along the axis and work throughout with the retarded and advanced co-ordinates, u=t—z and y=t+z. @ 371