Gravitational Forces in the Brane World

Abstract

We consider the problem of gravitational forces between point particles on the branes in a Randall-Sundrum (R-S) two brane model with $S^1/Z_2$ symmetry. Matter is assumed to produce a perturbation to the R-S vacuum metric and all the 5D Einstein equations are solved to linearized order (for arbitrary matter on both branes). We show that while the gauge condition $h_{i5} = 0, i=0,1,2,3$ can always be achieved without brane bending, the condition $h_{55} = 0$ leads to large brane bending. The static potential arising from the zero modes and the corrections due to the Kaluza-Klein (KK) modes are calculated. Gravitational forces on the Planck ($y_1 = 0$) brane recover Newtonian physics with small KK corrections (in accord with other work). However, forces on the TeV ($y_2$) brane due to particles on that brane are strongly distorted by large R-S exponentials.