[drran]

(Not a native speaker).

Space is a mathematical abstraction. You can do anything with, because it's just math. If you want to bend, curve, distort, rip space, or add more dimensions — go for it.

Physical medium should be compressible, like any other medium. Higgs «field» (let's call it Higgium — Higgs+Vacuum) is presented everywhere, because Higgs boson gives mass to every particle in the Visible Universe and beyond, so it should conduct gravitational waves. As demonstrated by LIGO/VIRGO, gravitational waves causes distortions in light travel. These distortions can be explained as changes of conductivity in Higgium, which can be caused by changes in density, so yes, it can be waves of compression.

[evanb]

I appreciate what you’re trying to get at, but it’s not right. Gravitational waves exist in GR even in theories with no matter / Higgs.

The Higgs is a scalar field; gravitational waves are spin-2.

[drran]

Thank you for pointing it out.

Spin-0 particles are round particles, like o (like ball), or something that cannot rotate at all. Spin-2 particles are symmetrical particles, like 8 (like H2 molecule).

For spin-0, it can be changes in density only. For spin-2, it can be changes in orientation, in rotation speed, in rotation orientation, Dzhanibekov effect, wobbling, and some other if it has more complex shape, e.g. two spirals connected.

[cobaltoxide]

I believe this answer is nonsense.