General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)

Abstract: I investigate the sensitivity of gravitational-wave searches by analyzing the response of matched filters in stationary Gaussian noise. In particular, I focus on the ability to analytically model the distribution of observed filter responses maximized over coalescence phase and/or a template bank as well as the response of statistics defined for a network of detectors. Semianalytic sensitivity estimates derived assuming stationary Gaussian noise are compared to sensitivity estimates obtained from real searches processing real noise, which is neither perfectly stationary nor perfectly Gaussian. I find that semianalytic estimates are able to reproduce real search sensitivity for the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration's third observing run with high fidelity. I also discuss how to select computational speed-ups (hopeless signal-to-noise ratio cuts) and make predictions for the fourth observing run using projected detector sensitivities.

Abstract: Laser-interferometric gravitational wave detectors are commonly modeled as being at rest in transverse-traceless coordinates (and thus geodesic). In this paper, we analyze what happens if the interferometer is mounted on a material that can undergo elastic oscillations caused by the gravitational wave. We thus compute the response of a two-dimensional elastic material to linearized gravitational radiation and compute the resulting response of a laser interferometer, mounted on such a plate.

Abstract: Results on the isolation of the radiative degrees of freedom of the gravitational field with a positive cosmological constant in full General Relativity are put forward. Methods employed in a recent geometric characterisation of gravitational radiation are used and, inspired by Ashtekar's work on asymptotically flat space-times, a space of connections is defined. Ground differences emerge due to the space-like character of the conformal boundary, and one has to put into play a fundamental result by Friedrich concerning the initial value problem for space-times with a positive cosmological constant. Based on this, half of the radiative degrees of freedom are identified; remarkably, they utterly determine the gravitational radiation content for space-times with algebraically special rescaled Weyl tensor at infinity. Directions for defining the phase space in the general case are proposed.

Abstract: Palatini $F(R)$ gravity proved to be a powerful tool in order to realize asymptotically flat inflaton potentials. Unfortunately, it also inevitably implies higher-order inflaton kinetic terms in the Einstein frame that might jeopardize the evolution of the system out of the slow-roll regime. We prove that a $F(R-X)$ gravity, where $X$ is the inflaton kinetic term, solves the issue. Moreover, when $F$ is a quadratic function such a choice easily leads to a new class of inflationary attractors, fractional attractors, that generalizes the already well-known polynomial $\alpha$-attractors.

Abstract: We discuss the way of solving the hierarchy problem. We show that starting at the Planck scale, the three energy scales -- inflationary, electroweak and the cosmological ones can be restored. The formation of small parameters is proposed that leads to a successful solution of the problem. The tools involved in the process are $f(R)$ gravity and inhomogeneous extra dimensions. Slow rolling of a space domain from the Planck scale down to the inflationary one gives rise to three consequences: an infinite set of causally disconnected domains (pocket universes) are nucleated; quantum fluctuations in each domain produce a variety of different fields and an extra-dimensional metric distribution; these distributions are stabilized at a sufficiently low energy scale.

Abstract: We propose novel thermodynamic inequalities that apply to stationary asymptotically Anti-de Sitter (AdS) black holes. These inequalities incorporate the thermodynamic volume and refine the reverse isoperimetric inequality. To assess the validity of our conjectures, we apply them to a wide range of analytical black hole solutions, observing compelling evidence in their favour. Intriguingly, our findings indicate that these inequalities may also apply for black holes of non-spherical horizon topology, as we show their validity as well for thin black rings in AdS.

Abstract: In this paper, we study the magnetic reconnection process of energy extraction from a rapidly rotating Kerr-Newman-MOG black hole by investigating the combined effect of black hole charge and the MOG parameter. We explore the energy efficiency of energy extraction and power. Based on an attractive gravitational charge of the MOG parameter $\alpha$ that physically manifests to strengthen black hole gravity we show that the combined effect of the MOG parameter and black hole charge can play an increasingly important role and accordingly lead to high energy efficiency and power for the energy extraction via the magnetic reconnection. Further, we study to estimate the rate of energy extraction under the fast magnetic reconnection by comparing the power of the magnetic reconnection and Blandford-Znajek (BZ) mechanisms. We show that the rate of energy extraction increases as a consequence of the combined effect of black hole charge and MOG parameter. It suggests that magnetic reconnection is significantly more efficient than BZ. In fact, the magnetic reconnection is fueled by magnetic field energy due to the twisting of magnetic field lines around the black hole for the plasma acceleration, and thus MOG parameter gives rise to even more fast spin that can strongly change the magnetic field reconfiguration due to the frame dragging effect. This is how energy extraction is strongly enhanced through the magnetic reconnection, thus making the energy extraction surprisingly more efficient for the Kerr-Newman-MOG black hole than Kerr black hole under the combined effect of black hole charge and MOG parameter.

Abstract: Testing gravity theories and their parameters using observations is an important issue in relativistic astrophysics. In this context, we investigate the motion of test particles and their harmonic oscillations in the spacetime of non-rotating hairy black holes (BHs) in Hordeski gravity, together with astrophysical applications of quasiperiodic oscillations (QPOs). We show possible values of upper and lower frequencies of twin-peak QPOs which may occur in the orbits from innermost stable circular orbits to infinity for various values of the Horndeski parameter $q$ in relativistic precession, warped disk models, and three different sub-models of the epicyclic resonant model. We also study the behaviour of the QPO orbits and their position relative to innermost stable circular orbits (ISCOs) with respect to different values of the parameter $q$. {It is obtained that at a critical value of the Horndeski parameter ISCO radius takes $6M$ which has been in the pure Schwarzschild case.} Finally, we obtain mass constraints of the central BH of microquasars GRS 1915+105 and XTE 1550-564 at the GR limit and the possible value of the Horndeski parameter in the frame of the above-mentioned QPO models. The analysis of orbits of twin peak QPOs with the ratio of upper and lower frequencies 3:2, around the BHs in the frame of relativistic precession (RP) and epicyclic resonance (ER4) QPO models have shown that the orbits locate close to the ISCO. The distance between QPO orbits and ISCO is obtained to be less than the error of the observations.

Abstract: We investigate the dynamical transition processes of an Einstein-Maxwell-scalar gravitational system between two local ground states and an excited state in the anti-de Sitter spacetime. From the linear perturbation theory, only the excited state possesses a single unstable mode, indicating the dynamical instability. Such an instability is associated with the tachyonic instability due to the presence of an effective potential well near the event horizon. From the nonlinear dynamics simulation, through the scalar field accretion mechanism, the critical phenomena in the transition process of the gravitational system between the two local ground states are revealed. The threshold of the accretion strength indicates the existence of a dynamical barrier in this transition process, which depends on the coupling strength between the scalar and Maxwell fields. On the other hand, for the unstable excited state, there exists a special kind of critical dynamics with a zero threshold for the perturbation strength. The perturbations of different signs push the gravitational system to fall into different local ground states. Interestingly, in an extended parameter space, there exist specific parameters such that the perturbations of non-zero amplitude fail to trigger the single unstable mode of the excited state.

Abstract: We study the inflationary model with a spectator scalar field $\chi$ coupled to both the inflaton and Ricci scalar. The interaction between the $\chi$ field and the gravity, denoted by $\xi R\chi^2$, can trigger the tachyonic instability of certain modes of the $\chi$ field. As a result, the $\chi$ field perturbations are amplified and serve as a gravitational wave (GW) source. When considering the backreaction of the $\chi$ field, an upper bound on the coupling parameter $\xi$ must be imposed to ensure that inflation does not end prematurely. In this case, we find that the inflaton's evolution experiences a sudden slowdown due to the production of $\chi$ particles, resulting in a unique oscillating structure in the power spectrum of curvature perturbations at specific scales. Moreover, the GW signal induced by the $\chi$ field is more significant than primordial GWs at around its peak scale, leading to a noticeable bump in the overall energy spectrum of GWs.

Abstract: Low energy imprints of modifications to general relativity are often found in pressure balance equations inside stars. These modifications are then amenable to tests via astrophysical phenomena, using observational effects in stellar astrophysics that crucially depend on such equations. One such effect is tidal disruption of stars in the vicinity of black holes. In this paper, using a numerical scheme modelled with smoothed particle hydrodynamics, we study real time tidal disruption of a class of white dwarfs by intermediate-mass black holes, in the low energy limit of a theory of modified gravity that alters the internal physics of white dwarfs, namely the Eddington inspired Born-Infeld theory. In this single parameter extension of general relativity, the mass-radius relation of white dwarfs as well as their tidal disruption radius depend on the modified gravity parameter, and these capture the effect of modifications to general relativity. Our numerical simulations incorporating these show that departure from general relativity in these scenarios might be observationally significant, and should therefore be contrasted with data. In particular, we study observationally relevant physical quantities, i.e., tidal kick velocity and trajectory deviation of the remnant core and fallback rates of the tidal debris in this theory and compare them to the Newtonian limit of general relativity. We also comment on the qualitative differences between the modified gravity theory and one with stellar rotation.

Abstract: A recent quasiclassical description of a tunneling universe model is shown to exhibit chaotic dynamics by an analysis of fractal dimensions in the plane of initial values. This result relies on non-adiabatic features of the quantum dynamics, captured by new quasiclassical methods. Chaotic dynamics in the early universe, described by such models, implies that a larger set of initial values of any large expanding branch can be probed.

Abstract: The purpose of this review it to present a renewed perspective of the problem of self-gravitating elastic bodies under spherical symmetry. It is also a companion to the papers [Phys. Rev. D105, 044025 (2022)], [Phys. Rev. D106, L041502 (2022)], and [arXiv:2306.16584 [gr-qc]], where we introduced a new definition of spherically symmetric elastic bodies in general relativity, and applied it to investigate the existence and physical viability, including radial stability, of static self-gravitating elastic balls. We focus on elastic materials that generalize fluids with polytropic, linear, and affine equations of state, and discuss the symmetries of the energy density function, including homogeneity and the resulting scale invariance of the TOV equations. By introducing invariant characterizations of physical admissible initial data, we numerically construct mass-radius-compactness diagrams, and conjecture about the maximum compactness of stable physically admissible elastic balls.

Abstract: Epicyclic frequencies are usually observed in X-ray binaries and constitute a powerful astrophysical mean to probe the strong gravitational field around a compact object. We consider them in the equatorial plane around a general stationary and axially symmetric wormhole. We first search for the wormholes' existence, distinguishing them from a Kerr black hole. Once there will be available observational data on wormholes, we present a strategy to reconstruct the related metrics. Finally, we discuss the implications of our approach and outline possible future perspectives.

Abstract: We investigate the interplay between numerical relativity (NR) and point-particle black hole perturbation theory (ppBHPT) in the comparable mass regime. Specifically, we reassess the $\alpha$-$\beta$ scaling technique, previously introduced by Islam et al, as a means to effectively match ppBHPT waveforms to NR waveforms within this regime. Utilizing publicly available long NR data for a mass ratio of $q=3$ (where $q:=m_1/m_2$ represents the mass ratio of the binary, with m_1 and m_2 denoting the masses of the primary and secondary black holes, respectively), encompassing the final $\sim 65$ orbital cycles of the binary evolution, we examine the range of applicability of such scalings. We observe that the scaling technique remains effective even during the earlier stages of the inspiral. Additionally, we provide commentary on the temporal evolution of the $\alpha$ and $\beta$ parameters and discuss whether they can be approximated as constant values. Consequently, we derive the $\alpha$-$\beta$ scaling as a function of orbital frequencies and demonstrate that it is equivalent to a frequency-dependent correction. We further provide a brief comparison between Post-Newtonian waveform and the rescaled ppBHPT waveform at $q=3$ and comment on their regime of validity. Finally, we explore the possibility of using PN to obtain the $\alpha$-$\beta$ calibration parameters and still provide a rescaled ppBHPT waveform that matches NR.

Abstract: We review a new traversable-wormhole solution of the gravitational field equation of general relativity without exotic matter. Instead of having exotic matter to keep the wormhole throat open, the solution relies on a 3-dimensional "spacetime defect," which is characterized by a locally vanishing metric determinant. We also discuss the corresponding multiple-vacuum-defect-wormhole solution and possible experimental signatures from a "gas" of vacuum-defect wormholes. Multiple vacuum-defect wormholes appear to allow for backward time travel.

Abstract: The stochastic gravitational wave background (SGWB) detected recently by the pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) observations may have cosmological origins. In this work we consider a model of single field inflation containing an intermediate phase of ultra slow-roll. Fixing the amplitude of the peak of curvature perturbations by the PBHs bounds we calculate the gravitational waves (GWs) induced from the curvature perturbations enhanced during USR. The spectrum of the induced GWs depends on the sharpness of the transition from the USR phase to the final attractor phase as well as to the duration of the USR period. While the model can accommodate the current PTAs data but it has non-trivial predictions for the induced GWs on higher frequency ranges which can be tested by future observations.

Abstract: A considerable effort has been dedicated recently to the construction of generic equations of state (EOSs) for matter in neutron stars. The advantage of these approaches is that they can provide model-independent information on the interior structure and global properties of neutron stars. Making use of more than $10^6$ generic EOSs, we asses the validity of quasi-universal relations of neutron star properties for a broad range of rotation rates, from slow-rotation up to the mass-shedding limit. In this way, we are able to determine with unprecedented accuracy the quasi-universal maximum-mass ratio between rotating and nonrotating stars and reveal the existence of a new relation for the surface oblateness, i.e., the ratio between the polar and equatorial proper radii. We discuss the impact that our findings have on the imminent detection of new binary neutron-star mergers and how they can be used to set new and more stringent limits on the maximum mass of nonrotating neutron stars, as well as to improve the modelling of the X-ray emission from the surface of rotating stars.