General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)

Abstract: The present work deals with an exhaustive study of bouncing cosmology in the background of homogeneous and isotropic Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker space-time. The geometry of the bouncing point has been studied extensively and used as a tool to classify the models from the point of view of cosmology. Raychaudhuri equation (RE) has been furnished in these models to classify the bouncing point as regular point or singular point. Behavior of time-like geodesic congruence in the neighbourhood of the bouncing point has been discussed using the Focusing Theorem which follows as a consequence of the RE. An analogy of the RE with the evolution equation for a linear harmonic oscillator has been made and an oscillatory bouncing model has been discussed in this context.

Abstract: Wormhole solutions in General Relativity (GR) require \textit{exotic} matter sources that violate the null energy condition (NEC), and it is well known that higher-order modifications of GR and some alternative matter sources can support wormholes. In this study, we explore the possibility of formulating traversable wormholes in $f(R)$ modified gravity, which is perhaps the most widely discussed modification of GR, with two approaches. First, to investigate the effects of geometrical constraints on the global characteristics, we gauge the $rr$-component of the metric tensor, and employ Pad\`{e} approximation to check whether a well-constrained \textit{shape function} can be formulated in this manner. We then derive the field equations with a background of string cloud, and numerically analyse the energy conditions, stability, and amount of exotic matter in this space-time. Next, as an alternative source in a simple $f(R)$ gravity model, we use the background cloud of strings to estimate the wormhole shape function, and analyse the relevant properties of the space-time. These results are then compared with those of wormholes threaded by normal matter in the simple $f(R)$ gravity model considered. The results demonstrate that wormholes with NEC violations are feasible; however, the wormhole space-times in the simple $f(R)$ gravity model are unstable.

Abstract: This paper focuses on the Einstein-Cartan theory, an extension of general relativity that incorporates a torsion tensor into spacetime. The differential form technique is employed to analyze the Einstein-Cartan theory, which replaces tensors with tetrads. A tetrad formalism, specifically the Newmann-Penrose-Jogia-Griffiths formalism, is used to study the field equations. The energy-momentum tensor is also determined, considering a Weyssenhoff fluid with anisotropic matter. The spin density is derived in terms of the red-shift function. We also examine the energy conditions at the throat of a Morris-Thorne wormhole. The results shed light on the properties of wormholes in the context of the Einstein-Cartan theory, including the energy conditions at the throat.

Abstract: In this paper we investigate new dyonic black holes of massive gravity sourced by generalized quasitopological electromagnetism in arbitrary dimensions. We begin by deriving the exact solution to the field equations defining these black holes and look at how graviton's mass, dimensionality parameter, and quasitopological electromagnetic field affect the horizon structure of anti-de Sitter dyonic black holes. We also explore the asymptotic behaviour of the curvature invariants at both the origin and infinity to analyze the geometric structure of the resultant black holes. We also compute the conserved and thermodynamic quantities of these dyonic black holes with the help of established techniques and known formulas. After investigating the relevancy of first law, we look at how various parameters influence the local thermodynamic stability of resultant black hole solution. We also examine how thermal fluctuations affect the local stability of dyonic black holes in massive gravity. Finally, we study the shadow cast of the black hole.

Abstract: We analyse the stability of the inner horizon of the quantum-corrected black hole which is proposed in loop quantum gravity as the exterior of the quantum Oppenheimer-Snyder and Swiss Cheese models. It is shown that the flux and energy density of a test scalar field measured by free-falling observers are both divergent near the Cauchy horizon. By considering the generalized Dray-'t Hooft-Redmond relation which is independent of the field equation, we find that the mass inflation always happens and the scalar curvature and Kretschmann scalar are also divergent on the inner horizon. These suggest that the inner horizon is unstable and will probably turn into a null singularity. The results support the strong cosmic censorship hypothesis. However, this also implies that the quantum corrected model may not be the definitive endpoint as a regular black hole. Besides, it further proposes that any possible observable astronomical phenomenon which depends on the existence of the inner horizon of the black hole is not reliable.

Abstract: Gravity simulators offer the prospect of emulating quantum field dynamics on curved spacetime, including that of a black hole, in tabletop experiments. Since black holes in nature spin, to simulate a realistic black hole we must be able to achieve rotation - crucially requiring a set-up with at least 2+1 dimensions. Here, we report on the realisation of a draining flow of superfluid helium, with the most extensive stable vortex structures ever observed in a quantum fluid. Our non-contact 3-D measurement technique visualises micrometre-scale interface waves on the superfluid vortex flow, uncovering novel wave-vortex interactions, such as intricate patterns like bound states, and even, potentially, black hole ringdown signatures. This novel approach provides an arena to explore quantum-to-classical vortex flow transitions and develop finite temperature quantum field theory simulators for rotating curved spacetimes.

Abstract: In this article, we are reporting for the first time the existence of gravastar configurations in the framework of K(R,T)-gravity, which can be treated as an alternative to a black hole (Mazur and Mottola). This strengthens how much this new gravity theory may be physically demanding to the gravity community in the near future. We first develop the gravastar field equations for a generic K(R,T) functional and then we study four different models within this theory. We find that the solutions for the interior region are regular everywhere regardless of the exact form of the K(R,T) functional. The solutions for the shell region indicate that two of the four models subjected to the study are physically feasible. In addition, the junction conditions are considered at each interface by using the Lanczos equations that yield the surface density and pressure at the thin shell. We investigate various characteristics of the gravastar structure such as the proper length, energy, and entropy of the spherical distribution.

Abstract: Regular black hole spacetimes are obtained from an effective Lagrangian for Quantum Einstein Gravity. The interior matter is modeled as a dust fluid, which interacts with the geometry through a multiplicative coupling function denoted as $\chi$. The specific functional form of $\chi$ is deduced from Asymptotically Safe gravity, under the key assumption that the Reuter fixed point remains minimally affected by the presence of matter. As a consequence the gravitational coupling vanishes at high energies. The static exterior geometry of the black hole is entirely determined by the junction conditions at the boundary surface. Consequently, the resulting global spacetime geometry remains devoid of singularities at all times. This result offers a novel perspective on regular black holes in Asymptotically Safe gravity.