A model for peaking of galactic gravitational radiation

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Abstract
Geometrical optics is used to calculate the radiation pattern from a source in orbit in a strong gravitational field. No specific mechanism is postulated for the radiation itself, and only the field's effect on the radiation enters. (The model proposes a ``black hole'' at the galactic center.) Besides the Doppler peaking expected in these orbits, we find that the gravitational lens effect can enhance the radiation (regardless of how the radiation is produced). If the radiation arises from individual short events, the gravitational lensing leads to a scatter in the observed intensity. Formulas are presented for the probability a certain pulse will exceed the average by a given factor for a detector of finite sensitivity. Enhancement as found here, if present in the galaxy, would lower the overall galactic mass loss implied by Weber's gravitational radiation measurements.

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