Observables from classical black hole scattering in scalar-tensor theory of gravity from worldline quantum field theory

Abstract

In this paper, we compute the two observables, impulse and waveform, in a black hole scattering event for the Scalar-Tensor theory of gravity with a generic scalar potential using the techniques of Worldline Quantum Field Theory. We mainly investigate the corrections to the above mentioned observables due to the extra scalar degree of freedom. For the computation of impulse, we consider the most general scenario by making the scalar field massive and then show that each computed diagram has a smooth massless limit. We compute the waveform for scalar and graviton up to 2PM, taking the scalar as massless. Furthermore, we discuss if the scalar has mass and how the radiation integrals get more involved than the massless case. We also arrive at some analytical results using stationary phase approximation. Interestingly, we also show that the λ4φ4 interaction vertex does not contribute to the radiation by showing that the integral has no non-zero finite value.