Numerical wave optics and the lensing of gravitational waves by globular clusters

Understand

We consider the possible effects of gravitational lensing by globular clusters on gravitational waves from asymmetric neutron stars in our galaxy.

• In the lensing of gravitational waves, the long wavelength, compared with the usual case of optical lensing, can lead to the geometrical optics approximation being invalid, in which case a wave optical solution is necessary.
• In general, wave optical solutions can only be obtained numerically.
• We describe a computational method that is particularly well suited to numerical wave optics.