We investigate the possibility of observing very low frequency (VLF)
electromagnetic radiation produced from the vacuum by gravitational waves. We
review the calculations leading to the possibility of vacuum conversion of
gravitational waves into electromagnetic waves and show how this process evades
the well-known prohibition against particle production from gravitational
waves. Using Newman-Penrose scalars, we estimate the luminosity of this
proposed electromagnetic counterpart radiation coming from gravitational waves
produced by neutron star oscillations. The detection of electromagnetic
counterpart radiation would provide an indirect way of observing gravitational
radiation with future spacecraft missions, especially lunar orbiting probes.Comment: 16 pages revtex, no figures, 1 table. Version published in PR
