Evolution of gravitational waves through the cosmological QCD transition

Abstract

The spectrum of gravitational waves that have been produced in inflation is modified during cosmological transitions. Large drops in the number of relativistic particles, like during the QCD transition or at $e^{+}{e}^{-}$ annihilation, lead to steps in the spectrum of gravitational waves. We calculate the transfer function for the differential energy density of gravitational waves for a first-order and for a crossover QCD transition.

Comments: 10 pages, LaTeX2e, 1 figure; analytic estimate for the modification of the spectral slope near f_* added, minor changes to improve the presentation; accepted for publication in Mod. Phys. Lett. A