In my opinion, gravitons are operating friction vacuum. Because space is full of gravitons.
The reality is that nature rules and physical behavior of existents has been in the form that is now too. Just our knowledge and our recognition has grown and our insight has permeated from surface to depth. For better understanding and explanation of these events and different opinions, we need to permeate more in the depth of nature and take some distance of outward (appearance) of events. It means that we need to pass from the boundary of the apparent world (speed of light) and simultaneous with passing from the boundary of the apparent world, we must leave quantum scales and analyze the processes in sub quantum scales in which relativity and quantum mechanics are not able to explain them.
Quantum mechanics and relativity work in quantum scales and high speeds near to speed of light, but they are unable to explain beyond that. The problems of modern physics is due to this reason that these theories have been stopped in the boundary between speed of light and faster than light and also in quantum scales. However, physical realities like vacuum energy and virtual photons indicated that speed of light and observable particles is not the end of physical spaces.
Three physical spaces were investigated and analyzed:
1- Real space-time; everything moves with speed vor =c). Virtual particles and their physical properties is explainable in virtual space-time without using uncertainty principle.
3- Non-obvious space ; everything like graviton is not directly (also indirectly) detectable in non-obvious space. But, their existence and properties can be found of their effects. Productions of this space are sub quantum energies and virtual photons.
In fact, graviton is converted to sub quantum energy and virtual photon is formed of sub quantum energies. A real photon is obtained with combination of positive and negative virtual photons.
A look at the interplay of three spaces
Our views, ideas and physical experiences are limited to observable universe or real space-time, because our tools and we belong to real space-time and obey of its rules. That is why we cannot see or detect virtual existents. However, we can see their effects.
World lines of a real photon and a virtual photon in Minkowski space-time is the edge of real space-time where real photon is moving in vacuum with speed c, in this edge, vacuum energy is produced and appears. Thus, in the edge of Minkowski space-time, .electromagnetics and gravity are unified with each other. The electromagnetic radiation is blueshifted when it is falling in the gravitational field. We consider a small cutting in the structure of the photon and its surroundings in vacuum and investigate its mechanism in the boundary of Minkowski space-time. In this small incision real space-time, virtual space-time and non-obvious space are involved with each other.
The boundary between real space-time and virtual space-time is speed of light c. In gravitational blueshift and zero point energy; virtual photons leave virtual space-time and enter into the real space-time. Also in gravitational blueshift, at first gravitons enter from non-obvious space into virtual space-time, then pass from virtual space-time and enter into real space-time.
As gravity (in fact graviton) interacts with the photon, interacts with all particles. So interaction between graviton and particles appears like the friction. Read more:
(Phys.org)—When three physicists first discovered through their calculations that a decaying atom moving through the vacuum experiences a friction-like force, they were highly suspicious.
The results seemed to go against the laws of physics: The vacuum, by definition, is completely empty space and does not exert friction on objects within it. Further, if true, the results would contradict the principle of relativity, since they would imply that observers in two different reference frames would see the atom moving at different speeds (most observers would see the atom slow down due to friction, but an observer moving with the atom would not).
Dear Hossein, vacuum friction seems to be the first explanation which was found by its authors. Really, you have shown that their explanation is most likely erroneous.
No dear colleague, you are wrong, because I have shown that vacuum friction is caused by virtual photons and gravitons.
For example see Walter Lewin's comment as follow:
In quantum mechanics, the uncertainty principle says we can never be sure that an apparent vacuum is truly empty. Instead, space is fizzing with photons that are constantly popping into and out of existence before they can be measured directly. Even though they appear only fleetingly, these “virtual” photons exert the same electromagnetic forces on the objects they encounter as normal photons do.
As per the literature friction appears when two bodies come near or rub together. So even in space also when items/objects collide may be the friction develops. Nobody there to watch/view.
As per your question friction exist in vacuum too, check the following you may get some information.