A quantum mechanical interpretation of gravitational redshift of electromagnetic wave

It had been observed that electro-magnetic waves can undergo a frequency shift in a gravitational field. This effect is important for satellite communication and astrophysical measurements. Previously, this redshift phenomenon was interpreted exclusively as a relativistic effect. Here we found this effect can also be explained based on a quantum mechanical consideration. We propose that, due to the quantum nature of the photon, its effective mass is not zero. In a gravitational field, the total energy of the photon includes both its quantum energy and its gravitational energy. Then, the condition of energy conservation will require a frequency shift when the photon travels between two points with different gravitational potentials. This result suggests that the gravitational redshift effect of a photon is essentially a quantum phenomenon. This new understanding can be helpful for the future design of satellite navigation systems and other astrophysical applications.