General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)

Abstract: In an effort to invariantly characterize the conformal curvature of analogue spacetimes built from a nonrelativistic background, we determine the Petrov type of a variety of lab fluid geometries. Starting from the simplest examples, we increase the complexity of the background, and thereby determine how the lab fluid symmetry affects the corresponding Petrov type in the analogue spacetime realm of the sound waves. We find that for more complex flows isolated hypersurfaces develop, which are of a Petrov type differing from that of the surrounding fluid.

Abstract: In this paper, we investigate the Blandford-Znajek (BZ) process within the framework of Einsteinian cubic gravity (ECG). To analytically study the BZ process using the split monopole configuration, we construct a slowly rotating black hole in ECG up to cubic order in small spin, considering the leading order in small coupling constant of higher curvature terms. By deriving the magnetosphere solution around the black hole, we determine the BZ power up to the second relative order in spin. The BZ power is modified by the coupling constant compared to Kerr black hole. Although the general nature of the BZ process in ECG remains unchanged at the leading order in spin, the coupling constant introduces modification at the second relative order in spin. Therefore, we anticipate that it is feasible to discern general relativity from higher derivative gravities by examining the BZ power in rapidly rotating black holes.

Abstract: Black hole images are theoretically predicted (under mild astrophysical assumptions) to display a stack of lensed "photon rings" that carry information about the underlying spacetime geometry. Despite vigorous efforts, no such ring has been observationally resolved thus far. However, planning is now actively under way for space missions targeting the first (and possibly the second) photon rings of the supermassive black holes M87* and Sgr A*. In this work, we study interferometric photon ring signatures in time-averaged images of Kerr black holes surrounded by different astrophysical profiles. We focus on the first, most easily accessible photon ring, which has a larger width-to-diameter ratio than subsequent rings and whose image consequently lacks a sharply defined diameter. Nonetheless, we show that it does admit a precise angle-dependent diameter in visibility space, for which the Kerr metric predicts a specific functional form that tracks the critical curve. We find that a measurement of this interferometric ring diameter is possible for most astrophysical profiles, paving the way for precision tests of strong-field general relativity via near-future observations of the first photon ring.

Abstract: We analyse the impact of positivity conditions on static spherically symmetric deformations of the Schwarzschild space-time. The metric is taken to satisfy, at least asymptotically, the Einstein equation in the presence of a non-trivial stress-energy tensor, on which we impose various physicality conditions. We systematically study and compare the impact of these conditions on the space-time deformations. The universal nature of our findings applies to both classical and quantum metric deformations with and without event horizons. We further discuss minimal realisations of the asymptotic stress energy tensor in terms of physical fields. Finally, we illustrate our results by discussing concrete models of quantum black holes.

Abstract: We analyse the Noether charges for scalar and Maxwell fields on light cones on a de Sitter, Minkowski, and anti-de Sitter backgrounds. Somewhat surprisingly, under natural asymptotic conditions all charges for the Maxwell fields on both the de Sitter and anti-de Sitter backgrounds are finite. On the other hand, one needs to renormalise the charges for the conformally-covariant scalar field when the cosmological constant does not vanish. In both cases well-defined renormalised charges, with well-defined fluxes, are obtained. Again surprisingly, a Hamiltonian analysis of a suitably rescaled scalar field leads to finite charges, without the need to renormalise. Last but not least, we indicate natural phase spaces where the Poisson algebra of charges is well defined.

Abstract: The ghost-free bi-metric gravity theory is a viable theory of gravity that explores the interaction between a massless and a massive graviton and can be described in terms of two dynamical metrics. In this paper, we present an exact static, spherically symmetric vacuum solution within this theory. The solution is spatially Schwarzschild-de Sitter, with the value of the cosmological constant determined by the graviton mass and the interaction parameters of the theory. Notably, for specific parameter ranges, the solution represents a traversable Lorentzian wormhole that violates the weak energy condition near its throat. Furthermore, we have investigated the evolution of scalar and electromagnetic fields in this wormhole spacetime and observed the presence of arbitrarily long-lived quasi-resonant modes in the quasinormal spectrum.

Abstract: In the present manuscript the basic Einstein--Hilbert cosmological model is extended, by adding a new functional $F(G, T_{\mu\nu}T^{\mu\nu})$ in the fundamental action, encoding specific geometrical effects due to a nontrivial coupling with the Gauss-Bonnet invariant ($G$), and the energy--momentum squared term ($T_{\mu\nu}T^{\mu\nu}$). After obtaining the corresponding gravitational field equations for the specific decomposition where $F(G, T_{\mu\nu}T^{\mu\nu})=f(G)+g(T_{\mu\nu}T^{\mu\nu})$, we have explored the physical features of the cosmological model by considering the linear stability theory, an important analytical tool in the cosmological theory which can reveal the dynamical characteristics of the phase space. The analytical exploration of the corresponding phase space structure revealed that the present model can represent a viable dark energy model, with various stationary points where the effective equation of state corresponds to a de--Sitter epoch, possible explaining the early and late time acceleration of the Universe.

Abstract: We have recently obtained a smooth vacuum-wormhole solution of the first-order equations of general relativity. Here, we present the corresponding multiple vacuum-wormhole solution. Assuming that our world is essentially Minkowski spacetime with a large number of these vacuum defect wormholes inserted, there is then another flat spacetime with opposite spatial orientation, which may be called a "mirror" world. We briefly discuss some phenomenological aspects and point out that there will be no significant vacuum-Cherenkov radiation in our world, so that ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays do not constrain the typical sizes and separations of the wormhole mouths (different from the constraints obtained for a single Minkowski spacetime with similar defects).