Showing papers on "Scalar field published in 2014"

Kerr Black Holes with Scalar Hair

Abstract: We present a family of solutions of Einstein's gravity minimally coupled to a complex, massive scalar field, describing asymptotically flat, spinning black holes with scalar hair and a regular horizon. These hairy black holes (HBHs) are supported by rotation and have no static limit. Besides mass M and angular momentum J, they carry a conserved, continuous Noether charge Q measuring the scalar hair. HBHs branch off from the Kerr metric at the threshold of the superradiant instability and reduce to spinning boson stars in the limit of vanishing horizon area. They overlap with Kerr black holes for a set of (M, J) values. A single Killing vector field preserves the solutions, tangent to the null geodesic generators of the event horizon. HBHs can exhibit sharp physical differences when compared to the Kerr solution, such as J/M^{2}>1, a quadrupole moment larger than J^{2}/M, and a larger orbital angular velocity at the innermost stable circular orbit. Families of HBHs connected to the Kerr geometry should exist in scalar (and other) models with more general self-interactions.

Gravitational waves from the sound of a first order phase transition

Abstract: We report on the first three-dimensional numerical simulations of first-order phase transitions in the early Universe to include the cosmic fluid as well as the scalar field order parameter. We calculate the gravitational wave (GW) spectrum resulting from the nucleation, expansion, and collision of bubbles of the low-temperature phase, for phase transition strengths and bubble wall velocities covering many cases of interest. We find that the compression waves in the fluid continue to be a source of GWs long after the bubbles have merged, a new effect not taken properly into account in previous modeling of the GW source. For a wide range of models, the main source of the GWs produced by a phase transition is, therefore, the sound the bubbles make.

Black hole hair in generalized scalar-tensor gravity.

Abstract: The most general action for a scalar field coupled to gravity that leads to second-order field equations for both the metric and the scalar---Horndeski's theory---is considered, with the extra assumption that the scalar satisfies shift symmetry. We show that in such theories, the scalar field is forced to have a nontrivial configuration in black hole spacetimes, unless one carefully tunes away a linear coupling with the Gauss-Bonnet invariant. Hence, black holes for generic theories in this class will have hair. This contradicts a recent no-hair theorem which seems to have overlooked the presence of this coupling.

Holographic Q-lattices

Abstract: We introduce a new framework for constructing black hole solutions that are holographically dual to strongly coupled field theories with explicitly broken translation invariance. Using a classical gravitational theory with a continuous global symmetry leads to constructions that involve solving ODEs instead of PDEs. We study in detail D = 4 Einstein-Maxwell theory coupled to a complex scalar field with a simple mass term. We construct black holes dual to metallic phases which exhibit a Drude-type peak in the optical conductivity, but there is no evidence of an intermediate scaling that has been reported in other holographic lattice constructions. We also construct black holes dual to insulating phases which exhibit a suppression of spectral weight at low frequencies. We show that the model also admits a novel AdS 3 × $ \mathbb{R} $ solution.

Maximal freedom at minimum cost: linear large-scale structure in general modifications of gravity

Abstract: We present a turnkey solution, ready for implementation in numerical codes, for the study of linear structure formation in general scalar-tensor models involving a single universally coupled scalar field. We show that the totality of cosmological information on the gravitational sector can be compressed — without any redundancy — into five independent and arbitrary functions of time only and one constant. These describe physical properties of the universe: the observable background expansion history, fractional matter density today, and four functions of time describing the properties of the dark energy. We show that two of those dark-energy property functions control the existence of anisotropic stress, the other two — dark-energy clustering, both of which are can be scale-dependent. All these properties can in principle be measured, but no information on the underlying theory of acceleration beyond this can be obtained. We present a translation between popular models of late-time acceleration (e.g. perfect fluids, f(R), kinetic gravity braiding, galileons), as well as the effective field theory framework, and our formulation. In this way, implementing this formulation numerically would give a single tool which could consistently test the majority of models of late-time acceleration heretofore proposed.

Dressing a black hole with a time-dependent Galileon

Abstract: We present a class of exact scalar-tensor black holes for a shift-symmetric part of the Horndeski action. The action includes a higher order scalar tensor interaction term. We find that for a static and spherically symmetric space-time, the scalar field, if time dependent, can be non-trivial and regular thus circumventing in an interesting way no-hair arguments for gallileons. Furthermore, within this class we find a stealth Schwarzschild and a partially self-tuned de-Sitter Schwarzschild black hole, both exhibiting a non trivial and regular space and time dependent scalar. In the latter solution the bulk vacuum energy is screened from a necessarily smaller geometric effective de Sitter vacuum via an integration constant associated to the time dependent scalar field.

Cosmology with Mimetic Matter

Abstract: We consider minimal extensions of the recently proposed Mimetic Dark Matter and show that by introducing a potential for the mimetic non-dynamical scalar field we can mimic nearly any gravitational properties of the normal matter. In particular, the mimetic matter can provide us with inflaton, quintessence and even can lead to a bouncing nonsingular universe. We also investigate the behaviour of cosmological perturbations due to a mimetic matter. We demonstrate that simple mimetic inflation can produce red-tilted scalar perturbations which are largely enhanced over gravity waves.

Exploring gravitational theories beyond Horndeski

Abstract: We have recently proposed a new class of gravitational scalar-tensor theories free from Ostrogradski instabilities, in arXiv:1404.6495. As they generalize Horndeski theories, or "generalized" galileons, we call them G$^3$. These theories possess a simple formulation when the time hypersurfaces are chosen to coincide with the uniform scalar field hypersurfaces. We confirm that they contain only three propagating degrees of freedom by presenting the details of the Hamiltonian formulation. We examine the coupling between these theories and matter. Moreover, we investigate how they transform under a disformal redefinition of the metric. Remarkably, these theories are preserved by disformal transformations that depend on the scalar field gradient, which also allow to map subfamilies of G$^3$ into Horndeski theories.

A unifying description of dark energy

Abstract: We review and extend a novel approach that we recently introduced, to describe general dark energy or scalar-tensor models. Our approach relies on an Arnowitt-Deser-Misner (ADM) formulation based on the hypersurfaces where the underlying scalar field is uniform. The advantage of this approach is that it can describe in the same language and in a minimal way a vast number of existing models, such as quintessence, F(R) theories, scalar tensor theories, their Horndeski extensions and beyond. It also naturally includes Horava–Lifshitz theories. As summarized in this review, our approach provides a unified treatment of the linear cosmological perturbations about a Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) universe, obtained by a systematic expansion of our general action up to quadratic order. This shows that the behavior of these linear perturbations is generically characterized by five time-dependent functions. We derive the full equations of motion in the Newtonian gauge. In the Horndeski case, we obtain the equation of state for dark energy perturbations in terms of these functions. Our unifying description thus provides the simplest and most systematic way to confront theoretical models with current and future cosmological observations.

Asymptotically locally AdS and flat black holes in Horndeski theory

Abstract: In this paper we construct asymptotically locally AdS and flat black holes in the presence of a scalar field whose kinetic term is constructed out from a linear combination of the metric and the Einstein tensor. The field equations as well as the energy-momentum tensor are second order in the metric and the field, therefore the theory belongs to the ones defined by Horndeski. We show that in the presence of a cosmological term in the action, it is possible to have a real scalar field in the region outside the event horizon. The solutions are characterized by a single integration constant, the scalar field vanishes at the horizon and it contributes to the effective cosmological constant at infinity. We extend these results to the topological case. The solution is disconnected from the maximally symmetric AdS background, however, within this family there exists a gravitational soliton which is everywhere regular. This soliton is therefore used as a background to define a finite Euclidean action and to obtain the thermodynamics of the black holes. For a certain region in the space of parameters, the thermodynamic analysis reveals a critical temperature at which a Hawking-Page phase transition between the black hole and the soliton occurs. We extend the solution to arbitrary dimensions greater than 4 and show that the presence of a cosmological term in the action allows one to consider the case in which the standard kinetic term for the scalar it is not present. In such a scenario, the solution reduces to an asymptotically flat black hole.

Maximal freedom at minimum cost: linear large-scale structure in general modifications of gravity

Abstract: We present a turnkey solution, ready for implementation in numerical codes, for the study of linear structure formation in general scalar-tensor models involving a single universally coupled scalar field. We show that the totality of cosmological information on the gravitational sector can be compressed - without any redundancy - into five independent and arbitrary functions of time only and one constant. These describe physical properties of the universe: the observable background expansion history, fractional matter density today, and four functions of time describing the properties of the dark energy. We show that two of those dark-energy property functions control the existence of anisotropic stress, the other two - dark-energy clustering, both of which are can be scale-dependent. All these properties can in principle be measured, but no information on the underlying theory of acceleration beyond this can be obtained. We present a translation between popular models of late-time acceleration (e.g. perfect fluids, f (R), kinetic gravity braiding, galileons), as well as the effective field theory framework, and our formulation. In this way, implementing this formulation numerically would give a single tool which could consistently test the majority of models of late-time acceleration heretofore proposed.

The null energy condition and its violation

Abstract: A brief review is given of scalar field theories with second-derivative Lagrangians yielding second-order field equations. Some of these theories permit solutions that violate the null energy condition but otherwise show no obvious inconsistencies. The use of these theories in constructing cosmological scenarios and in the context of a laboratory-created universe is illustrated with examples.

A Review on the Scalar Field/Bose-Einstein Condensate Dark Matter Model

Abstract: We review the work done so far aimed at modeling in an alternative way the dark matter in the Universe: the scalar field Bose-Einstein condensate dark matter (SFDM/BEC) model. We discuss a number of important achievements and characteristics of the model. We also describe some of our most recent results and predictions of the model compared to those of the standard model of ΛCDM.

Cosmological super-bounce

Abstract: We study a model for a non-singular cosmic bounce in N=1 supergravity, based on supergravity versions of the ghost condensate and cubic Galileon scalar field theories. The bounce is preceded by an ekpyrotic contracting phase which prevents the growth of anisotropies in the approach to the bounce, and allows for the generation of scale-invariant density perturbations that carry over into the expanding phase of the universe. We present the conditions required for the bounce to be free of ghost excitations, as well as the tunings that are necessary in order for the model to be in agreement with cosmological observations. All of these conditions can be met. Our model thus provides a proof-of-principle that non-singular bounces are viable in supergravity, despite the fact that during the bounce the null energy condition is violated.

Holographic thermalization, stability of anti-de sitter space, and the Fermi-Pasta-Ulam paradox.

Abstract: For a real massless scalar field in general relativity with a negative cosmological constant, we uncover a large class of spherically symmetric initial conditions that are close to anti--de Sitter space (AdS) but whose numerical evolution does not result in black hole formation. According to the AdS/conformal field theory (CFT) dictionary, these bulk solutions are dual to states of a strongly interacting boundary CFT that fail to thermalize at late times. Furthermore, as these states are not stationary, they define dynamical CFT configurations that do not equilibrate. We develop a two-time-scale perturbative formalism that captures both direct and inverse cascades of energy and agrees with our fully nonlinear evolutions in the appropriate regime. We also show that this formalism admits a large class of quasiperiodic solutions. Finally, we demonstrate a striking parallel between the dynamics of AdS and the classic Fermi-Pasta-Ulam-Tsingou problem.

Asymptotically locally AdS and flat black holes in the presence of an electric field in the Horndeski scenario

Abstract: Asymptotically locally anti--de Sitter and asymptotically flat black hole solutions are found for a particular case of the Horndeski action. The action contains the Einstein-Hilbert term with a cosmological constant, a real scalar field with a nonminimal kinetic coupling given by the Einstein tensor, the minimal kinetic coupling, and the Maxwell term. There is no scalar potential. The solution has two integration constants related with the mass and the electric charge. The solution is given for all dimensions. A new class of asymptotically locally flat spherically symmetric black holes is found when the minimal kinetic coupling vanishes and the cosmological constant is present. In this case, we get a solution which represents an electric universe. The electric field at infinity is only supported by $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$. When the cosmological constant vanishes, the black hole is asymptotically flat.

Decay for solutions of the wave equation on Kerr exterior spacetimes III: The full subextremal case |a| < M

Abstract: This paper concludes the series begun in [M. Dafermos and I. Rodnianski, Decay for solutions of the wave equation on Kerr exterior spacetimes I-II: the cases |a| << M or axisymmetry, arXiv:1010.5132], providing the complete proof of definitive boundedness and decay results for the scalar wave equation on Kerr backgrounds in the general subextremal |a| < M case without symmetry assumptions. The essential ideas of the proof (together with explicit constructions of the most difficult multiplier currents) have been announced in our survey [M. Dafermos and I. Rodnianski, The black hole stability problem for linear scalar perturbations, in Proceedings of the 12th Marcel Grossmann Meeting on General Relativity, T. Damour et al (ed.), World Scientific, Singapore, 2011, pp. 132-189, arXiv:1010.5137]. Our proof appeals also to the quantitative mode-stability proven in [Y. Shlapentokh-Rothman, Quantitative Mode Stability for the Wave Equation on the Kerr Spacetime, arXiv:1302.6902, to appear, Ann. Henri Poincare], together with a streamlined continuity argument in the parameter a, appearing here for the first time. While serving as Part III of a series, this paper repeats all necessary notations so that it can be read independently of previous work.

Critical $O(N)$ Models in $6-ε$ Dimensions

Abstract: We revisit the classic O ( N ) symmetric scalar field theories in d dimensions with interaction ( ϕ i ϕ i ) 2 . For 2 d 4 these theories flow to the Wilson-Fisher fixed points for any N . A standard large N Hubbard-Stratonovich approach also indicates that, for 4 d 6 , these theories possess unitary UV fixed points. We propose their alternate description in terms of a theory of N + 1 massless scalars with the cubic interactions σ ϕ i ϕ i and σ 3 . Our one-loop calculation in 6 - e dimensions shows that this theory has an IR stable fixed point at real values of the coupling constants for N > 1038 . We show that the 1 / N expansions of various operator scaling dimensions match the known results for the critical O ( N ) theory continued to d = 6 - e . These results suggest that, for sufficiently large N , there are 5-dimensional unitary O ( N ) symmetric interacting conformal field theories (CFTs); they should be dual to the Vasiliev higher-spin theory in AdS 6 with alternate boundary conditions for the bulk scalar. Using these CFTs we provide a new test of the 5-dimensional F theorem, and also find a new counterexample for the C T theorem.

Kerr-Newman scalar clouds

Abstract: Massive complex scalar fields can form bound states around Kerr black holes. These bound states---dubbed scalar clouds---are generically nonzero and finite on and outside the horizon; they decay exponentially at spatial infinity, have a real frequency and are specified by a set of integer ``quantum'' numbers $(n,l,m)$. For a specific set of these numbers, the clouds are only possible along a one-dimensional subset of the two-dimensional parameter space of Kerr black holes, called an existence line. In this paper we make a thorough investigation of the scalar clouds due to neutral (charged) scalar fields around Kerr(-Newman) black holes. We present the location of the existence lines for a variety of quantum numbers, their spatial representation and compare analytic approximation formulas in the literature with our exact numerical results, exhibiting a sometimes remarkable agreement.

Higher Spin AdS$_{d+1}$/CFT$_d$ at One Loop

Abstract: Following S. Giombi and I. R. Klebanov, [J. High Energy Phys. 12 (2013) 068], we carry out one-loop tests of higher spin ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{d+1}/{\mathrm{CFT}}_{d}$ correspondences for $d\ensuremath{\ge}2$. The Vasiliev theories in ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{d+1}$, which contain each integer spin once, are related to the $U(N)$ singlet sector of the $d$-dimensional CFT of $N$ free complex scalar fields; the minimal theories containing each even spin once---to the $O(N)$ singlet sector of the CFT of $N$ free real scalar fields. Using analytic continuation of higher spin zeta functions, which naturally regulate the spin sums, we calculate one-loop vacuum energies in Euclidean ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{d+1}$. In even $d$ we compare the result with the $O({N}^{0})$ correction to the $a$ coefficient of the Weyl anomaly; in odd $d$---with the $O({N}^{0})$ correction to the free energy $F$ on the $d$-dimensional sphere. For the theories of integer spins, the correction vanishes in agreement with the CFT of $N$ free complex scalars. For the minimal theories, the correction always equals the contribution of one real conformal scalar field in $d$ dimensions. As explained in Giombi and Klebanov, this result may agree with the $O(N)$ singlet sector of the theory of $N$ real scalar fields, provided the coupling constant in the higher spin theory is identified as ${G}_{N}\ensuremath{\sim}1/(N\ensuremath{-}1)$. Our calculations in even $d$ are closely related to finding the regularized $a$ anomalies of conformal higher spin theories. In each even $d$ we identify two such theories with vanishing $a$ anomaly: a theory of all integer spins, and a theory of all even spins coupled to a complex conformal scalar. We also discuss an interacting UV fixed point in $d=5$ obtained from the free scalar theory via an irrelevant double-trace quartic interaction. This interacting large $N$ theory is dual to the Vasiliev theory in ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{6}$ where the bulk scalar is quantized with the alternate boundary condition.

Decoding the hologram: Scalar fields interacting with gravity

Abstract: We construct smeared conformal field theory (CFT) operators which represent a scalar field in anti--de Sitter (AdS) space interacting with gravity. The guiding principle is microcausality: scalar fields should commute with themselves at spacelike separation. To $\mathcal{O}(1/N)$ we show that a correct and convenient criterion for constructing the appropriate CFT operators is to demand microcausality in a three-point function with a boundary Weyl tensor and another boundary scalar. The resulting bulk observables transform in the correct way under AdS isometries and commute with boundary scalar operators at spacelike separation, even in the presence of metric perturbations.

Pulsar timing signal from ultralight scalar dark matter

Abstract: An ultralight free scalar field with mass around 10−23−10−22 eV is a viable dark mater candidate, which can help to resolve some of the issues of the cold dark matter on sub-galactic scales. We consider the gravitational field of the galactic halo composed out of such dark matter. The scalar field has oscillating in time pressure, which induces oscillations of gravitational potential with amplitude of the order of 10−15 and frequency in the nanohertz range. This frequency is in the range of pulsar timing array observations. We estimate the magnitude of the pulse arrival time residuals induced by the oscillating gravitational potential. We find that for a range of dark matter masses, the scalar field dark matter signal is comparable to the stochastic gravitational wave signal and can be detected by the planned SKA pulsar timing array experiment.

Kerr-Newman black holes with stationary charged scalar clouds

Abstract: It is shown that Kerr-Newman black holes can support linear charged scalar fields in their exterior regions. To that end, we solve analytically the Klein-Gordon wave equation for a stationary charged massive scalar field in the background of a near-extremal Kerr-Newman black hole. In particular, we derive a simple analytical formula which describes the physical properties of these stationary bound-state resonances of the charged massive scalar fields in the Kerr-Newman blackhole spacetime.

Mimetic dark matter, ghost instability and a mimetic tensor-vector-scalar gravity

Abstract: Recently modified gravitational theories which mimic the behaviour of dark matter, the so-called “Mimetic Dark Matter”, have been proposed. We study the consistency of such theories with respect to the absence of ghost instability and propose a new tensor-vector-scalar theory of gravity, which is a generalization of the previous models of mimetic dark matter with additional desirable features. The original model proposed by Chamseddine and Mukhanov [JHEP 11 (2013) 135] is concluded to describe a regular pressureless dust, presuming that we consider only those configurations where the energy density of the mimetic dust remains positive under time evolution. For certain type of configurations the theory can become unstable. Both alternative modified theories of gravity, which are based on a vector field (tensor-vector theory) or a vector field and a scalar field (tensor-vector-scalar theory), are free of ghost instabilities.

Black Holes Without Spacelike Singularities

Abstract: It is shown that for small, spherically symmetric perturbations of asymptotically flat two-ended Reissner–Nordstrom data for the Einstein–Maxwell-real scalar field system, the boundary of the dynamic spacetime which evolves is globally represented by a bifurcate null hypersurface across which the metric extends continuously. Under additional assumptions, it is shown that the Hawking mass blows up identically along this bifurcate null hypersurface, and thus the metric cannot be extended twice differentiably; in fact, it cannot be extended in a weaker sense characterized at the level of the Christoffel symbols. The proof combines estimates obtained in previous work with an elementary Cauchy stability argument. There are no restrictions on the size of the support of the scalar field, and the result applies to both the future and past boundary of spacetime. In particular, it follows that for an open set in the moduli space of solutions around Reissner–Nordstrom, there is no spacelike component of either the future or the past singularity.

Infrared correlations in de Sitter space: Field theoretic versus stochastic approach

Abstract: We consider massive $\ensuremath{\lambda}{\ensuremath{\phi}}^{4}$ theory in de Sitter background. The mass of the scalar field $\ensuremath{\phi}$ is chosen small enough, such that the amplification of superhorizon momentum modes leads to a significant enhancement of infrared correlations, but large enough such that perturbation theory remains valid. Using the closed-time-path approach, we calculate the infrared corrections to the two-point function of $\ensuremath{\phi}$ to two-loop order. To this approximation, we find agreement with the correlation found using stochastic methods. When breaking the results down to individual Feynman diagrams obtained by the two different methods, we observe that these agree as well.

Non-singular bounce scenarios in loop quantum cosmology and the effective field description

Abstract: A non-singular bouncing cosmology is generically obtained in loop quantum cosmology due to non-perturbative quantum gravity effects. A similar picture can be achieved in standard general relativity in the presence of a scalar field with a non-standard kinetic term such that at high energy densities the field evolves into a ghost condensate and causes a non-singular bounce. During the bouncing phase, the perturbations can be stabilized by introducing a Horndeski operator. Taking the matter content to be a dust field and an ekpyrotic scalar field, we compare the dynamics in loop quantum cosmology and in a non-singular bouncing effective field model with a non-standard kinetic term at both the background and perturbative levels. We find that these two settings share many important properties, including the result that they both generate scale-invariant scalar perturbations. This shows that some quantum gravity effects of the very early universe may be mimicked by effective field models.

Numerical simulations of a loop quantum cosmos: robustness of the quantum bounce and the validity of effective dynamics

Abstract: A key result of isotropic loop quantum cosmology is the existence of a quantum bounce which occurs when the energy density of the matter field approaches a universal maximum close to the Planck density. Though the bounce has been exhibited in various matter models, due to severe computational challenges, some important questions have so far remained unaddressed. These include the demonstration of the bounce for widely spread states, its detailed properties for the states when matter field probes regions close to the Planck volume and the reliability of the continuum effective spacetime description in general. In this manuscript we rigorously answer these questions using the Chimera numerical scheme for the isotropic spatially flat model sourced with a massless scalar field. We show that, as expected from an exactly solvable model, the quantum bounce is a generic feature of states even with a very wide spread, and for those which bounce much closer to the Planck volume. We perform a detailed analysis of the departures from the effective description and find some expected, and some surprising results. At a coarse level of description, the effective dynamics can be regarded as a good approximation to the underlying quantum dynamics unless the states correspond to small scalar field momenta, in which case they bounce closer to the Planck volume or are very widely spread. Quantifying the amount of discrepancy between the quantum and the effective dynamics, we find that the departure between them depends in a subtle and non-monotonic way on the field momentum and different fluctuations. Interestingly, the departures are generically found to be such that the effective dynamics overestimates the spacetime curvature, and underestimates the volume at the bounce.

Higgs couplings and electroweak phase transition

Abstract: We argue that extensions of the Standard Model (SM) with a strongly first-order electroweak phase transition generically predict significant deviations of the Higgs couplings to gluons, photons, and Z bosons from their SM values. Precise experimental measurements of the Higgs couplings at the LHC and at the proposed next-generation facilities will allow for a robust test of the phase transition dynamics. To illustrate this point, in this paper we focus on the scenario in which loops of a new scalar field are responsible for the first-order phase transition, and study a selection of benchmark models with various SM gauge quantum numbers of the new scalar. We find that the current LHC measurement of the Higgs coupling to gluons already excludes the possibility of a first-order phase transition induced by a scalar in a sextet, or larger, representation of the SU(3) c . Future LHC experiments (including HL-LHC) will be able to definitively probe the case when the new scalar is a color triplet. If the new scalar is not colored, an electron-positron Higgs factory, such as the proposed ILC or TLEP, would be required to test the nature of the phase transition. The extremely precise measurement of the Higgsstrahlung cross section possible at such machines will allow for a comprehensive and definitive probe of the possibility of a first-order electroweak phase transition in all models we considered, including the case when the new scalar is a pure gauge singlet.