The gravitational Compton amplitude at third post-Minkowskian order

Abstract

We employ a single worldline effective field theory in a Schwarzschild--Tangherlini background to compute the gravitational Compton amplitude up to third post-Minkowskian order. By exposing the structure of infrared and forward divergences of the post-Minkowskian expansion, we are able to regulate these divergences, thereby establishing an exact and useful computational bridge to results in black hole perturbation theory. We also outline possible applications for Compton amplitudes with finite-size effects, such as spin and tidal features.

6 pages + 10 pages of appendices, 3 figures