- #36
PeterDonis
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Looking back over previous posts:
The flux may look spherically symmetric (when averaged) far away from the source. But if you looked closely enough, in the small regions where the GWs are being generated, you would see systems of "orbiting massive bodies" with nonzero quadrupole moments. (Yes, the "massive bodies" would be ions, not neutron stars. So what? The EFE doesn't care; it applies equally well in both cases.) If that isn't present on *some* scale, GWs will not be generated.
Q-reeus said:there is an enormous number of random HFGW emitters - colliding ions etc., churning out a random but time-averaged highly smooth and spherically symmetric flux of GW's
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To repeat a previous statement directed elsewhere -try and get out of your head this image of orbiting massive bodies as coherent GW emitter here. Previously explained just why HFGW scenario was chosen.
The flux may look spherically symmetric (when averaged) far away from the source. But if you looked closely enough, in the small regions where the GWs are being generated, you would see systems of "orbiting massive bodies" with nonzero quadrupole moments. (Yes, the "massive bodies" would be ions, not neutron stars. So what? The EFE doesn't care; it applies equally well in both cases.) If that isn't present on *some* scale, GWs will not be generated.