  We investigate the transition probability of a Unruh-deWitt particle detector
evolving in flat space and in a wormhole spacetime, in various scenarios. In
Minkowski space, we look at the response of the detector on trajectories having
discontinuities and rapid variations, as well as the effect of finite-time
coupling. It is found that these features induce spurious oscillations in the
probability and rate of transition. At large times the oscillations are damped
and the probability tends to a constant value. Next, we look at the response of
an inertial detector on a radial trajectory that passes through a thin-shell
wormhole. After finding the appropriate modes, we look at the renormalized
detector response, defined by subtracting the flat space analogues from the
partial probabilities. The resulting curve has a peak around the wormhole
throat followed by a period of damped oscillations, before stabilizing to a
constant value. This is very similar to the flat space results, which is
surprising given that in this case the trajectory is continuous. The features
of the transition probability are due entirely to the nontrivial topology
induced by the wormhole.
