MadSci Network: Physics
Query:

Re: Wouldn't the graviton have to travel faster than light to exist?

Date: Thu Feb 24 00:21:39 2000
Posted By: Steven Levin, Research Scientist, Astrophysics
Area of science: Physics
ID: 950222645.Ph
Message:

Hi Peter,

According to theory, the graviton (like all massless particles) travels at the speed of light. The graviton is a particle predicted by our (incomplete) theories of quantum gravity, the combination of gravity and quantum mechanics. No one has (yet) successfully combined general relativity (gravity) and quantum mechanics, but it seems clear that any such combined theory must include a massless particle called the graviton, which should travel at the speed of light. Gravitational radiation should also exist and travel at the speed of light, but has not yet been directly observed (as of February, 2000). Gravitational radiation has been indirectly shown to exist, because we see pulsars (rotating neutron stars) slow down at the rate predicted by theory, which includes an allowance for the energy lost via gravitational waves. You can find more detail about the speed of gravity at

this site,
this site, and
this site.
If you have further questions about this, you are welcome to contact me directly at stevenlevin@we.mediaone.net. I'd also be interested to learn what led you to conclude that gravitons must travel faster than light.

-Steve Levin

__________________________________________________________
DISCLAIMER: Just because I work for JPL/NASA/Caltech doesn't mean anything I say is in any way official. This is just me talking, not NASA, JPL, or Caltech.


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