Suppression of gravitational radiation

Abstract

We consider a burst of quadrupole gravitational radiation in the presence of a large static mass $M$ situated at its source. Some of the radiation is back-scattered off the static field of the large mass, forming a wave tail. After the burst, the tail is a pure incoming wave, carrying energy back towards the source. We calculate this energy, and, in a numerical example, compare it with the outgoing wave energy. If $M$ is sufficiently large the incoming energy can equal the outgoing energy, indicating that the primary outgoing wave is completely suppressed.