The effects of gravitational waves on a hydrogen atom

Abstract

We investigate the influence of gravitational waves on a freely falling hydrogen atom by analyzing the dynamics of the bound electron described by the Dirac equation in the curved spacetime of a gravitational wave. From this, we derive the corresponding Dirac Hamiltonian in the local inertial frame of the atom, assuming gravitational waves are described by the linearized theory of general relativity. To maintain meaningful physical interpretations while obtaining a non-relativistic description, we employ the Foldy–Wouthuysen transformation. Through the analysis of resulting interaction terms and comparison with flat spacetime counterparts, valuable insights into the effects of gravitational waves (GWs) on the hydrogen atom are gained. Additionally, we explore selection rules governing the coupling between GWs and the atom and utilize first-order perturbation theory to quantify the induced energy shifts and spectral line splitting. This investigation contributes to our understanding of the interplay between quantum systems and gravitational waves, which could lead to alternative method of GWs indirect detection. However, measuring such tiny energy shifts would require a telescope with very high spectral resolution.