Preprints in GR/QC

Andrés Franco-Grisales, Hans Ringström

Published: 2026-02-02

Categories: gr-qc

There are three categories of mathematical results concerning quiescent big bang singularities: the derivation of asymptotics in a symmetry class; the construction of spacetimes given initial data on the singularity; and the proof of big bang formation in the absence of symmetries, including the proof of stable big bang formation. In a recent article, the first author demonstrated the existence of developments corresponding to a geometric notion of initial data on a big bang singularity. Moreover, this article, combined with previous articles by the second author, gives a unified and geometric perspective on large classes of seemingly disparate results in the first two categories. Concerning the third category, Oude Groeniger et al recently formulated a general condition on initial data ensuring big bang formation, including curvature blow up. This result, among other things, generalises previous results on stable big bang formation. However, it does not include a statement saying that the solutions induce initial data on the singularity. Here we tie all three categories of results together by demonstrating that the solutions of Oude Groeniger et al induce data on the singularity. However, the results are more general and can potentially be used to derive similar conclusions in other gauges.

Victor H. Alencar

Published: 2026-02-02

Categories: hep-th

We present the quantization of the electromagnetic field near the event horizon of a Schwarzschild black hole using Euclidean path integrals. Our result for the vacuum energy describes a black hole surrounded by a finite volume of photons at $T_{H} = \frac{1}{8πG M}$, the black hole quantum atmosphere. The total entropy includes contributions from this atmosphere, and the Bekenstein entropy, which arises from the Gibbons--Hawking--York boundary term, which encodes topological information. We show that the contribution of the quantum atmosphere to the black hole specific heat is positive, indicating that the system may become thermodynamically stable. By analyzing homology groups, we show that the black hole evaporation is a tunneling between topologically distinct spacetimes: Schwarzschild ($χ= 2)$ transitions to the flat spacetime ($χ= 1$) via Hawking radiation, where $χ$ is the Euler characteristic, a topological invariant. This process resembles instanton-driven tunneling in Yang-Mills theories, where topologically non-trivial solutions dominate the vacuum amplitude. In our case, the Gibbons--Hawking--York term dominates the transition amplitude, which induces the evaporation process. These results corroborate the Parikh-Wilczek picture of Hawking radiation and the interpretation of Euclidean black holes as gravitational instantons.

Hamza Boumaza

Published: 2026-02-02

Categories: gr-qc

In this paper, we investigate the equilibrium configurations and the radial perturbations of neutron stars in a subclass of Scalar-Vector-Tensor (SVT) theories. By solving the generalised Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equations in SVT theories for several values of the modified gravity parameter, we examine the impact of the spontaneous scalarization of charged neutron star (NSs), which arises from the coupling of the scalar field to the electromagnetic tensor and double-dual Reimann tensor, $L^{μναβ}F_{μν}F_{αβ}$. Then we extend our study by deriving the action at quadratic order in linear perturbations of radial type and computing scalar quasinormal modes (QNMs)as well as the normal modes (NMs) showing the coincidence of stability and maximum mass points in generlar relativity (GR) is still present in this modified theory.

Lavinia Heisenberg, Henri Inchauspé, Sarah Paczkowski, Ricardo Waibel

Published: 2026-02-02

Categories: astro-ph.IM

For the LISA mission, Tilt-To-Length (TTL) coupling is expected to be one of the dominant instrumental noise contributions after laser frequency noise is suppressed based, on assumptions on the size of the coupling and angular jitter levels. This work uses for the first time a closed-loop, non-linear, and time-varying dynamics implementation to simulate detailed angular jitters for the spacecraft and optical benches. In turn, this gives an improved expectation of the TTL contribution to the interferometric output. It is shown that the TTL coupling impact is limited given current estimates on the size of coupling coefficients. A time-domain Least Squares estimator is used to infer the TTL parameters from the simulated measurements. The bias and correlations limit the estimator in the case of regular datasets with amplified TTL coefficients to a relative error of $10\%$, but the subtraction of the TTL signal still works well. For lower readout noises, the estimation error diverges, which can be mitigated using a regularization term. Alternatively, using sinusoidal maneuvers improves the inference to a high accuracy of $0.1\%$ for TTL coefficients around the expected level, removing all correlations in the inferred parameters. This validates the maneuver design by Wegener et al. (2025) in this closed-loop setting.

Faizuddin Ahmed, Ahmad Al-Badawi, Edilberto O. Silva

Published: 2026-02-02

Categories: gr-qc

In this work, we investigate the observable optical signatures of the Mod(A)Max black hole spacetime. We analyze key optical features, including the photon sphere, black hole shadow, and photon trajectories, and examine how these observables depend on the underlying geometric parameters, such as the electric charge and the Mod(A)Max coupling parameter. We further study the dynamics of neutral test particles in the vicinity of the black hole by deriving the effective potential within the Hamiltonian formalism. Using this potential, we obtain the specific energy and specific angular momentum for test particles on circular orbits of fixed radius, as well as the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO), and explore how the geometric parameters influence these quantities and the ISCO radius. Finally, we derive the epicyclic (azimuthal, radial, and vertical) frequencies to analyze quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) exploring how the geometric parameters influences these and discuss their physical implications.

E. M. Siquieri, D. S. Cabral, A. F. Santos

Published: 2026-02-02

Categories: gr-qc

In this work, the behavior, evolution, and expansion of the universe are investigated within a Lorentz-violating framework driven by Tsallis holographic dark energy. The cosmological extension is implemented through a spontaneously symmetry-breaking Bumblebee field, which is assumed to play a fundamental role in the dynamics of the universe. Estimates for key Lorentz-violating quantities are obtained, and the evolution of the Hubble parameter is analyzed from the early universe era to the present epoch. This formulation provides an alternative perspective on the Hubble tension.

Dorje C. Brody, Lane P. Hughston

Published: 2026-02-02

Categories: quant-ph

An extension of standard quantum mechanics is proposed in which the Newtonian time parameter appearing in the unitary evolution operator is replaced with the time shown by a `quantum clock'. A quantum clock is defined by the following properties: (a) the time that the clock shows is non-decreasing, (b) the clock ticks at random with random tick sizes, and (c) on average the clock shows the Newtonian time. We show that the leading term in the evolution equation for the density matrix associated with any quantum clock model gives the von Neumann equation. Modifications to the von Neumann equation are worked out in detail in a parametric family of examples for which the tick sizes have a gamma distribution. The leading correction to the von Neumann equation is given by the Lindblad equation generated by the Hamiltonian, but there are higher-order terms that generalize the von Neumann equation and the Lindblad equation. Lower bounds on the parameters of these quantum clock models are derived by use of the precision limit of an atomic clock.

Sayantan Ghosh

Published: 2026-02-02

Categories: nucl-th

Proto-neutron stars (PNSs) are the hot, lepton-rich remnants of the core collapse supernovae, which go through a cooling phase and become cold, stable Neutron stars (NSs). Since PNSs are also superdense objects with strong gravitational fields, we can use them to probe general relativity (GR) in the high-curvature regime, similar to NSs. In this study, we analyze the macroscopic properties like mass, radius, compactness, tidal deformability, $f$-mode oscillations and gravitational binding energy of PNSs using four different relativistic mean-field (RMF) equations of state (EOSs) with fixed entropy per baryon ($S$ =1, 2) and varying the lepton fractions ($Y_l$). The variation of $S$ and $Y_l$ has a noticeable effect on these properties. Extending our study beyond GR, we explore these effects within the framework of Energy-Momentum Squared Gravity (EMSG). This modified gravity theory adds the squared energy-momentum terms to the field equations with a free parameter $α$. In the weak-field regimes, EMSG remains indistinguishable from GR, but in the strong-field regimes, such as PNSs or NSs, it shows measurable deviations. Varying the free parameter $α$, we observe significant changes in the macroscopic properties of the PNSs. After that, we focus on the universal relations of the macroscopic properties and the correlations of the universal relations. We find that, despite significant changes in the macroscopic properties induced by the variations of $S$, $Y_l$ and $α$, the correlations remain strong and nearly unaffected.

Yan Liu, Zhi-Ling Wang, Xin-Meng Wu

Published: 2026-02-02

Categories: hep-th

We study shear fluctuations in non-relativistic holographic systems coupled to torsional Newton-Cartan geometry, using asymptotically Lifshitz spacetimes in Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton gravity. We identify a universal subdiffusive shear mode characterized by the quartic dispersion relation $ω=-iD_4 k^4$, in sharp contrast to the conventional hydrodynamic diffusion. We derive this result analytically through a systematic higher-order matched asymptotic expansion connecting near-horizon and far-region solutions, and we verify it with direct numerical quasinormal mode calculations. Our numerics demonstrate that the first non-hydrodynamic mode is purely imaginary and gapped, following the dispersion relation $ω=-iω_0-i D k^2$, and that both the hydrodynamic and the first non-hydrodynamic modes pass through pole-skipping points. These results highlight Lifshitz holography as an efficient framework for anomalous transport in strongly coupled non-relativistic quantum matter.

Cheng Cheng, Maria Jose Guzman

Published: 2026-02-02

Categories: gr-qc

We study the properties of the principal symbol of the 3+1 equations of motion in Teleparallel Equivalent of General Relativity (TEGR) and assess the conditions for hyperbolicity. We use the Hamiltonian formulation based on the vectorial, antisymmetric, symmetric trace-free, and trace (VAST) decomposition of the canonical variables in the Hamiltonian formalism, and the Hamilton's equations previously presented in the literature. We study the system of differential equations at the linear level, and show that the principal symbol has a sector with imaginary eigenvalues, which renders the system not hyperbolic. This situation persists by taking spatial derivatives in either one or three coordinate directions, and it should be interpreted as a problem of the specific gauge choice instead of a general problem with TEGR. The first practical use of Hamilton's equations in this work can be extended for proving well-posedness in spherical symmetry, and establish numerical relativity setups in TEGR.

S. Jalalzadeh, H. Moradpour

Published: 2026-02-02

Categories: gr-qc

This paper investigates the quantization of the Schwarzschild--de Sitter (SdS) black hole (BH) using the Misner--Sharp--Hernandez (MSH) mass as the internal energy in a reduced phase space framework. After introducing the canonical variables of the reduced phase space, we derive a discrete spectrum for the surface areas of the BH event horizon (EH) as well as MSH masses. We utilized the MSH mass spectrum to obtain the entropy of the BH. The entropy of the BH and cosmic EHs reveals a logarithmic correction to the Bekenstein--Hawking term. Our results support the robustness of the logarithmic form of quantum corrections in SdS thermodynamics.

Qi Lai, Qing-Yu Lan, Zhan-He Wang, Yun-Song Piao

Published: 2026-02-02

Categories: gr-qc

The short-duration gravitational-wave (GW) event GW231123 has inferred component masses in the pair-instability mass gap and exhibits a burst-like morphology with no clearly inspiral, making it an interesting target for tests beyond the standard binary black hole (BBH) interpretation. In this work, motivated by its phenomenological similarity to GW190521, we test whether GW231123 is compatible with a wormhole-echo scenario by modeling a leading echo pulse with a well-motivated phenomenological sine-Gaussian wavepacket. We perform Bayesian model comparison against a BBH baseline described by the IMRPhenomXPHM-SpinTaylor waveform, and obtain the Bayes factor ratio $\ln B^{\rm Echo}_{\rm BBH} = 1.87$, corresponding to weak-to-moderate support for the echo hypothesis. In our previous analysis for GW190521 within the same overall framework, we found $\ln B^{\rm Echo}_{\rm BBH} \approx -2.9$, implying a shift of $Δ\ln B \approx 4.8$ between the two events. This sign change indicates that GW231123 is more compatible with a single-pulse echo description than GW190521.

Dawei Shen, Jingbo Wan

Published: 2026-02-02

Categories: math.AP

In this note, we show that the conical solution-operator method of Mao-Tao in [Localized initial data for Einstein equations] applies to a simple construction of vacuum asymptotically flat initial data at minimal and borderline decay thresholds, corresponding to the global and exterior stability of Minkowski spacetime proved by the first named author in [Global stability of Minkowski spacetime with minimal decay] and [Exterior stability of Minkowski spacetime with borderline decay].

Md. Wali Hossain

Published: 2026-02-01

Categories: astro-ph.CO

Current observations indicate that an inverse exponential form of the inflaton potential provides an excellent description of single-field inflation. This potential fits the SPA$+$BK$+$DESI data sets well with in the $1σ$ bound in the $n_{\rm s}$-$r$ plane, thereby offering a simple and observationally viable single field inflationary scenario. To describe post-inflationary evolution and reheating, we extend the inverse exponential potential by adding a steep exponential term that remains negligible during inflation but becomes important afterwards. The resulting full potential develops a minimum after the end of inflation, leading to oscillations of the scalar field and consequently reheating of the Universe. We find that the maximum reheating temperature attainable in this scenario is of order $10^{13}\,\mathrm{GeV}$. The inverse exponential potential therefore emerges as a compelling candidate for early-Universe inflation, combining theoretical simplicity with robust observational viability.

Yong-Xin Zhang, Tian-Yang Sun, Chun-Yu Xiong, Song-Tao Liu, Yu-Xin Wang, Shang-Jie Jin, Jing-Fei Zhang, Xin Zhang

Published: 2026-02-01

Categories: astro-ph.IM

The direct detection of gravitational waves (GWs) by LIGO has strikingly confirmed general relativity (GR), but testing GR via GWs requires estimating parameterized post-Einsteinian (ppE) deviation parameters in waveform models. Traditional Bayesian inference methods like Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) provide reliable estimates but suffer from prohibitive computational costs, failing to meet the real-time demands and surging data volume of future GW detectors. Here, we propose a factorized neural posterior estimation framework: we construct independent normalizing flow models for each of the nine ppE deviation parameters and effectively integrate prior information from other source parameters via a conditional embedding network. Leveraging a hybrid neural network with a convolutional neural network and a Residual Neural Network for feature extraction, our method performs rapid and statistically reliable posterior inference directly from binary black hole signals. Compared to conventional MCMC, our approach achieves millisecond-scale inference time with a speedup factor of $9 \times 10^4$. Comprehensive validations show that the posterior estimates pass the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and achieve empirical coverage probabilities close to theoretical targets. This work demonstrates the great potential of deep learning for GW parameter estimation and provides a viable technical solution for real-time GR tests with next-generation detectors.

Shintaro Yoshiura, Fumiya Okamatsu, Tomo Takahashi

Published: 2026-02-01

Categories: astro-ph.CO

The 21 cm signal from neutral hydrogen atom is almost the only way to directly probe the Dark Ages. The Dark Ages 21 cm signal, observed at frequencies below 50 MHz, can serve as a powerful probe of cosmology, as the standard cosmological model predicts a well-defined 21 cm spectral shape. In this work, we assess the detectability and model-selection power of 21 cm observations assuming physically motivated foregrounds, optimistic error levels, and several observing strategies for the signals predicted in various cosmological models. Using a Bayesian evidence-based comparison, we find that wide-band observations covering 1-50 MHz can identify the evidence of non-zero 21 cm signals from models considered in this paper except the one with a smooth spectrum that peaks at lower frequencies. In particular, observations below 15 MHz are essential to avoid degeneracies with the foreground. Furthermore, even with observations measured at 5 MHz intervals over the frequency range 1-50 MHz, the 21 cm signal can be identified if the errors are sufficiently small. This indicates that the intrinsic 21 cm spectral shape can be captured without foreground degeneracy even with a limited number of frequency channels.

Akihiro Miyata, Tomonori Ugajin

Published: 2026-02-01

Categories: hep-th

According to the island formula, information in the code subspace defined in the black hole interior is embedded in the Hawking radiation after the Page time. At first sight, this embedding suggests that operations acting on the Hawking radiation could modify the information in the code subspace, potentially leading to an apparent violation of causality. Indeed, in previous studies based on the PSSY model, which incorporates only the topological degrees of freedom of gravity, it was shown that when the error is sufficiently large, a violation of causality can arise, as indicated by a nonvanishing mutual information. In this paper, we investigate the situation in which dynamical gravity also acts on the Hawking radiation. In this case, operations on the Hawking radiation induce nontrivial backreaction on the bulk spacetime appearing in the gravitational path integral for the mutual information -- an effect that is absent when the Hawking radiation is non-gravitating. We find that this backreaction renders the relevant mutual information vanishing. This result implies that, in theories with dynamical gravity, the apparent violation of causality is resolved.

Dmitri Gal'tsov, Rostom Karsanov

Published: 2026-02-01

Categories: gr-qc

We uncover the physical nature of the electric and magnetic monopoles discovered by McGuire and Ruffini on Misner strings accompanying charged nutty black holes, showing that these strings carry singular, nonuniform flows of electric and magnetic fields. These fields inevitably have nonzero divergence, thereby simulating the effective electric and magnetic charge densities along the strings. The latter create a complex short-range electromagnetic hair zone around the horizon, making the combined Misner-Dirac strings classically observable. Typical features of this new type of hair are presented. We also note that rotation can act as a hair generator even in the absence of NUT.

Jun Nian, Yuan Zhong

Published: 2026-02-01

Categories: hep-th

Motivated by bulk replica wormholes, we study the boundary effective theory that describes the near-horizon fluctuations of a near-extremal Reissner-Nordström black hole. This theory consists of a Schwarzian mode and a $U(1)$ phase mode. We compute the partition function of this boundary theory on replica geometries, from which the entropy is derived. Our analysis reveals a rich phase structure, in which the dominance of connected or disconnected replica configurations leads to a phase transition controlled by the temperature and the coupling constants $C$, $K$, and $\mathcal{E}$ of the 1d effective theory.

Gen Li, Yong-Qiang Wang

Published: 2026-02-01

Categories: gr-qc

We construct higher-dimensional traversable wormholes in quasi-topological gravity (QTG) supported by a phantom scalar field. Using a static, spherically symmetric ansatz, we numerically analyze how quasi-topological gravity corrections affect the geometry and physical properties of the wormhole solutions. The resulting wormhole solutions are symmetric about the throat. Negative mass can arise for certain choices of parameters. For certain parameter ranges, the scalar charge $\mathcal{D}$ of the phantom field rapidly decreases with increasing the higher-curvature coupling parameter $α$ and approaches zero. Moreover, by changing $α$, the overall level of the Kretschmann scalar is also lowered. Finally, for sufficiently large $α$, $-g_{tt}$ becomes close to zero near the throat, exhibiting a ``horizon''-like structure.

Guang-Wei Mi, Xiaofen Huang, Tinggui Zhang

Published: 2026-02-01

Categories: gr-qc

We investigate the effects of Hawking radiation on quantum steering and steering asymmetry in a tripartite system embedded in Schwarzschild spacetime. All tripartite steering types were classified,comprising three "1 to 2" and three "2 to 1" steering cases. Through a systematic analysis of all physically relevant scenarios (including accessible and inaccessible modes), we classify three canonical scenarios with one, two and three physically accessible modes. In the scenario of three physically accessible modes, Hawking radiation disrupts quantum steering, with the maximum steering asymmetry during the two-way steering to one-way steering transition precisely demarcating the phase boundary between these regimes. For two physically accessible modes, Hawking radiation exhibits dual behavior: enhancing the steering from Alice and Bob to anti-Charlie under certain parameters while suppressing it under others, while net strengthening other steering types. When considering one physically accessible mode, the Hawking effect of the black hole significantly enhances quantum steering. These findings provide new insights into quantum correlations in curved spacetime and establish observable signatures of Hawking effects in quantum steering phenomena.

Stefano Bellucci, Stefania De Matteo

Published: 2026-01-31

Categories: hep-th

In quantum field theory, the algebraic existence of a field does not guarantee the existence of a corresponding localized asymptotic particle state. This distinction is well established in the presence of infrared effects, long-range correlations, and environmental interactions, and becomes particularly relevant in supersymmetric theories, where fermionic and bosonic degrees of freedom are constrained at the algebraic level but need not share identical asymptotic behavior. In this work we introduce a minimal and predynamical localization criterion that distinguishes algebraically allowed degrees of freedom from those capable of forming stable, phasecoherent asymptotic states. The criterion is formulated in terms of long-time stability under slow structural fluctuations of an effective background, without modifying the underlying field equations or introducing new physical interactions. We show that fermionic and scalar fields respond qualitatively differently to such structural effects. While fermionic modes may retain asymptotic stability, scalar modes generically exhibit decoherence and damping, preventing their interpretation as localized one-particle states. This provides a conservative and model-independent perspective on how supersymmetric algebraic structures may coexist with an asymmetric observable particle spectrum. The analysis is intentionally non-constructive and does not rely on specific supersymmetrybreaking mechanisms, cosmological assumptions, or new dynamical ingredients. Rather, it clarifies localization as an independent structural requirement for particle existence within standard quantum field theory.

S. Mohammad Ahmadi, Nahid Ahmadi

Published: 2026-01-31

Categories: gr-qc

The standard $δN$ formalism, a cornerstone for calculating nonlinear curvature perturbations on super-Hubble scales, relies on the separate universe assumption, in which spatial gradients are neglected. However, this approximation breaks down in scenarios critical for primordial black hole formation, such as transitions to an ultra-slow-roll phase, where gradient interactions induce significant non-conservation of the comoving curvature perturbation. In this Letter, we introduce a framework that incorporates gradient corrections into the $δN$ formalism at a desired order by adding an effective source term to the background Klein--Gordon equation. This approach allows for a nonlinear treatment of curvature perturbations at the end of inflation considering initial conditions at the time of horizon exit. By computing the equilateral non-Gaussianity parameter $f_{\mathrm{NL}}^{\mathrm{eq}}$, we demonstrate that our method captures essential features missed by the standard $δN$, offering a simple yet rigorous pathway to determine nonlinear evolution expected from cosmological perturbation theory.

David Lucchesi, Massimo Visco, Roberto Peron, José C. Rodriguez, Giuseppe Pucacco, Luciano Anselmo, Massimo Bassan, Graham Appleby, Marco Cinelli, Alessandro Di Marco, Marco Lucente, Carmelo Magnafico, Carmen Pardini, Feliciana Sapio

Published: 2026-01-31

Categories: gr-qc

Strong theoretical arguments suggest that a breakdown of Lorentz Invariance could arise under some very particular conditions. From an experimental point of view, it is important to test the Local Lorentz Invariance with ever greater precision and in all contexts, regardless of the theoretical motivation for the possible violation. In this paper we discuss some aspects of the gravitational sector. Tests of Lorentz Invariance in the context of gravity are difficult and rare in the literature. Possible violations could arise from quantum physics applied to gravity or the presence of vector and tensor fields mediating the gravitational interaction together with the metric tensor of General Relativity. We present our results in the latter case. We analyzed the orbit of the LAGEOS and LAGEOS II satellites over a period of almost three decades. The effects of the possible preferred frame represented by the cosmic microwave background radiation on the mean argument of latitude of the satellites orbit were considered. These effects would manifest themselves mainly through the post-Newtonian parameter $α_1$, a parameter that has a null value in General Relativity. We constrain this parameterized post-Newtonian parameter down to the level of $α_1 \le 2\times10^{-5}$, improving a previous limit obtained through the Lunar Laser Ranging technique.

Lorenzo Iorio

Published: 2026-01-31

Categories: astro-ph.EP

The Planet Nine hypothesis encompasses a body of about 5-8 Earth's masses whose orbital plane would be inclined to the ecliptic by one or two tens of degrees and whose perihelion distance would be as large as about 240-385 astronomical units. Recently, a couple of his epigones have appeared: Planet X and Planet Y. The former is a sort of minor version of Planet Nine in that all its physical and orbital parameters would be smaller. Instead, the latter would have a mass ranging from that of Mercury to the Earth's one and semimajor axis within 100-200 astronomical units. By using realistic upper bounds for the orbital precessions of Saturn, one can get insights on their position which, for Planet Nine, appears approximately confined around its aphelion. Planet Y can be just a Mercury-sized object at no less than about 125 astronomical units, while Planet X appears to be ruled out. Dedicated data reductions by modeling such perturber(s) are required to check the present conclusions, to be intended as hints of what might be detectable should planetary ephemerides include them. A probe on the same route of Voyager 1 would be perturbed by Planet Nine by about 20-40 km after some decades.

Nima Khosravi

Published: 2026-01-31

Categories: gr-qc

In this paper, the quantum corrections to the kinematics of geometry, specifically geodesics, are presented. This is done by employing the path integral over the geodesics. Interestingly, the geodesics do not see any modifications in this framework. However for the distances, it is demonstrated that these quantum corrections exhibit distinct behaviors for time-like, light-like, and space-like geodesics. For time-like geodesics, the maximum correction is the Planck length, which disappears when the classical separation vanishes. The light-like geodesics do not exhibit quantum corrections, meaning that the causal light cone remains the same in both classical and quantum frameworks under certain conditions. The quantum corrections for space-like geodesics impose a minimum on space-like separation, potentially playing a role in removing singularities by preventing null congruences from being closer than the Planck length. This framework also explores the correspondence between space-like/time-like geodesics and quantum/statistical physics.

Adrián Eduarte-Rojas, Francisco Frutos-Alfaro, Rodrigo Carboni

Published: 2026-01-31

Categories: gr-qc

As demonstrated by observations, every stellar-mass object rotates around some axis; some objects spin faster than others due to different mechanisms. Furthermore, these spinning objects are slightly deformed and are no longer perfect spheres because of hydrostatic equilibrium. The well-known Kerr solution of the Einstein Field Equations (EFE) represents the spacetime surrounding a rotating spherical gravitational source. However, real objects deviate from a perfect sphere and may be prolate or oblate. There are several solutions of the EFE that represent the spacetime of deformed objects. The Kerr--like (KL) metric represents the spacetime surrounding this kind of object, where the deformation is characterized by the mass quadrupole moment parameter $q_{\mathrm{KL}}$. When $q_{\mathrm{KL}} \neq 0$, the Carter constant no longer exists and the equations of motion (EOM) are no longer integrable; therefore, the system exhibits chaotic orbits. Another widely used solution is the Hartle--Thorne (HT) metric, which has similar characteristics and represents a slightly deformed, slowly rotating star. The HT metric has several versions, and two of them were selected to test their validity. The traditional HT version, which contains logarithmic terms, is less accurate than the version with exponential terms. Moreover, both the KL and HT metrics may be extended to include contributions due to the magnetic dipole moment of the source. The equations of motion (EOM) were computed, and these new dynamical systems display several interesting features, which are shown in their Poincar'e sections.

Sara Rastgoo, Foad Parsaei, Soudabe Nasirimoghadam

Published: 2026-01-31

Categories: gr-qc

In this study, we investigate the possible existence of static and spherically symmetric wormhole solutions within the context of the newly formulated extended $f(Q,T)$ gravity. We analyze a linear model, $f(Q,T)=αQ+ βT$, and focus on traversable wormholes. By applying the variational method, we derive modified versions of the field equations that are influenced by an anisotropic matter source for a zero redshift function. It has been observed that the violation of energy conditions is influenced by the parameters $α$ and $β$. We reach the conclusion that solutions which violate the radial and lateral null energy condition in the context of general relativity may still adhere to the energy conditions within the realm of $f(Q,T)$ gravity. To begin with, by utilizing a linear equation of state for radial pressure, we obtain a power-law shape function. Additionally, we investigate solutions defined by a variable equation of state parameter. A broad spectrum of non-exotic wormhole solutions has been identified, contingent upon the particular parameters of the model.

Erick Pastén, Marco Bosquez, Norman Cruz

Published: 2026-01-31

Categories: gr-qc

We formulate the traversability of wormhole throats as a local and covariant null defocusing condition derived from the Raychaudhuri equation. Since unimodular gravity preserves the local geometric structure of spacetime, the null focusing properties of geodesic congruences are unchanged with respect to general relativity. We show that any genuinely traversable wormhole in unimodular gravity necessarily violates the null energy condition, establishing a local no--go theorem for wormholes supported by ordinary matter in this framework.

Yizhi Zhan, Hengyu Xu, Haowei Chen, Shao-Jun Zhang

Published: 2026-01-31

Categories: gr-qc

We investigate the superradiant instability of Ayón-Beato-García-de Sitter (ABG-dS) black holes under massless charged scalar perturbations using both time-domain evolutions and frequency-domain computations. We show that the instability occurs only for the spherically symmetric mode with $\ell=0$, whereas asymptotically flat ABG black holes remain stable in the massless limit, which underscores the essential role of the cosmological horizon in providing a confining boundary. We further study the dependence of the growth rate on the cosmological constant $Λ$, the scalar charge $q$, and the black hole charge $Q$, finding that it reaches a maximum at intermediate values of $Λ$ and $q$ and increases monotonically with $Q$. Compared with Reissner-Nordström-de Sitter black holes, ABG-dS black holes exhibit distinct instability characteristics due to the modified electrostatic potential induced by nonlinear electrodynamics.

Yuxuan Kang, Mingzhe Li, Changzhi Yi

Published: 2026-01-31

Categories: gr-qc

Recent observations from the DESI Collaboration indicate a preference for quintom dark energy, i.e., its equation of state evolves across the cosmological constant boundary $w=-1$. It is well known that models with single perfect fluid or single scalar field minimally coupled to Einstein gravity develop perturbative instabilities around the crossing, thereby cannot realize the quintom scenario. In this paper, we provide a method to circumvent the instability problem of these models by introducing the coupling of dark energy to the Nieh-Yan density in teleparallel gravity. We show that with this coupling the background evolution is not affected, but the dark energy perturbation is removed from the menu of dynamical degrees of freedom, thus avoiding the intrinsic difficulties in the old models.

Jhan N. Martinez, Jose F. Rodriguez-Ruiz, Yeinzon Rodriguez

Published: 2026-01-31

Categories: gr-qc

Three decades ago, Ted Jacobson surprised us with a very appealing approach to classical gravity. According to his proposal, the gravitational field equations are the consequence of the first law of thermodynamics applied, locally, to a Rindler observer. Together with the dynamical laws of black holes, Jacobson's approach has become a very strong piece of evidence supporting the intimate connection between gravity, thermodynamics, and quantum theory. Jacobson's approach being formulated for Riemannian geometries, we have wondered what its consequences would be for non-Riemannian geometries, i.e., those that involve torsion, non metricity, or both. The results of our quest have been particularly appealing: we have found that the gravitational theory that derives from the Einstein-Hilbert action, arguably ``the simplest one'', does not belong to the pool of gravitational theories available for Nature's selection (except in the Riemannian case). In the search of a unique alternative, we have also considered the hypotheses employed in the formulation of the Lanczos-Lovelock theories of gravity. Together, the two approaches point towards the gravitational theory that derives from the Einstein-Hilbert action plus a term quadratic in the torsion vector as the one that would be selected by Nature in the non-Riemannian case without non metricity. The same strategy cannot be followed in the full non-Riemannian case as the two approaches are mutually inconsistent.

Felipe Diaz

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: hep-th

We embed the covariant, gauge-invariant gravitational radiation criteria of Fernández-Álvarez and Senovilla, based in terms of conformal geometry and the Bel-Robinson tensor, into the hydrodynamic framework of gauge/gravity duality. This construction uncovers a direct correspondence between bulk gravitational waves and dissipative processes in the boundary theory, from which a natural notion of entropy production emerges. We further analyze a smooth flat limit in which the dual fluid becomes Carrollian, with dissipation governed by Carroll-covariant tensors. As an example, we apply our framework to the Robinson-Trautman family of solutions.

Sergio Barbosa, Sylvain Fichet, Lucas de Souza

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: hep-th

Loops of virtual particles from the vacuum of quantum field theory (QFT) render black holes tidally deformable. We compute the static tidal response of unspinning charged black holes at arbitrary radius, using the perturbative formalism developed in 2501.18684. Since the gravitational and electromagnetic tidal responses mix, we generalize the notion of Love numbers to Love matrices. We derive the coupled equations of motion for the metric and electromagnetic fluctuations around purely electric and magnetic backgrounds. For large charged black holes, which are described by the Effective Field Theory (EFT) of gravity, we compute the full set of Love matrices induced by an arbitrary tower of $F^{2n}$ operators. We find that, although quantum corrections break electromagnetic duality, the Love matrices in electric and magnetic backgrounds are related by a $Z_2$ symmetry under electric-magnetic exchange. Going beyond EFT, we compute the Love matrices of small magnetic black holes. We show that the running of the Love matrices is governed by the running of the $U(1)$ gauge coupling, and we derive the correspondence between Love and $U(1)$ beta functions for arbitrary harmonics. The overall picture that emerges is that the QFT-induced tidal response of magnetic black holes saturates in the strong-field regime. These results imply that nearly-extremal magnetic black holes charged under an Abelian dark sector could be probed by gravitational-wave observations.

Ioannis D. Gialamas

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: gr-qc

We study Weyl-invariant purely gravitational theories formulated within the Einstein-Cartan framework. In the Einstein-frame description, these models are dynamically equivalent to standard general relativity coupled to an axion-like pseudoscalar degree of freedom, which naturally drives a period of cosmic inflation. Without committing to a specific microscopic mechanism for reheating, we demonstrate that the post-inflationary reheating dynamics play a crucial role in shaping the inflationary predictions. In particular, we show that assumptions about the reheating temperature and the equation-of-state parameter can significantly affect the predicted values of inflationary observables, highlighting the necessity of consistently incorporating reheating effects in the phenomenological analysis of inflationary models.

Kirill Russkov

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: hep-th

The Dirac-Bergmann algorithm for the Hamiltonian analysis of constrained systems is a nice and powerful tool, widely used for quantization and non-perturbative counting of degrees of freedom. However, certain aspects of its application to systems with first-class constraints are often overlooked in the literature, which is unfortunate, as a naive treatment leads to incorrect results. In particular, when transitioning from the total to the extended Hamiltonian, the physical information encoded in the constrained modes is lost unless a suitable redefinition of gauge invariant quantities is made. An example of this is electrodynamics, in which the electric field gets an additional contribution to its longitudinal component in the form of the gradient of an arbitrary Lagrange multiplier. Moreover, Dirac's conjecture, the common claim that all first-class constraints are independent generators of gauge transformations, is somewhat misleading in the standard notion of gauge symmetry used in field theories. At the level of the total Hamiltonian, the true gauge generator is a specific combination of primary and secondary first-class constraints; in general, Dirac's conjecture holds only in the case of the extended Hamiltonian. The aim of the paper is primarily pedagogical. We review these issues, providing examples and general arguments. Also, we show that the aforementioned redefinition of gauge invariants within the extended Hamiltonian approach is equivalent to a form of the Stueckelberg trick applied to variables that are second-class with respect to the primary constraints.

Naser Ahmadiniaz, Fiorenzo Bastianelli, Felix Karbstein und Christian Schubert

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: hep-th

Photon-graviton conversion in an electromagnetic field is a well-known prediction of Einstein-Maxwell theory. First discussed at tree-level by Gertsenshtein in 1962, more recently it has been shown to lead to magnetic dichroism starting from one-loop. While previously only two diagrams were assumed to contribute to this one-loop photon-graviton amplitude in a constant electromagnetic field, here we point out the existence of a third one involving a tadpole subdiagram. As shown by H. Gies and one of the authors in 2016 for the pure QED case, such diagrams cannot be omitted in general even though the tadpole formally vanishes. After a short review of the calculation of one-loop photon-graviton amplitudes in the worldline formalism, we use this formalism for a unified calculation of all three diagrams. Although phenomenologically this amplitude is mainly of interest for the case of the spinor loop in a magnetic field, here we will also include the scalar loop and the electric field component, since the computational effort is essentially the same. We show that the tadpole diagram, although contributing to the amplitude, does not contribute to the magnetic dichroism. The gravitational Ward identity provides a useful check.

Bogdan A. Rudenko, Maria A. Skugoreva, Alexey V. Toporensky

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: gr-qc

In our paper we consider the validity of slow-roll approximations for Gauss-Bonnet inflation introduced in [1]. In contrast to the cited paper where the coupling function before the Gauss-Bonnet term have been chosen as a decaying function of the scalar field, here we consider growing coupling functions. We have found that while in [1] new slow-roll approximations work considerably better, now they do not increase the precision. Moreover, we identify some cases where more involved approximations work worse than the standard one. Corresponding explanations of such a situation are given.

Adrien Cogez, Silvia Gasparotto, Jann Zosso, Henri Inchauspé, Chantal Pitte, Lorena Magaña Zertuche, Antoine Petiteau, Marc Besancon

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: gr-qc

Gravitational wave (GW) astronomy opens a new venue to explore the universe. Future observatories such as LISA, the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, are expected to observe previously undetectable fundamental physics effects in signals predicted by General Relativity (GR).One particularly interesting such signal is associated to the displacement memory effect, which corresponds to a permanent deformation of spacetime due to the passage of gravitational radiation. In this work, we explore the ability of LISA to observe and characterize this effect. In order to do this, we use state-of-the-art simulations of the LISA instrument, and we perform a Bayesian analysis to assess the detectability and establish general conditions to claim detection of the displacement memory effect from individual massive black hole binary (MBHB) merger events in LISA. We perform parameter estimation both to explore the impact of the displacement memory effect and to reconstruct its amplitude. We discuss the precision at which such a reconstruction can be obtained thus opening the way to tests of GR and alternative theories. To provide astrophysical context, we apply our analysis to black hole binary populations models and estimate the rates at which the displacement memory effect could be observed within the LISA planned lifetime.

Eugenio Bianchi, Chaosong Chen, Mauricio Gamonal

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: gr-qc

We introduce a new causal spinfoam vertex for $4$d Lorentzian quantum gravity. The causal data are encoded in Toller $T$-matrices, which add to Wigner $D$-matrices $T^{(+)}+T^{(-)}=D$, and for which we provide a Feynman $\mathrm{i}\varepsilon$ representation. We discuss how the Toller poles cancel in the EPRL vertex, how the Livine-Oriti model is obtained in the Barrett-Crane limit, and how spinfoam causal data are distinct from Regge causal data. In the large-spin limit, we show that only Lorentzian Regge geometries with causal data compatible with the spinfoam data are selected, resulting in a single exponential $\exp(+\mathrm{i}\, S_{\mathrm{Regge}}/\hbar)$ and a new form of causal rigidity.

Ahmed Farag Ali

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: hep-th

Motivated by Maldacena's observer-centric formulation of de~Sitter physics \cite{Maldacena:2024spf}, we develop an observer-dependent state-counting framework in Euclidean de~Sitter space by modeling the observer as a massive equatorial worldline carrying an SU(3) clock. Starting from the gauge-fixed graviton path integral on $S^D$, we trace the one-loop phase $\ii^{D+2}$ to a finite set of scalar and conformal Killing modes and show that, once the worldline is included, the $(D-1)$ transverse negative modes cancel the corresponding $(D-1)$ conformal Killing directions mode by mode. The residual fixed-$β$ phase from the global conformal factor and reparametrizations is removed by imposing the Hamiltonian constraint $H_{\text{patch}} - H_{\text{clock}} - ν= 0$ via a Bromwich inverse Laplace transform, which under explicit complete-monotonicity assumptions yields a real and positive microcanonical density. We stress that this positivity statement is conditional on Assumptions (A1)--(A3) and is established at one loop about the round $S^D$ saddle in the probe regime $G E_{\rm clock}/R\ll 1$; a self-consistent backreacting or higher-loop extension is a natural next step. In earlier work \cite{Ali:2025wld,Ali:2024rnw} we argued that unbroken SU(3) confinement at $T\to 0$ can account for the observed value of the cosmological constant and for the origin of the fundamental constants $(\hbar,G,c)$ as effective couplings fixed by the SU(3) vacuum structure; this makes SU(3) the natural candidate for the internal clock of de~Sitter, whose radius and temperature are themselves set by the same cosmological constant. This idea is implemented with three explicit SU(3) realizations (qutrit, Cartan weight-lattice, and $U(1)^2$ rotor), for which the observer-inclusive density of states factorizes into a universal gravity factor, a universal worldline residue, and a clock-dependent SU(3) weight.

Jann Zosso, Lorena Magaña Zertuche, Silvia Gasparotto, Adrien Cogez, Henri Inchauspé, Milo Jacobs

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: gr-qc

Gravitational memory is a zero-frequency effect associated with a permanent change in the asymptotic spacetime metric induced by radiation. While its universal manifestation is a net change of proper distances, gravitational-wave detectors are intrinsically insensitive to the final offset and can only probe the associated transition. A central challenge for any claim of detection therefore lies in defining a physically meaningful and operationally robust model of this time-dependent signal, which is uniquely attributable to gravitational memory and distinguishable from purely oscillatory radiation. In this work, we propose a general solution to this challenge. Building on a self-contained review of the theory of gravitational memory, we discuss a theoretical framework for defining and modeling a gravitational memory rise, in particular applicable to compact binary coalescences. Specializing to space-based detectors, we analyze the response of LISA to gravitational radiation including a memory contribution, with particular emphasis on mergers of supermassive black hole binaries, which offer the most promising prospects for a first single-event detection. The framework developed here provides the theoretical foundation for statistically well-defined hypothesis testing between memory-free and memory-full radiation and quantitative assessments of detection prospects. As such, these results establish a principled pathway toward a future observational claim of gravitational memory.

Qiao Yue

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: gr-qc

This paper investigates the photon ring and shadow structure of the Reissner-Nordström black hole in the scalar-tensor-vector gravitational framework. The black hole is characterized by the ( MOG) parameter (α) and the charge (Q). The study finds that as (α) increases, the event horizon radius (r_h), photon sphere radius (r_{ph}), and critical impact parameter (b_{ph}) all increase, while these decrease as (Q) increases. The innermost stable circular orbit radius (r_{isco}) exhibits similar monotonic behavior. Ray-tracing shows that as (Q) increases, the impact parameter (b) interval between the lensing ring and photon ring widens; (b_{\text{ph}}) is non-degenerate, and the photon ring radius is uniquely determined by (α) and (Q). Using $EHT$ constraints on (SgrA^*) and (M87^*), the bounds on (α) and (Q) are derived. For (Q = 0), (0.5), and (1), the allowed ranges are (α\in [0, 0.06]), ([0, 0.11]), and ([0.19, 0.36]), respectively. Radiative simulations show that for fixed (Q), larger (α) leads to a larger, non-degenerate photon ring. The Schwarzschild case is approached only when both (α) and (Q) are small. This provides a computational basis for testing modified black holes and offers a non-degenerate observational criterion for distinguishing quantum gravity models, consistent with current $EHT$ data. Future observations with $ngEHT$ and multi-band polarization can further test this. The results suggest that studying the photon ring structure of a Reissner-Nordström black hole in scalar-tensor-vector gravity provides a unique optical diagnostic for potential quantum-gravity tests and black hole properties.

Fabrizio Canfora, Andrés Gomberoff, Carla Henríquez-Baez, Aldo Vera

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: hep-th

We present exact solutions of the Einstein-$SU(2)$ non-linear sigma model in $3+1$ spacetime dimensions, describing bumpy black holes and black branes. Using an Ansatz for superfluid pion multi-vortices, the matter sector reduces to a first-order BPS system, while the Einstein equations reduce to a Liouville equation with a smooth source governing the horizon deformation. These solutions describe horizons of different constant curvatures, with nontrivial bumpy geometries protected by an integer topological invariant, namely the vorticity, which also controls the number of bumps and the black hole thermodynamics. Remarkably, such horizons arise in a minimal and physically motivated matter model, without invoking exotic fields or modified gravity. The physical implications of these results in holography and astrophysics are briefly described.

Giovanni Manfredi, Jean-Louis Rouet, Bruce Miller

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: astro-ph.CO

We identify a new cosmological coincidence that parallels the well-known matter/dark-energy coincidence: the present-epoch transition of the universe from a weakly coupled (collisionless) to a strongly coupled (collisional) gravitational regime. Within a cosmological model containing equal amounts of positive and negative Bondi masses -- consistent with the weak equivalence principle and momentum conservation -- we show that this coupling transition naturally coincides with the shift from a coasting to an accelerating expansion. A linear response analysis of the corresponding Vlasov-Poisson system reveals that mixed positive-negative mass configurations are always unstable, with growth rates that increase at shorter wavelengths, thereby driving the system toward strong coupling. Using long-time, exact one-dimensional N-body simulations, we demonstrate that the universe undergoes three successive expansion phases: an initial ballistic regime, an intermediate random-walk acceleration driven by sporadic Bondi encounters, and finally a uniformly accelerating phase triggered by the formation of stable positive/negative mass pairs. The onset of this last phase occurs precisely when the coupling parameter crosses unity, linking the two cosmological coincidences through a single dynamical mechanism. These results suggest that cosmic acceleration may arise from the nonlinear dynamics of a gravitationally neutral mixed-mass universe, without invoking dark energy or a cosmological constant.

Anastasios Theodoropoulos, Nino Villanueva, Osvaldo Gramaxo Freitas, Tiago Fernandes, Solange Nunes, Alejandro Torres-Forne, Jose A. Font, Antonio Onofre, Jose D. Martin-Guerrero

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: astro-ph.IM

The generation of accurate waveforms from binary black hole (BBH) mergers is a major effort in Gravitational-Wave Astronomy. In recent years, machine-learning-based surrogate models for BBH waveforms have been proposed. Those offer the potential to dramatically accelerate waveform generation while maintaining accuracy competitive with that of traditional waveform approximants. In this work, we investigate the viability of autoencoders as generative models for gravitational-wave signals from quasi-circular BBH mergers. We introduce AESur3dq8, a novel surrogate waveform model based on autoencoders that enables the rapid and accurate construction of large template banks, producing millions of waveforms in under a second using modest computational resources. The model is trained on the numerical-relativity-informed surrogate NRHybSur3dq8 and subsequently fine-tuned using the SXS catalog of BBH simulations. We demonstrate that waveforms generated by AESur3dq8 achieve mismatches of order $10^{-4}$ with respect to Numerical Relativity waveforms, and that parameter estimation performed with these templates yields results fully consistent with those reported by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration for observed gravitational-wave events.

Yi-kun Li, Cheng Cheng, Lang Cui, Yun Fang

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: astro-ph.IM

Inferring the intrinsic population of compact binary mergers is complicated by detector selection biases and measurement uncertainties. Traditional parametric methods are limited by the need to presuppose functional forms, introducing model-dependent biases. To overcome these limitations, we introduce an inference framework powered by deep generative modeling. We develop a flexible, data-driven population model using a Correlated Compound-Mixture Density Network. This architecture integrates mixture models to handle multimodality, Gaussian copulas for parameter dependencies, and a library of flexible marginal distributions. The network is trained to approximate the posterior distribution of the population's hyperparameters using amortized variational inference with Normalizing Flows on catalogs of gravitational-wave events. We demonstrate the framework's capabilities in two distinct regimes. First, using simulated catalogs of supermassive black hole binary mergers for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), we show that the method accurately recovers complex three-dimensional distributions and absolute merger rates from sparse datasets, effectively correcting for selection effects and measurement uncertainties. Second, we validate the framework on real observational data from the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA GWTC-3 catalog, successfully inferring the population of stellar-mass binary black holes using an injection-based selection effect correction. Our results confirm that the method is robust, scalable, and applicable across different detector sensitivities and source populations.

V. A. Kshirsagar, S. A. Kadam, Vishwajeet S. Goswami

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: gr-qc

This paper highlights cosmologically viable sine and cosine hyperbolic evolution functions in the framework of $f(Q,\mathcal{L}_m)$ gravity. The models have been tested to check the behavior of the equation of state (EoS) parameter under the variation of parametric values. The EoS parameter experiences a quintessence phase, and is approaching to $-1$ at late time. The models are showing inclined behaviour with the $Λ$CDM model at the late time. The viability of both the models is retested using the widely accepted energy conditions in both cases. The violation of the strong energy condition admits the accelerating behaviour of the models. The same has been explained through the analysis of the profile of deceleration parameter, which concretely supports the evidence that the models explain early deceleration to late time acceleration phenomena.

Sameer Ahmad Mir, Francesco Marino, Arshid Shabir, Lawrence M. Krauss, Mir Faizal

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: hep-th

Undecidability, a hallmark of Gödel incompleteness theorems, has recently emerged in quantum many-body physics through the spectral gap problem. We demonstrate how this logical limitation can be holographically transmitted to a class of gravitational theories via the AdS/CFT correspondence. By embedding a translationally invariant spin Hamiltonian with undecidable gap status into a large-N gauge theory, we generate an AdS dual in which the selection of dominant bulk saddle (Poincaré AdS or AdS soliton) is itself undecidable. Consequently, under standard semiclassical holographic assumptions, even determining which smooth spacetime geometry emerges from quantum gravity can be beyond the limits of computability.

Soumya Chakrabarti

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: gr-qc

We argue that the polynomial degeneracies of curvature invariants can act as geometric selection rules for spacetime singularities in modified theories of gravity. The degeneracies arise purely from the algebraic structure of Riemannian geometry and impose non-trivial constraints on the effective energy-momentum tensor. We derive these constraints for metric $f(R)$ gravity and a wide class of scalar-tensor theories to show that a singularity formation is generally occluded by curvature and/or scalar-induced anisotropies. Therefore, formation of a singularity in modified theories of gravity is not always a generic outcome but can occur only along algebraically admissible branches selected by Riemannian curvature invariants.

Arthur G. Suvorov, Kostas Glampedakis

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: astro-ph.HE

Accretion discs that are tilted with respect to their compact hosts can warp out-of-plane through general relativistic frame-dragging. Warp influences disc dynamics in ways that have been studied extensively, especially as regards instabilities that might lead to rapid angular-momentum cancellation between neighbouring rings of fluid and mass infall. We provide a review of warped-disc phenomena here, revisiting key hydrodynamical assumptions that impact calculations of the shear viscosity controlling instability thresholds. Relativistic effects at the level of gas-parcel orbits are included, as are external Lorentz forces applied by the compact primary's magnetic field. Semi-analytic analysis reveals that intense magnetic fields can bring about new branches of warp modes and avoided crossings that significantly reduce the perpendicular viscosity at sub-Eddington accretion rates. Critical strengths required for misaligned torques to tear a thin disc may thus relax for systems like neutron star X-ray binaries or radio-loud active galactic nuclei.

Will Cerne, Teruaki Suyama

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: gr-qc

We investigate the one-loop effective action for a test scalar field in a general Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) background, specifically focusing on quantum corrections up to the second order in the interaction strength. By employing the Schwinger-Keldysh formalism, we derive the equation of motion for the field expectation value, which incorporates not only the standard local radiative corrections but also novel nonlocal features: a memory term and a stochastic noise term. We identify all ultraviolet divergent structures within these nonlocal terms and provide a consistent renormalization procedure. To analyze the physical impact of these terms, we apply a local approximation under the assumption of slowly-varying fields, by which the memory term acts as a negative contribution to the drift coefficient. As a concrete application, we consider a massive $φ^4$ theory and show that these one-loop corrections lead to a suppression of the field variance in the infrared regime compared to the tree-level results.

G. G. L. Nashed, A. Eid

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: gr-qc

Traversable wormhole solutions are explored in $f(\mathcal{R},\mathbb{T})$ gravity, a curvature--matter extension in which $\mathcal{R}$ is the Ricci scalar and $\mathbb{T}$ denotes the trace of the energy--momentum tensor. To generate explicit wormhole models, we prescribe holographic dark-energy densities based on entropy formalism proposed by Rényi, Moradpour, and Bekenstein--Hawking, namely \[ ρ_{\textit{R}} = \fracα{4α_1 r^4 c^2 κ}\ln\!\left(1+πα_1 r^2\right), \qquad ρ_{\textit{M}} = \fracα{4πr^2 c^2 κ\left(πα_1 r^2 + 1\right)}, \qquad ρ_{\textit{BH}} = \fracα{4 c^2 κr^2}, \] with $α$ and $β$ carrying dimensions of $L^{-2}$. The corresponding shape functions obtained from the field equations satisfy the standard throat and flare-out requirements for traversability. We then study how varying $α$ and $β$ affects (i) the balance of forces associated with equilibrium and (ii) the status of the energy conditions. In particular, the null energy condition is found to be violated, indicating that exotic matter (or an effective exotic sector) is required to support the wormhole geometry. The spatial structure of the solutions is further visualized through embedding surfaces.

Zhenbo Di

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: gr-qc

Ultraspinning black holes have attracted considerable attention due to their super-entropic nature, and previous analyses -- mostly restricted to neutral cases and high-temperature regimes -- have suggested that such black holes are always thermodynamically unstable. In this work, we revisit the thermodynamic stability of ultraspinning black holes by performing a systematic analysis of the heat capacity in different ensembles over the full range of the horizon radius $r_H$, which were missed in earlier temperature-based analyses. We demonstrate for the first time that, contrary to earlier claims, ultraspinning black holes can admit thermodynamically stable regions, whose existence crucially depends on the spacetime dimension, the solution branch, and the presence of charge. In addition, we present the first application of the revised reverse isoperimetric inequality to ultraspinning black holes. Despite the violation of the original reverse isoperimetric inequality in this super-entropic regime, we find that the revised inequality remains applicable and imposes nontrivial constraints on the allowed parameter space, including an upper bound on the ultraspinning parameter $μ$, strengthened lower bounds on the mass $m$, and upper bounds on both the charge $q$ and the AdS radius $l$. To ensure the consistency of the thermodynamic description, the conserved charges and the first law in the ultraspinning limit are derived using the Iyer-Wald formalism together with integrability conditions.

Mu-Yang Wang, Si-Wen Li, Defu Hou, Dong Yan, Yan-Qing Zhao

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: hep-th

We investigate the chaos in the dynamics of a probe massless particle confined by the harmonic potential near the horizon of the dyonic $\rm{AdS_4}$-Reissner-Nordström black hole. The total energy of the particle, chemical potential and magnetic field in this system serving as independently adjustable parameters tune nonlinearity and phase-space structure. By analyzing the trajectories on the Poincaré section and evaluating the Lyapunov exponents, we obtain the dynamical phase diagrams of the chaos and find their counteracting regulatory role: at low energy, chaos is enhanced and the Lyapunov exponent $λ_L$ violates its upper bound (i.e. surface gravity) in the extremal black hole limit(combined paramete $Γ=3$); at high energy, the same extremal limit suppresses chaos, with $λ_L$ dropping to zero and a regular dynamical corridor emerging along $Γ=3$ in the dynamical phase diagrams. These results establish a direct mapping between black hole thermodynamics and microscopic chaos, offering new insights into the AdS/QCD correspondence and nonlinear dynamics in strongly curved spacetimes.

Tian-Xiao Wang, Yan Wang, Alejandro Torres-Orjuela, Yi-Ren Lin, Hui-Min Fan, Verónica Vázquez-Aceves, Yi-Ming Hu

Published: 2026-01-30

Categories: astro-ph.HE

Extremely large mass-ratio inspirals (XMRIs), consisting of a brown dwarf orbiting a supermassive black hole, emit long-lived and nearly monochromatic gravitational waves in the millihertz band and constitute a promising probe of strong-field gravity and black-hole properties. However, dedicated data-analysis pipelines for XMRI signals have not yet been established. In this work, we develop, for the first time, a hierarchical semi-coherent search pipeline for XMRIs tailored to space-based gravitational-wave detectors, with a particular focus on the TianQin mission. The pipeline combines a semi-coherent multi-harmonic $\mathcal{F}$-statistic with particle swarm optimization, and incorporates a novel eccentricity estimation method based on the relative power distribution among harmonics. We validate the performance of the pipeline using simulated TianQin data for a Galactic center XMRI composed of a brown dwarf and Sgr A*. For a three-month observation, the pipeline successfully recovers the signal and achieves high-precision parameter estimation, including fractional uncertainties of $<10^{-6}$ in the orbital frequency, $\lesssim10^{-3}$ in the eccentricity, $\lesssim2\times10^{-3}$ in the black-hole mass, and $\lesssim10^{-3}$ in the black-hole spin. Our framework establishes a practical foundation for future XMRI searches with space-based detectors and highlights the potential of XMRIs as precision probes of stellar dynamics and strong-field gravity in the vicinity of supermassive black holes.

Monica Rincon-Ramirez, Nathan K. Johnson-McDaniel, Eugenio Bianchi, Ish Gupta, Vaishak Prasad, B. S. Sathyaprakash

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

The final state of a binary black hole merger is predicted with high precision by numerical relativity, but could there be a simple thermodynamic principle within general relativity that governs the selection of the remnant? Using post-Newtonian relations between the mass M (including the binding energy) and angular momentum J of quasi-circular, nonspinning binaries, we uncover a puzzling result: When the binary's instantaneous M and J are mapped to those of a hypothetical Kerr black hole, the corresponding entropy exhibits a maximum during the evolution. This maximum occurs at values of M and J strikingly close to those of the final remnant predicted by numerical relativity. Consistent behavior is observed when using the relation between M and J obtained from numerical relativity evolution. Although this procedure is somewhat ad hoc, the agreement between the masses and spins of the final state obtained from numerical relativity and the results of this maximum entropy procedure is remarkable, with agreement to within a few percent when using either post-Newtonian or numerical relativity results for M and J. These findings allow us to propose an entropy maximization conjecture for binary black hole mergers, hinting that thermodynamic principles may govern the selection of the final black hole state.

Juan Pablo Arbelaez

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

We study grey-body factors and Hawking radiation of higher-dimensional regular black holes arising in quasi-topological gravity. These spacetimes incorporate infinite-curvature corrections that remove the central singularity while preserving an event horizon and a well-defined semiclassical description. We show that, for all considered regular black hole models, the transmission of radiation and the corresponding Hawking evaporation are significantly suppressed compared to the singular black hole solutions of General Relativity.

Mihai Marciu

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

In this paper we have revisited the energy-momentum squared gravity theory, by taking into account the second derivative of the matter Lagrangian with respect to the metric, encapsulating relations originated from thermodynamical grounds. After obtaining the scalar tensor representation of the energy-momentum squared gravity with the new corrections, we have analyzed the physical implications by relying on the linear stability theory. The results show that the current cosmological system is compatible with the expansion of the Universe for some specific matter Lagrangians, explaining the emergence of matter domination era, approaching the late time accelerated expansion era close to the de-Sitter phenomenology.

Alessandro Ferreri

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

We study the photon-graviton pair production induced by the propagation of a classical electromagnetic (EM) wave in a Minkowskian spacetime. In our model, the gravitational field is described in terms of the quantized graviton field, whereas the electromagnetic field is split into a classical drive (a linearly or circularly polarized electromagnetic wave) and a quantum fluctuation field. We analyze the time evolution of the quantum state showing that, among other outcomes, the propagation of the EM wave can generate Bell states in the photon-graviton polarization basis. We finally discuss the possibility to observe entangled photons in artificial and natural scenarios.

Omar Pedraza, L. A. López, Isaac Fernández

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

In this contribution, we investigate the scattering cross sections of black holes immersed in perfect fluid dark matter (PFDM). We present both the classical and semi-classical scattering cross sections for different values of the parameter that characterizes the PFDM contribution. Our results show that the presence of dark matter increases the classical scattering cross section and modifies the width of the interference fringes in the semi-classical regime. In addition, the scattering cross section is also computed using the partial wave method for the black holes considered, exhibiting similar qualitative behavior. These findings suggest that the effects of dark matter surrounding black holes may play an important role in black holes phenomenology, particularly in certain regions near the black hole.

Roldao da Rocha

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: hep-th

Hairy black hole solutions are constructed within quantum-inspired nonlocal quadratic gravity. Nonlocal effects induce Yukawa screening, which shifts the event horizon inward and modifies both the Bekenstein--Hawking entropy and the Hawking temperature, while also renormalizing the chemical potential. Nonlocal corrections also reduce the magnitude of the negative specific heat, making small hairy black holes more stable, with Helmholtz and Gibbs free energies consistent with the absence of first-order phase transitions. The nonlocal spin-2 propagator contains, in addition to the massless graviton, a massive pole with positive residue and positive norm. Consequently, hairy black holes in nonlocal quadratic gravity are free of ghost instabilities at the quadratic and classical levels, in the effective field theory.

Mariam Bouhmadi-López, Carlos G. Boiza, Maria Petronikolou, Emmanuel N. Saridakis

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

We investigate whether late-time modifications of gravity in the teleparallel framework can impact the current tension in the Hubble constant $H_0$, focusing on $f(T)$ cosmology as a minimal and well-controlled extension of General Relativity. We consider three representative $f(T)$ parametrisations that recover the teleparallel equivalent of General Relativity at early times and deviate from it only at late epochs. The models are confronted with unanchored Pantheon+ Type~Ia supernovae, DESI DR2 baryon acoustic oscillations, compressed Planck cosmic microwave background distance priors, and redshift-space distortion data, allowing us to jointly probe the background expansion and the growth of cosmic structures. Two of the three models partially shift the inferred value of $H_0$ towards local measurements, while the third worsens the discrepancy. This behaviour is directly linked to the effective torsional dynamics, with phantom-like regimes favouring higher $H_0$ and quintessence-like regimes producing the opposite effect. A global statistical comparison shows that the minimal $f(T)$ extensions considered here are not favoured over $Λ$CDM by the combined data. Nevertheless, our results demonstrate that late-time torsional modifications can non-trivially redistribute current cosmological tensions among the background and growth sectors.

Aurora Ireland, Vincent Vennin

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

Inflationary perturbations are quantum in origin. Yet, when computing cosmological observables, they are often treated as classical stochastic fields. Do they nevertheless retain quantum birthmarks? A hallmark of genuinely quantum behaviour is quantum interferences, arising from phase coherence between distinct branches of the wavefunction. Such interference is diagnosed by the non-positivity of the Wigner function, and according to Hudson's theorem, the only pure states with positive Wigner functions are Gaussian states. Consequently, any departure from Gaussianity necessarily implies a non-positive Wigner function, precluding a description in terms of a classical distribution. This motivates us to compute the Wigner function of curvature perturbations, accounting for primordial non-Gaussianities, using the EFT of inflation. We find that the Wigner function develops pronounced interference fringes on super-Hubble scales, and in particular, its negativity grows as $a^2$ in ultra-slow-roll backgrounds. These results demonstrate that quantum effects can remain significant at late times, and that squeezing alone does not ensure classicality, contrary to standard lore. This suggests that the prospects for detecting genuinely quantum signatures of the universe's origins in cosmological observables may be less bleak than previously thought.

Thomas W. Baumgarte, Stuart L. Shapiro

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: astro-ph.HE

While no gravitational-wave detection of subsolar mass black holes has been confirmed to date, a number of candidate detections invite us to speculate on the origin of such black holes should a detection be confirmed. It is generally assumed that the observation of a black hole with subsolar mass $M_{\rm obs}$ would provide strong evidence for primordial black holes (PBHs). The mass $M_{\rm PBH}$ of the PBH, however, does not necessarily have to be equal to $M_{\rm obs}$, as it would in what we term a ``direct PBH scenario". Instead, a black hole of mass $M_{\rm obs}$ may form in a capture of a much smaller primordial black hole, $M_{\rm PBH} \ll M_{\rm obs}$, by a dwarf star of mass $M_* \simeq M_{\rm obs}$, followed by the total consumption of the star by the PBH. We provide some rough estimates and demonstrate that such an ``indirect PBH scenario" may also lead to significant populations of black holes with mass $M_{\rm obs}$, especially in dwarf galaxies, and may be able to explain rare subsolar mass events.

Anirban Kopty, Sanjit Mitra, Anupreeta More

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

As the number of detected gravitational wave (GW) events increases with the improved sensitivity of the observatories, detecting strongly lensed pairs of events is becoming a real possibility. Identifying such lensed pairs, however, remains challenging due to the computational cost and/or the reliance on prior knowledge of source parameters in existing methods. This study investigates a novel approach, Optimal Cross-Correlation Analysis for Multiplets (OCCAM), applied to strain data from one or more detectors for Compact Binary Coalescence (CBC) events identified by GW searches, using an optimal, mildly model-dependent, low computation cost approach to identify strongly lensed candidates. This technique efficiently narrows the search space, allowing for more sensitive, but (much) higher latency, algorithms to refine the results further. We demonstrate that our method performs significantly better than other computationally inexpensive methods. In particular, we achieve 97 percent (80 percent) lensed event detection at a pairwise false positive probability of approximately 13 percent (7 percent) for a single detector with LIGO design sensitivity, assuming an SNR greater than or equal to 10 astrophysically motivated lensed and unlensed populations. Thus, this method, using a network of detectors and in conjunction with sky-localisation information, can enormously reduce the false positive probability, making it highly viable to efficiently and quickly search for lensing pairs among thousands of events, including the sub-threshold candidates.

Hamed Zolfi

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: hep-th

It has been shown that a very old black hole can tunnel into a white hole through the emission of a large baby universe. This process can be modeled by a genus-one geometry corresponding to a single baby universe emission, with a tunneling probability proportional to \( t^{2} e^{-2S(E)} \), where \( t \) denotes the black hole age and \( S(E) \) its entropy at energy \( E \). The growth of this probability at late times raises the question of its behavior near \( t \sim e^{S} \). A natural possibility is that the full genus expansion, together with its non-perturbative completion, leads to saturation of the tunneling probability. Motivated by this idea, the present analysis employs a non-perturbative bulk inner product in place of the perturbative one and shows that, at late times, the probabilities of realizing firewall geometries and smooth geometries approach constant values.

Yang Liu, Alexey S. Koshelev, Anna Tokareva, Ziyue Zhu

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: hep-th

Corrections to vacuum black hole solutions of general relativity (GR) are considered in an effective field theory (EFT) framework, perturbatively in EFT coefficients, focusing on the Schwarzschild solution of GR. We find dominant corrections to the Schwarzschild metric in all orders in the derivative expansion far away from the horizon. These corrections can be summed up in a closed form through EFT coefficients up to all orders in derivatives and to the second order in curvature. It occurs that such a summation is convergent only for localizable theories, making a direct connection between the graviton scattering amplitudes properties and the applicability of a perturbative treatment of an EFT of gravity. We further apply our results to logarithmic form-factors which appear in the 1-loop effective action for GR in four dimensions. We find out that the corresponding corrections to the Schwarzschild metric are stronger than those from the tree-level EFT operators. The developed framework can be extended to account for the corrections to the other BH solutions in GR, such as the Kerr metric.

Alfredo Gurrola, Robert J. Scherrer, Oem Trivedi

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: astro-ph.CO

The sound speed of dark energy encodes fundamental information about the microphysics underlying cosmic acceleration, yet remains essentially unconstrained by existing observations. We demonstrate that a lunar-based laser interferometer, such as the proposed Laser Interferometer Lunar Antenna (LILA), can directly probe the sound speed of dark energy by measuring the real-time evolution of horizon-scale gravitational potentials. Operating in the ultra-low-frequency gravitational band inaccessible from Earth, LILA is sensitive to scalar metric perturbations sourced by dark energy dynamics. Using both fluid and effective field theory descriptions, we develop a complete framework linking dark energy sound speed to observable strain signatures. We construct a likelihood pipeline and Fisher forecasts, showing that LILA can either detect clustering dark energy or exclude broad classes of models with unprecedented sensitivity. This establishes lunar interferometry as a novel and powerful probe of the physics driving cosmic acceleration.

John W. Moffat

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: astro-ph.CO

We show that Scalar-Tensor-Vector Gravity (STVG-MOG) is observationally equivalent to the standard model $Λ$CDM cosmological model for all probes that depend on isotropic and linear gravitational dynamics, including galaxy rotation curves, cluster lensing, the linear matter power spectrum P(k), $σ_8$, baryon acoustic oscillations, and the cosmic microwave background (CMB). This degeneracy arises from the scale-dependent effective gravitational coupling $G_{\mathrm{eff}}$, which ensures identical background evolution, transfer functions, and linear growth. Consequently, all early-universe, low and intermediate scale cosmological observables are equally well described by STVG-MOG without invoking non-baryonic dark matter. We argue that the equivalence implies that isotropic cosmological data alone cannot establish the physical existence of dark matter. The degeneracy is broken only by observables sensitive to large-scale, anisotropic gravitational response. In particular, recent measurements of enhanced radio-galaxy and quasar number-count dipoles at gigaparsec scales probe a regime where $G_{\mathrm{eff}}$ departs from its $Λ$CDM limit, allowing STVG-MOG to generate anisotropic bulk flows, while preserving consistency with all isotropic constraints. These observations provide a concrete pathway for empirically distinguishing modified gravity from particle dark matter.

Gerasimos Kouniatalis, Emmanuel N. Saridakis

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: astro-ph.CO

The origin of the Hubble tension remains one of the central open problems in modern cosmology, with competing explanations invoking either early-Universe physics, late-time modifications of cosmic expansion, or unresolved observational systematics. In this Letter we propose a new, purely geometric null test of the late-time expansion history that is exactly independent of the Hubble constant. By combining strong-lensing time-delay distances with gravitational-wave standard-siren luminosity distances, we construct a dimensionless ratio that depends only on the redshift dependence of the expansion rate and can be both predicted from early-Universe data and measured directly at late times, without relying on the cosmic distance ladder or the sound horizon. We show that the comparison between the early- and late-time determinations of this ratio provides a transparent consistency test of the standard cosmological expansion. When combined with an independent standard-siren measurement of $H_{0}$, this framework allows one to unambiguously distinguish between early- and late-time origins of the Hubble tension. With the forthcoming detection of lensed gravitational-wave standard sirens, the proposed test provides a timely and robust framework for probing this long-standing cosmological puzzle.

Ehsan Mirafzali, Sanjit Shashi, Sanya Murdeshwar, Edgar Shaghoulian, Daniele Venturi, Razvan Marinescu

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: cs.LG

We present a framework for generative machine learning that leverages the holographic principle of quantum gravity, or to be more precise its manifestation as the anti-de Sitter/conformal field theory (AdS/CFT) correspondence, with techniques for deep learning and transport theory. Our proposal is to represent the flow of data from a base distribution to some learned distribution using the bulk-to-boundary mapping of scalar fields in AdS. In the language of machine learning, we are representing and augmenting the flow-matching algorithm with AdS physics. Using a checkerboard toy dataset and MNIST, we find that our model achieves faster and higher quality convergence than comparable physics-free flow-matching models. Our method provides a physically interpretable version of flow matching. More broadly, it establishes the utility of AdS physics and geometry in the development of novel paradigms in generative modeling.

Junquan Su, Neev Khera, Marc Casals, Sizheng Ma, Abhishek Chowdhuri, Huan Yang

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

In this work, we present a full description of the spherically decomposed Green's function of a non-rotating black hole, which naturally splits into three components: the direct part, the quasinormal modes, and the tail. Both the direct part and the tail are contributed by branch cut integrals on the complex-frequency domain, and the quasinormal modes correspond to poles of the Green's function. We show that these different components match the Green's function numerically obtained by solving a time-domain Regge-Wheeler code. In addition, the components of the Green's function also agree with earlier studies in Schwarzschild spacetime with small cosmological constant. The identification of all the various parts of the Schwarzschild Green's function represents an important step towards analyzing direct waves and quasinormal modes in the ringdown stage of binary black hole coalescence, as well as their nonlinear interaction near the merger.

Sandeep Aashish, Md Saif

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

Spontaneous Lorentz violation models of antisymmetric tensor field are known to possess singular Hamiltonian on the vacuum manifold, leading to unresolvable pathologies that render such theories unfit for cosmological studies. In this work, we show that by introducing an auxiliary vector field inspired by the Stückelberg mechanism to restore the gauge symmetry of the Lagrangian, it is possible to resolve such pathologies on vacuum manifold. The constraint analysis using Dirac-Bergmann method leads to a constraint matrix that acquires dependence on gradients and conjugate momentum of the Stückelberg field and therefore remains non-singular on the vacuum manifold.

Kilar Zhang, Alessandro Parisi, C. Vásquez Flores, Chian-Shu Chen

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: hep-ph

We apply analytical models to study the property of neutron stars and dark stars. With the aim of exploring the global observable properties of those compact stars, we investigate the total masses and radii, the tidal deformabilities and especially the fundamental (f -) mode oscillations. While we choose two typical models in this work, this method applies to any analytical equations of state. By comparing with the multi-messenger observations, one can constrain the corresponding parameters in those models.

Zhuan Ning, Xiang-Xi Zeng, Rong-Gen Cai, Shao-Jiang Wang

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

We perform fully nonlinear, spherically symmetric numerical simulations of superhorizon false-vacuum-domain (FVD) collapse in a coupled gravity-scalar-fluid system to study primordial black hole (PBH) formation during delayed first-order phase transitions (FOPTs). Using adaptive mesh refinement to resolve the bubble wall, we identify three dynamical outcomes: type B (supercritical) PBHs with an interior baby universe and a bifurcating trapping horizon, type A (subcritical) PBHs with an apparent horizon formed by direct wall collapse, and dispersal with no PBH formation. To separate these three cases, we evaluate two commonly used PBH-formation criteria: the time scale ratio $t_\mathrm{H}/t_\mathrm{V}$ (horizon crossing time versus vacuum-energy domination time) and the local density contrast $δ(t_\mathrm{H})$ at horizon crossing. For the parameter space explored, we find that $t_\mathrm{H}/t_\mathrm{V}$ is a more robust predictor of outcome: type B PBHs form when $t_\mathrm{H}/t_\mathrm{V} \gtrsim 1$ (critical range $\sim 1.1 - 1.6$ in our survey), type A PBHs arise when $t_\mathrm{H}/t_\mathrm{V}$ is below this threshold but remains above a lower bound (typical range $\sim 0.35 - 0.7$), and no-PBH dispersal occurs when $t_\mathrm{H}/t_\mathrm{V}$ falls below this lower bound. When a clear thin-wall FVD boundary exists, $δ(t_\mathrm{H})$ can correspondingly distinguish different outcomes (roughly $δ_c(t_\mathrm{H}) \sim 1 - 1.7$ for type B and $δ_c(t_\mathrm{H}) \sim 0.35 - 0.5$ for type A), but is highly sensitive to wall structure and model details and thus less universal. These results offer new insights into the dynamics of FVD collapse, quantify practical PBH-formation thresholds, and pave the way for precise predictions of PBH abundance from delayed FOPTs.

Yuan Yue, Yong-Qiang Wang

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

Recent studies have shown that dark matter halos can support regular black holes or compact stars by assuming an anisotropic energy-momentum tensor. In this paper, we extend the analysis to the dark matter halo as an isotropic perfect fluid. By employing galactic dark matter profiles-specifically the Einasto and Dehnen models-as the mass-energy density source, we numerically solve the Einstein field equations and find a class of non-singular, horizonless compact star solutions. Moreover, these configurations remain stable against axial perturbations while satisfying the dominant energy condition.

Anson Chen, Jun Zhang

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: astro-ph.CO

Gravitational lensing of gravitational wave (GW) will become the next frontier in studying cosmology and gravity. While time-delay cosmography using quadruply lensed GW events associated with optical images of the lens systems can provide precise measurement of the Hubble constant ($H_0$), they are considered to be much rarer than doubly lensed events. In this work, we analyze time-delay cosmography with doubly lensed GW events for the first time. We generate mock doubly lensed GW events with designed sensitivity of the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK) O5 network, with LIGO post-O5 upgrade, and with Einstein Telescope (ET) + Cosmic Explorer (CE) respectively, and select the events that can be associated with future galaxy surveys. Over 1000 realizations, we find an average of 0.2(2.4) qualified events with the LVK O5(post-O5) network. Whereas with the ET+CE network, we find an average of 73.2 qualified events over 100 realizations. Using the Singular Isothermal Sphere (SIS) lens model, we jointly estimate waveform parameters and the impact parameter with doubly lensed GW signals, and then forecast the constraints on cosmological parameters and modified GW propagation by combining time-delay cosmography and the standard siren approach. The average posterior gives a constraint on $H_0$ with a relative uncertainty of $14\%$, $10\%$ and $0.42\%$ in the $Λ$CDM model for the LVK O5, LVK post-O5, and ET+CE network, respectively. While the LVK network gives uninformative constraints on the $(w_0,w_a)$ dynamical dark energy model, the ET+CE network yields a moderate constraint of $w_0=-1.02^{+0.31}_{-0.22}$ and $w_a=0.48^{+0.99}_{-1.54}$. In addition, our method can provide precise constraints on modified GW propagation effects jointly with $H_0$.

Haryanto M. Siahaan

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

We construct an exact magnetized generalization of the Zipoy-Voorhees spacetime by applying the magnetic Harrison transformation to a static seed with quadrupolar deformation parameter $k$. The resulting Melvin-Zipoy-Voorhees metric is a solution to the Einstein-Maxwell equations that interpolates between the unmagnetized Zipoy-Voorhees geometry and the Melvin magnetic universe. We analyze the algebraic structure, finding the spacetime to be generically of Petrov type I, and investigate the equatorial dynamics of charged test particles and photons. Our analysis reveals that the external magnetic field $b$ induces a ``Lorentz shift'' in the effective angular momentum, suppressing the potential barrier and causing the Innermost Stable Circular Orbit (ISCO) to migrate inward. In contrast, the radius of the photon ring shifts slightly outward with increasing magnetization.

Yuanfan Cao, Andrew Svesko

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

Black holes exactly incorporating quantum matter backreaction effects, namely, quantum black holes, are notoriously difficult to construct, let alone study their horizon thermodynamics. Here, we derive the thermodynamics of three-dimensional charged and rotating quantum black holes via the tree-level gravitational partition function. Specifically, we primarily focus on holographic quantum BTZ black holes, dual to $(3+1)$-dimensional accelerating black holes in anti-de Sitter space that localize on Karch-Randall end-of-the-world (ETW) branes. To derive their horizon thermodynamics, we regulate the bulk Euclidean geometry by adding a second ETW brane at asymptotic spatial infinity. We compute the on-shell action of the complexified accelerating black hole in the grand canonical ensemble and derive the quantum BTZ black hole thermodynamics, where the thermal entropy is equal to the generalized entropy. This provides a first principles derivation of the generalized entropy of three-dimensional quantum black holes. Further, we construct charged and rotating quantum black holes in three-dimensional de Sitter and Minkowski space using Randall-Sundrum ETW branes, and compute their horizon thermodynamics.

Bruno Le Floch, Philippe G. LeFloch

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

We consider the evolution of self-gravitating matter fields that may undergo phase transitions, and we connect ideas from phase transition dynamics with concepts from bouncing cosmology. Our framework introduces scattering maps prescribed on two classes of hypersurfaces: a gravitational singularity hypersurface and a fluid-discontinuity hypersurface. By analyzing the causal structures induced by the light cone and the acoustic cone, we formulate a local evolution problem for the Einstein-Euler system in the presence of such interfaces. We explain how suitable scattering relations must supplement the field equations in order to ensure uniqueness and thus yield a complete macroscopic description of the evolution. This viewpoint builds on a theory developed in collaboration with G. Veneziano for quiescent (velocity-dominated) singularities in solutions of the Einstein equations coupled to a scalar field, where the passage across the singular hypersurface is encoded by a singularity scattering map. The guiding question is to identify junction prescriptions that are compatible with the Einstein and Euler equations, in particular with the propagation of constraints. The outcome is a rigid set of universal relations, together with a family of model-dependent parameters. Under physically motivated requirements (general covariance, causality, constraint compatibility, and ultra-locality), we aim to classify admissible scattering relations arising from microscopic physics and characterizing, at the macroscopic level, the dynamics of a fluid coupled to Einstein gravity.

Erick Pastén, Christos Tsagas

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

An increasing number of surveys has been reporting large-scale peculiar motions with sizes and speeds in excess of those allowed by the concordance cosmological model. These are the so called bulk flows, the presence of which has come to be treated as a problem for the $Λ$CDM paradigm. However, the limits of the $Λ$CDM model are based on Newtonian studies, which predict the mediocre $v\propto t^{1/3}$ growth-rate for the peculiar-velocity field ($v$). Recently, a few fully relativistic treatments have appeared in the literature, arguing for a much stronger velocity growth that could explain the reported fast and deep bulk flows. What separates the Newtonian from the relativistic studies is the gravitational input of the peculiar flux, namely of the kinetic energy triggered by the moving matter. The latter has no direct gravitational contribution in Newtonian theory, but it does so in general relativity. This drastically changes the driving agent of the peculiar-velocity field and boosts its linear growth. The aim of this work is to directly compare the two treatments, as well as identify and discuss the reasons for their different results. In the process, we also demonstrate how one could recover the relativistic growth-rate from a Newtonian setup by selectively including certain (typically ignored) source-free terms into the Poisson equation. This way, we provide a unified covariant comparison of the Newtonian, the quasi-Newtonian and the fully relativistic studies.

K. -H. Chae, B. -C. Lee, X. Hernandez, V. G. Orlov, D. Lim, D. A. Turnshek, Y. -W. Lee

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: astro-ph.GA

We set out to accurately measure gravity in the low-acceleration range $(10^{-11},10^{-9})$ m\,s$^{-2}$ from 3D motions of isolated wide binary stars. Gaia DR3 provides precise measurements of the four sky-plane components of the 3D relative displacement and velocity ($\mathbf{r}, \mathbf{v}$) for a wide binary, but not comparably precise line-of-sight (radial) separation and relative velocity $v_{r}$. Based on our new observations and the public databases/publications, we assemble a sample of 36 nearby (distance $<150$pc) wide binaries in the low-acceleration regime with accurate values of $v_{r}$ (uncertainty $< 100$ m\,s$^{-1}$). Kinematic contaminants such as undetected stellar companions are well under control using various observational diagnostics such as Gaia's ruwe parameter, the color-magnitude diagram, multi-epoch observations of radial velocities, Speckle interferometric follow-up observations, and requiring Hipparcos-Gaia proper motion consistency. For the parameter $Γ\equiv \log_{10}\sqrtγ$ with $γ\equiv G/G_{\rm N}$ (where $G$ is a parameter generalizing Newton's constant $G_{\rm N}$ in elliptical orbits), we find $Γ=0.102_{-0.021}^{+0.023}$, inconsistent with standard gravity at $4.9σ$, giving a gravity boost factor of $γ=1.600_{-0.141}^{+0.171}$. Four wide binaries have 3D relative velocities exceeding their estimated Newtonian escape velocities with $1<v_{\rm obs}/v_{\rm escN}\le1.2$. These systems are unlikely to be chance associations and are expected in a nonstandard paradigm such as Milgromian dynamics (MOND). The hypothesis that Newtonian gravity can be extrapolated to the low-acceleration limit is falsified by this independent study with accurate 3D velocities. Future radial velocity monitoring and Speckle interferometric imaging for larger samples will be useful to refine the present result.

Francesco Alessio, Vittorio Del Duca, Riccardo Gonzo, Emanuele Rosi

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: hep-th

Motivated by recent progress in the high-energy description of gravitational scattering, we develop a systematic Regge-theory framework for $2\to2+n$ amplitudes describing the scattering of two massive particles with $n$ graviton emissions, including spin effects. Working in the ultra-relativistic limit at leading logarithmic accuracy, the massive result smoothly reduces to its massless counterpart. We describe both quantum (Regge trajectory and BFKL $t$-channel evolution) and classical ($s$-channel multi-$H$ evolution) contributions using both an exponential representation of the S-matrix and a shock-wave formalism in light-cone quantisation. In the latter approach, gravitational Wilson lines evolve in rapidity space under a boost-invariant Hamiltonian, providing a space-time realisation of the high-energy dynamics and making contact with recent effective field theory descriptions in the forward limit. As an application, we compute the leading-logarithmic contribution to the massive spinless $2\to2$ amplitude at 5PM-2SF order, recovering the previously determined massless result, and derive the tree-level $2\to3$ amplitude and its associated scattering waveform for Kerr black holes in the ultra-relativistic limit.

Weihang Zheng

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: math.AP

We prove the past nonlinear stability of the sub-critical Kasner-scalar field solutions to the Einstein-scalar field equations on a truncated cone domain in spacetime dimensions $n\geq4$. Our analysis demonstrates that the perturbed solutions are asymptotically pointwise Kasner, geodesically incomplete in the contracting direction and terminate at quiescent and crushing singularities characterized by the blow-up of curvature invariants. This work generalizes the result of Beyer-Oliynyk-Zheng in [arXiv:2502.09210v2] to all higher dimensional spacetimes.

J. C. Fabris, S. Faller, R. Kerner

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

The unimodular version of the Kaluza-Klein theory is briefly recalled, and its projection on the $4$-dimensional spacetime is constructed. Imposing unimodularity condition on the $5$-dimensional Kaluza-Klein metric, det$g_{AB}=1$ is equivalent with introducing cosmological term in Einstein's equations in $4$ dimensions, and with scalar field of the Brans-Dicke type. Singularity-free cosmological solutions with scalar field and with matter sources are constructed, and their basic properties analyzed, along the results obtained in previous publications. In the present paper, attention is focussed on the perturbative analysis of cosmological solutions, providing a clue concerning their stability against small fluctuations.

Mei-Ning Duan, Li Li, Yu-Xuan Li, Fu-Guo Yang

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

Building upon the long-standing paradigm that dynamics near a spacelike singularity are governed by a sequence of Kasner epochs, we demonstrate that this picture is fundamentally altered when higher-curvature or quantum gravitational corrections are included. By incorporating such terms alongside a minimally coupled scalar field, we discover three distinct dynamical phases near the singularity: modified Kasner eons, persistent periodic oscillations, and oscillatory spike dynamics with growing amplitude. In particular, the Kasner-like geometry persisting only in highly constrained situations. The latter two regimes represent a clean departure from classical Kasner phenomenology, revealing a richer and more ordered landscape of behaviors in the deep interior of black holes beyond Einstein gravity. This work establishes a comprehensive approach for understanding the gravitational nonlinearity in the most extreme gravitational environment.

Mehdi Assanioussi, Etera R. Livine

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

We embark on the vast program of integrating the dynamics of Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG). Adopting the strategy of decomposing spin network states into small blocks of (quantum) geometry which can later be glued back together, we focus on the more modest objective of studying the Hamiltonian dynamics on the {\it candy graph}, that is two nodes linked together by an arbitrary number of edges and also having open edges. This elementary setting allows both for curvature to develop around the bulk loops and both non-trivial boundary data and dynamics on the open edges. We study this system at the classical level and leave the detailed of its quantum regime for future investigation. Working on a single loop with two external legs, we show how the LQG Hamiltonian ansatz reduces to a pair of non-linear differential equations, similar to the cubic Schrödinger equation, on the areas carried by the bulk links. We provide analytical solutions to this evolution equation, identifying oscillatory modes (bounded modes) and divergent modes (similar to bouncing cosmological trajectories). This provides an explicit template for future investigations of LQG dynamics on more sophisticated spin network architecture built as arrays of candy graphs.

Metha Prathaban, Charlie Hoy, Michael J. Williams

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

Gravitational wave astronomy typically relies on rigorous, computationally expensive Bayesian analyses. Several methods have been developed to perform rapid Bayesian inference, but they are not yet used to inform our full analyses. We present a novel approach for doing this whilst ensuring that the Bayesian prior remains independent of the data, providing a statistically rigorous way to leverage low-latency information to accelerate the final inference. By combining the fast constraints from the simple-pe algorithm with the nested sampling acceleration technique of posterior repartitioning, we demonstrate that our method can guide the nested sampler towards the most probable regions of parameter space more efficiently for signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) greater than 20, while mathematically guaranteeing that the final inference is identical to that of a standard, uninformed analysis. We validate the method through an injection study, demonstrating that it produces statistically robust and unbiased results, whilst providing speedups of up to $2.2\times$ for binaries with SNRs $< 150$. Importantly, we show that the performance gain provided by our method scales with SNR, establishing it as a powerful technique to mitigate the cost of analysing signals from current and future gravitational-wave observatories.

Ruifeng Zheng, Yanqing Xu

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

The formation of primordial black holes (PBHs) generally requires large density perturbations, which is widely supported by researchers. This paper studies the local coupling properties of the Starobinsky potential and KKLT potential by introducing a linear Lorentzian-type coupling, which locally breaks the slow roll conditions. We found that both positive and negative coupling can form a considerable abundance of PBH. Additionally, we also studied the scalar-induced gravitational waves (SIGWs) generated by this model.

Ke Wang

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

The interaction between spin and gravitational waves causes spinning bodies to deviate from their geodesics. In this work, we obtain the complete analytic solution of the Mathisson--Papapetrou--Dixon equations at linear order in the spin for a general plane gravitational wave with arbitrary polarization profiles. Our approach combines a parallel-transported tetrad with the translational Killing symmetries of plane wave spacetimes, yielding six conserved quantities that fully determine the momentum, spin evolution, and worldline. The resulting transverse and longitudinal motions are expressed in closed form as single integrals of the retarded time, providing a unified and model-independent framework for computing spin--curvature-induced deviations for realistic or theoretical gravitational-wave signals. This analytic solution offers a versatile tool for studying spin-dependent effects in gravitational memory, Penrose-limit geometries, and future high-precision space-based detectors.

S. D. Odintsov, V. K. Oikonomou

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

Phantom divide line transitions are not possible in the context of single scalar field scalar-tensor theories. In this article we study a combined framework of a tachyonic minimally coupled single scalar field theory in the presence of an $\mathcal{R}^2$ correction term and with a rescaled Einstein-Hilbert term of the form $\sim λ\frac{\mathcal{R}}{16πG}$. Such terms can be part of an $f(\mathcal{R})$ gravity which in the large curvature regime yields such correction terms effectively. Alternatively, such terms can simply be quantum corrections to the scalar field action. We aim to answer two questions, firstly if this framework can lead to phantom divide line transitions and secondly whether the resulting model can be compatible with the ACT data. The model we studied is an inverse square power-law model, well known from tachyon inflation models. As we show, the field equations can be cast in terms of the scalar field solely, however the resulting theory is distinct from a single scalar field theory, because the phantom divide line is crossed during inflation. Thus initially the tachyonic nature of the scalar field generates a phantom equation of state parameter, and during inflation the phantom divide line is crossed, with the effective equation of state parameter at the end of inflation being $w=-1/3$ which corresponds to the non-accelerating state of the Universe. The model is proved to be compatible with the ACT data, only when the gravity during inflation is stronger than Einstein-Hilbert gravity, with the effective gravitational constant during inflation being $\frac{G}λ$. The effective theory is valid only during inflation, thus Big-Bang nucleosynthesis is not affected by the rescaling of the Einstein-Hilbert gravity. The feature of a phantom crossing in $f(\mathcal{R},φ)$ frameworks is new in the literature.

Shin'ichi Nojiri, S. D. Odintsov, V. K. Oikonomou

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

General relativity has its successes at the local astrophysical level, however, it seems to be insufficient in describing the Universe at large scales. In this work we investigate how the most general field theories in the context of general relativity can accomodate a phantom-to-quintessence transition which may be essential element of realistic Dark Energy scenarios in the late Universe. As we demonstrate in a very detailed manner, this is impossible for a canonical and minimally coupled single scalar field theory, but it may be possible for ghost condensate theories like $k$-essence theories. We point out how the ghost instabilities may be eliminated, and we analyze the quantitative features of a $k$-essence theory that may realize a phantom-to-quintessence transition in the late Universe. We also qualitatively compare the difficulties and fine-tunings required for $k$-essence theories to realize a phantom-to-quintessence transition, and how such a transition is naturally realized in modified gravity, without unnecessary fine-tunings and ghost eliminations.

Shinji Tsujikawa

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: astro-ph.CO

In generalized Proca theories, characterized by a vector field with broken $U(1)$ gauge invariance, late-time cosmic acceleration can be realized with a dark energy equation of state in the regime $w_{\rm DE} < -1$. In such scenarios, however, a phantom-divide crossing, as recently suggested by DESI observations, is not achieved without encountering theoretical inconsistencies. We incorporate a canonical scalar field with a potential, in addition to the vector field, and show that the phantom-divide crossing from $w_{\rm DE} < -1$ to $w_{\rm DE} > -1$ can occur at low redshifts. We propose a minimal model that admits such a transition and identify the region of parameter space in which all dynamical degrees of freedom in the scalar, vector, and tensor sectors are free from ghost and Laplacian instabilities. We further investigate the evolution of linear cosmological perturbations by applying the quasi-static approximation to modes well inside the Hubble radius. The dimensionless quantities $μ$ and $Σ$, which characterize the growth of matter perturbations and the bending of light rays, respectively, depend on the sound speed $c_ψ$ of the longitudinal scalar perturbation associated with the vector field. Since $c_ψ$ is influenced by the transverse vector mode, the model exhibits sufficient flexibility to yield values of $μ$ and $Σ$ close to 1. Consequently, unlike theories such as scalar Galileons, the present model can be consistent with observations of redshift-space distortions and integrated Sachs-Wolfe-galaxy cross-correlations.

Shu-Min Wu, Xiao-Ying Jiang, Xiang-Yue Yu, Zhihong Liu, Xiao-Li Huang

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: quant-ph

We study the extraction of quantum coherence by three static Unruh-DeWitt (UDW) detectors that interact locally with a massless scalar vacuum field in the vicinity of an infinite perfectly reflecting boundary. Depending on the setup, the detectors are positioned either parallel or orthogonal to the boundary, with their energy gaps chosen to satisfy the hierarchy $Ω_C\geq Ω_B\geq Ω_A$. Our analysis reveals that decreasing the detector-boundary separation leads to a monotonic degradation of quantum coherence, whereas the same boundary effect can simultaneously preserve and even amplify the harvested quantum entanglement. Moreover, when the detectors possess distinct energy gaps, coherence extraction is further inhibited; strikingly, such non-identical configurations substantially enhance the efficiency of entanglement harvesting and markedly extend the range of detector separations over which non-negligible entanglement can be generated. Nevertheless, the harvesting of nonlocal quantum coherence is achievable over a significantly broader range of detector separations than that of quantum entanglement. Despite exhibiting similar overall behavior, orthogonal detector configurations outperform parallel ones in coherence harvesting, highlighting the quantitative influence of detector geometry. Overall, our study reveals a hierarchical distinction between quantum coherence and entanglement as operational resources in structured vacuum fields: quantum coherence is not only more readily accessible across space but also more robust than entanglement, whereas entanglement exhibits richer features and can be selectively activated and enhanced through boundary effects and detector non-uniformity.

Yu Guo, Rong-Xin Miao

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: hep-th

This paper investigates the holographic network connecting different CFTs, modeled by Gauss-Bonnet gravity with varying couplings across different bulk branches. By applying the holographic Noether's theorem, we prove that the junction condition on the Net-brane leads to conservation laws at network nodes. We analyze the stability of the gravitational KK modes on the Net-brane and derive the constraints on theory parameters. Additionally, we discuss various proposals for network entropy, confirm that the type I and II network entropies obey the holographic g-theorem, and show that the type III network entropy is non-negative. We explore the two-point functions of various NCFTs at different edges, using examples like free scalars and the AdS/NCFT with a tensionless brane. We then examine the gravitational dual of compact networks, which feature both EOW branes and Net-branes in the bulk. We derive the joint condition for EOW branes at the Net-brane and analyze vacuum solutions in AdS$_3$/NCFT$_2$. Finally, we demonstrate that AdS/NCFT provides a natural way to envision traversable parallel universes that have different geometries and physical laws. Remarkably, unlike traversable wormholes, our model of parallel universes satisfies all the energy conditions.

Pedro G. S. Fernandes

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

Exact, analytic, asymptotically flat rotating black-hole solutions are exceedingly rare, with only a handful of examples known. Using a Kerr-Schild ansatz, we derive a multitude of exact, analytic, asymptotically flat rotating black-hole solutions within a broad class of Generalized Proca theories. These black holes differ significantly from Kerr black holes, as they possess primary hair and are non-circular, thus breaking a symmetry that vacuum black holes exhibit in General Relativity.

Felipe Sobrero, Luca Abrahão, Thiago Guerreiro

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: gr-qc

Belenchia et al. [Phys. Rev. D 98, 126009 (2018)] have analyzed a gedankenexperiment where two observers, Alice and Bob, attempt to communicate via superluminal signals using a superposition of massive particles dressed by Newtonian fields and a test particle as field detector. Quantum fluctuations in the particle motion and in the field prevent signaling or violations of quantum mechanics in this setup. We reformulate this thought experiment by considering gravitational waves emitted by an extended quadrupolar object as a detector for Newtonian tidal fields. We find that quantum fluctuations in the gravitational waves prevent signaling. In the Newtonian limit, rotating black holes behave as extended quadrupolar objects, as consequence of the strong equivalence principle. It follows that consistency of the Newtonian limit of general relativity with quantum mechanics requires the quantization of gravitational radiation, even when the waves originate in strong gravity sources.

Min-Seok Seo

Published: 2026-01-29

Categories: hep-th

We apply the covariant entropy bound argument supporting the de Sitter swampland conjecture to the quintessence model, to find out the condition for the background to be unstable. More concretely, the background is unstable when the matter entropy given by the species number of the effective field theory increases more rapidly than the geometrical entropy proportional to the apparent horizon area, since it contradicts the covariant entropy bound. The rapid increase in the matter entropy is proposed by the distance conjecture, which states that the time evolution of some scalar field along the geodesic in the field space brings about the descent of a tower of states from UV. From this, we find that for the quintessence model, the accelerating background having the event horizon is unstable, and the instability condition as well as the lifetime of the unstable background is equivalent to the trans-Planckian censorship bound forbidding the classicalization of the trans-Planckian modes. We also point out that the scale separation between the Kaluza-Klein mass scale and the Hubble parameter can be realized when the product between the increasing rates of the matter and the geometrical entropies is bounded from below, which is consistent with the AdS distance conjecture. Our study suggests that various swampland conjectures can be comprehensively understood in the language of the entropy.

Jeremy L. Tanlimco, Eber Nolasco-Martinez, Xiao Chai, S. Nicole Halawani, Eric Zhu, Ivar Martin, David M. Weld

Published: 2026-01-28

Categories: cond-mat.quant-gas

When the length of an optical cavity is modulated, theory predicts exponential concentration of energy around particular space-time trajectories. Viewed stroboscopically, photons in such a driven cavity propagate as if in a curved spacetime, with black hole and white hole event horizons corresponding to unstable and stable fixed points of the evolution. Such phenomena have resisted direct experimental realization due to the difficulty of relativistically accelerating massive cavity mirrors. We report results of an experiment which overcomes this limitation by exchanging the roles of light and matter. A matter wave endowed with quasi-relativistic dispersion is confined between two barriers made of light, one of which is periodically translated at speeds comparable to the matter wave group velocity. In this strongly-modulated cavity we observe the emergence of the predicted bright and dark fixed point trajectories, and demonstrate that changing the modulation waveform can vary the number of fixed points and exchange their stability character. We observe signatures of nontrivial dynamics beyond those predicted for photons, and attribute them to residual curvature in the dispersion relation. In addition to experimentally realizing and characterizing cavity dynamics in the ultra-strong driving regime, these results point the way to implementations of related dynamics in electro-optic materials, with potential applications in pulse generation and signal compression.