Accelerating Internal OAM Photon Wavefronts Under Gravity

In summary, when accelerating a beam of internal OAM photons, it is possible to describe it as a superposition of waves traveling at the speed of light with different angles and study how they propagate separately. This will cause the beam to diverge, with each component following the spacetime curvature. The radius of the helix, wavefront speed, and frequency will increase as the beam descends. However, the helical mode will maintain its integrity. Although every finite beam of light diverges, the orbital angular momentum of the beam will slightly affect the divergence. The reduction in wavefront speed is due to the poynting vector following a helix. A classical analogy that illustrates this concept is having multiple beams tilted at a slight angle
  • #1
calinvass
159
5
It is known that wavefronts of internal OAM photons travel slower than light but I wonder what happens if you accelerate such a beam. This should be possible under gravity.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
You can describe it as superposition of waves that do travel at the speed of light (but with different angles). and study how they propagate separately. Your beam will diverge, with each component following the spacetime curvature.
 
  • Like
Likes calinvass
  • #3
mfb said:
You can describe it as superposition of waves that do travel at the speed of light (but with different angles). and study how they propagate separately. Your beam will diverge, with each component following the spacetime curvature.
Thanks.

Do you mean the radius of the helix, the wavefront speed and the frequency increase as it descends ?
I assume the helical mode maintains its integrity.
 
  • #4
Every finite beam of light diverges (at least after some distance). Orbital angular momentum will change the divergence a bit.
 
  • Like
Likes calinvass
  • #5
If the OAM beam is made of separate beams, how is the wavefront speed reduced? Is it because the poynting vector follows a helix ?
 
  • #6
A classical analogy works quite well: Have multiple beams, all tilted a bit with respect to the main direction of motion, aligned in a twisting motion. That is not completely accurate, but it follows the same idea.
 

Related to Accelerating Internal OAM Photon Wavefronts Under Gravity

1. What is the purpose of accelerating internal OAM photon wavefronts under gravity?

The purpose of accelerating internal OAM photon wavefronts under gravity is to study the behavior of photons in the presence of gravity and to potentially harness this phenomenon for various applications.

2. How does gravity affect the internal OAM photon wavefronts?

Gravity affects the internal OAM photon wavefronts by causing them to accelerate and gain energy as they move towards a massive object. This acceleration can change the shape and direction of the wavefronts, resulting in interesting and potentially useful properties.

3. What are some potential applications of accelerating internal OAM photon wavefronts under gravity?

Some potential applications of this phenomenon include gravitational wave detection, space propulsion, and communication systems. It may also have implications for understanding the behavior of light in extreme environments such as black holes.

4. Are there any challenges or limitations to studying this phenomenon?

Yes, there are several challenges and limitations to studying accelerating internal OAM photon wavefronts under gravity. These include the difficulty of controlling and manipulating gravity in a laboratory setting, as well as the complexity of accurately measuring and analyzing the behavior of OAM wavefronts.

5. What are some potential future research directions in this field?

Some potential future research directions include further exploring the potential applications of this phenomenon and developing new methods for controlling and manipulating OAM wavefronts under gravity. Additionally, there is still much to be learned about the fundamental physics behind this phenomenon, which may lead to new discoveries and advancements in our understanding of gravity and light.

Similar threads

  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
26
Views
712
Replies
25
Views
617
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
17
Views
2K
  • Special and General Relativity
2
Replies
69
Views
4K
Replies
32
Views
973
  • Special and General Relativity
2
Replies
45
Views
3K
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
4
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
18
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
2
Replies
55
Views
2K
Back
Top