{
  "abstract": "We consider the classical scattering of two gravitating compact objects in the presence of a massive scalar mediator, providing a simple model of exotic phenomena. Through dimensional analysis, we argue that such a process can only be classical in the presence of gravity, a consequence of which is that perturbing in the coupling of the scalar to a worldline is not separate from the post-Minkowskian expansion. When computing asymptotic observables, the massive mediator complicates the Fourier transforms to impact-parameter space at next-to-leading order. We reduce these to univariate parametric integrals - amenable to numerical integration - and produce analytic results for the linear impulse and the scattering angle to the second post-Minkowskian order. The scattering angle exhibits a maximum when the range of the scalar-mediated force is comparable to the impact parameter, a possible signature of a massive scalar mediator. In the opposite, large-mass regime we uncover a screening effect: integrating out the scalar sourced by each compact object reduces its gravitational mass by an amount linear in the scalar's mass. Both of these phenomena are next-to-leading-order effects.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2608.14267",
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Birgitta Biendarra"
    },
    {
      "name": "Kays Haddad"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jan Plefka"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cbx341w16pkp1.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2608.14267",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "cbx341w16pkp1",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.14267",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "gr-qc"
    ],
    [
      "arxiv",
      "hep-th"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2608.14267",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-23",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cbx341w16pkp1.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:23:56Z",
      "native_id": "2608.14267",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.14267"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:gr-qc",
      "subfield": "gravitation"
    },
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:hep-th",
      "subfield": "high-energy"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Classical gravitational scattering with a massive scalar mediator",
  "title_text": "Classical gravitational scattering with a massive scalar mediator",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:23:56Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cbx341w16pkp1",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}