Classical and quantum aspects of particle propagation in external gravitational fields

Abstract

In the study of covariant wave equations, linear gravity manifests itself through the metric deviation [Formula: see text] and a two-point vector potential [Formula: see text] itself constructed from [Formula: see text] and its derivatives. The simultaneous presence of the two gravitational potentials is noncontradictory. Particles also assume the character of quasiparticles and [Formula: see text] carries information about the matter with which it interacts. We consider the influence of [Formula: see text] on the dispersion relations of the particles involved, the particles’ motion, quantum tunneling through a horizon, radiation, energy–momentum dissipation and flux quantization.