Propagation of test particles and scalar fields on a class of wormhole space-times

Abstract

In this paper, we consider the problem of test particles and test scalar fields propagating on the background of a class of wormhole space-times. For test particles, we solve for arbitrary causal geodesics in terms of integrals which are solved numerically. These integrals are parametrized by the radius and shape of the wormhole throat as well as the initial conditions of the geodesic trajectory. In terms of these parameters, we compute the conditions for the geodesic to traverse the wormhole, to be reflected by the wormhole's potential or to be captured on an unstable bound orbit at the wormhole's throat. These causal geodesics are visualized by embedding plots in Euclidean space in cylindrical coordinates. For massless test scalar fields, we compute transmission coefficients and quasi-normal modes for arbitrary coupling of the field to the background geometry in the WKB approximation. We show that solutions of the scalar wave equation on this class of wormholes are stable only for certain values of the coupling constant. This analysis is interesting since recent computations of self-interactions of a static scalar field in wormhole space-times reveal some anomalous dependence on the coupling constant such as the existence of an infinite discrete set of poles. We show that this pathological behavior of the self-field is an artifact of computing the interaction for values of the coupling constant that do not lie in the domain of stability.