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Numerical simulations of acoustically generated gravitational waves at a first order phase transition

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posted on 2023-06-09, 04:46 authored by Mark HindmarshMark Hindmarsh, Stephan HuberStephan Huber, Kari Rummukainen, David J Weir
We present details of numerical simulations of the gravitational radiation produced by a first order thermal phase transition in the early Universe. We confirm that the dominant source of gravitational waves is sound waves generated by the expanding bubbles of the low-temperature phase. We demonstrate that the sound waves have a power spectrum with a power-law form between the scales set by the average bubble separation (which sets the length scale of the fluid flow Lf) and the bubble wall width. The sound waves generate gravitational waves whose power spectrum also has a power-law form, at a rate proportional to Lf and the square of the fluid kinetic energy density. We identify a dimensionless parameter ˜ OGW characterizing the efficiency of this “acoustic” gravitational wave production whose value is 8p ˜ OGW?0.8±0.1 across all our simulations. We compare the acoustic gravitational waves with the standard prediction from the envelope approximation. Not only is the power spectrum steeper (apart from an initial transient) but the gravitational wave energy density is generically larger by the ratio of the Hubble time to the phase transition duration, which can be 2 orders of magnitude or more in a typical first order electroweak phase transition.

Funding

Particle Physics Theory at Royal Holloway and Sussex; G0742; STFC-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL; ST/J000477/1

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Physical Review D

ISSN

2470-0010

Publisher

American Physical Society

Issue

12

Volume

92

Page range

1-22

Article number

a123009

Department affiliated with

  • Physics and Astronomy Publications

Research groups affiliated with

  • Theoretical Particle Physics Research Group Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2017-01-17

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2017-01-17

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2017-01-17

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