The sub-leading scattering waveform from amplitudes

Abstract

We compute the next-to-leading order term in the scattering waveform of uncharged black holes in classical general relativity and of half-BPS black holes in N = 8 supergravity. We propose criteria, generalizing explicit calculations at next-to-leading order, for determining the terms in amplitudes that contribute to local observables. For general relativity, we construct the relevant classical integrand through generalized unitarity in two distinct ways, (1) in a heavy-particle effective theory and (2) in general relativity minimally-coupled to scalar fields. With a suitable prescription for the matter propagator in the former, we find agreement between the two methods, thus demonstrating the absence of interference of quantum and classically-singular contributions. The classical N = 8 integrand for massive scalar fields is constructed through dimensional reduction of the known five-point one-loop integrand. Our calculation exhibits novel features compared to conservative calculations and inclusive observables, such as the appearance of master integrals with intersecting matter lines and the appearance of a classical infrared divergence whose absence from classical observables requires a suitable definition of the retarded time.