# How are gravitational waves polarized?

Then teach the underlying concepts
Don't copy without citing sources
preview
?

#### Explanation

Explain in detail...

#### Explanation:

I want someone to double check my answer

1
SCooke Share
Sep 21, 2017

It is a result of the symmetry in the perturbation equation that describes their origination.

#### Explanation:

The linear-polarization state of the CMB in a direction nhat can be described by a symmetric trace-free 2 × 2 tensor.
http://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/Sept02/Kamionkowski/Kamion2.html

Looking at the geodesic deviation by setting first ${A}_{\text{xx}} = 0$ then setting ${A}_{\text{xy}} = 0$ will show that there are two distinct physical states for the wave — these are the gravitational wave polarization states. The effect of a wave in either state is to compress the geodesics in one direction while simultaneously stretching the geodesic separation in the orthogonal direction during the first half-cycle of a wave. During the second half-cycle, it switches the compression and stretching effects between the axes.

http://www.physics.usu.edu/Wheeler/GenRel2013/Notes/GravitationalWaves.pdf

• 13 minutes ago
• 21 minutes ago
• 27 minutes ago
• 29 minutes ago
• A minute ago
• 2 minutes ago
• 4 minutes ago
• 5 minutes ago
• 9 minutes ago
• 10 minutes ago
• 13 minutes ago
• 21 minutes ago
• 27 minutes ago
• 29 minutes ago