Horizon Boundary Conditions Research Articles

Implications of the quantum nature of the black hole horizon on the gravitational-wave ringdown

Motivated by capturing putative quantum effects at the horizon scale, we model the black hole horizon as a membrane with fluctuations following a Gaussian profile. By extending the membrane paradigm at the semiclassical level, we show that the quantum nature of the black hole horizon implies partially reflective boundary conditions and a frequency-dependent reflectivity. This generically results into a modified quasi-normal mode spectrum and the existence of echoes in the postmerger signal. On a similar note, we derive the horizon boundary condition for a braneworld black hole that could originate from quantum corrections on the brane. This scenario also leads to a modified gravitational-wave ringdown. We discuss general implications of these findings for scenarios predicting quantum corrections at the horizon scale.

Oscillations in the extreme mass-ratio inspiral gravitational wave phase correction as a probe of a reflective boundary of the central black hole

We discuss the energy loss due to gravitational radiation of binaries composed of exotic objects whose horizon boundary conditions are replaced with reflective ones. Our focus is on the extreme mass-ratio inspirals, in which the central heavier black hole is replaced with an exotic compact object. We show, in this case, a modulation of the energy loss rate depending on the evolving orbital frequency occurs and leads to two different types of modifications to the gravitational wave phase evolution; the oscillating part directly corresponding to the modulation in the energy flux, and the non-oscillating part coming from the quadratic order in the modulation. This modification can be sufficiently large to detect with future space-borne detectors.

Classifying pole-skipping points

We clarify general mathematical and physical properties of pole-skipping points. For this purpose, we analyse scalar and vector fields in hyperbolic space. This setup is chosen because it is simple enough to allow us to obtain analytical expressions for the Green’s function and check everything explicitly, while it contains all the essential features of pole-skipping points. We classify pole-skipping points in three types (type-I, II, III). Type-I and Type-II are distinguished by the (limiting) behavior of the Green’s function near the pole-skipping points. Type-III can arise at non-integer iω values, which is due to a specific UV condition, contrary to the types I and II, which are related to a non-unique near horizon boundary condition. We also clarify the relation between the pole-skipping structure of the Green’s function and the near horizon analysis. We point out that there are subtle cases where the near horizon analysis alone may not be able to capture the existence and properties of the pole-skipping points.

Peridynamics boundary condition treatments via the pseudo-layer enrichment method and variable horizon approach

Peridynamics is a nonlocal theory that applies an integral term to represent the material response. Without a spatial differential term involved, peridynamics possesses certain advantages for solving discontinuity-involved problems. However, due to the reduction of stiffness, the deformation near the boundary region by peridynamics has a low accuracy compared to the local elastic deformation. Previous peridynamics boundary condition treatment enriches the stiffness on the boundary region by adding an artificial layer outside the domain boundary. However, this requires the deformation of the pseudo-layer to be pre-determined. In addition, the accuracy of the response on the physical domain depends largely on the accuracy of the pre-determined deformation on the pseudo-layer. Considering the fact that peridynamics reduces to local elasticity as the horizon size goes to zero, and previous researches indicate the potential advantage of boundary enrichment via the horizon varying approach, in this paper, peridynamics with a variable horizon is utilized as an efficient way to reduce the boundary-induced inaccuracy. Firstly, the pseudo-layer boundary condition treatments are discussed by using the symmetrical enrichment function and other extrapolation functions. Then, the variable horizon boundary condition treatment is introduced and a robust improvement of deformation accuracy on the boundary region is observed compared to other boundary condition treatments for both one- and two-dimensional examples. The variable horizon approach requires no additional pseudo-layer and the boundary conditions are applied directly on the physical boundary. Thus, the variable horizon approach is easy to implement and its computational cost is reduced.

Quantum surface holonomies for loop quantum gravity and their application to black hole horizons

In this work we define a new type of flux operators on the Hilbert space of loop quantum gravity. We use them to solve an equation of the form $F(A)=c\,\Sigma$ in loop quantum gravity. This equation, which relates the curvature of a connection $A$ with its canonical conjugate $\Sigma=*E$, plays an important role for spherically symmetric isolated horizons, and, more generally, for maximally symmetric geometries and for the Kodama state. If the equation holds, the new flux operators can be interpreted as a quantization of surface holonomies from higher gauge theory. Also, they represent a kind of quantum deformation of SU(2). We investigate their properties and discuss how they can be used to define states that satisfy the isolated horizon boundary condition in the quantum theory.

Near-horizon Bondi-Metzner-Sachs symmetry, dimensional reduction, and black hole entropy

In an earlier short paper [Phys.\ Rev.\ Lett.\ 120 (2018) 101301, arXiv:1702.04439], I argued that the horizon-preserving diffeomorphisms of a generic black hole are enhanced to a larger BMS${}_3$ symmetry, which is powerful enough to determine the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy. Here I provide details and extensions of that argument, including a loosening of horizon boundary conditions and a more thorough treatment of dimensional reduction and meaning of a "near-horizon symmetry."

Near horizon dynamics of three dimensional black holes

We perform the Hamiltonian reduction of three dimensional Einstein gravity with negative cosmological constant under constraints imposed by near horizon boundary conditions. The theory reduces to a Floreanini–Jackiw type scalar field theory on the horizon, where the scalar zero modes capture the global black hole charges. The near horizon Hamiltonian is a total derivative term, which explains the softness of all oscillator modes of the scalar field. We find also a (Korteweg–de Vries) hierarchy of modified boundary conditions that we use to lift the degeneracy of the soft hair excitations on the horizon.

Universal lowest-twist in CFTs from holography

We probe the conformal block structure of a scalar four-point function in d ≥ 2 conformal field theories by including higher-order derivative terms in a bulk gravitational action. We consider a heavy-light four-point function as the boundary correlator at large central charge. Such a four-point function can be computed, on the gravity side, as a two-point function of the light operator in a black hole geometry created by the heavy operator. We consider analytically solving the corresponding scalar field equation in a near-boundary expansion and find that the multi-stress tensor conformal blocks are insensitive to the horizon boundary condition. The main result of this paper is that the lowest-twist operator product expansion (OPE) coefficients of the multi-stress tensor conformal blocks are universal: they are fixed by the dimension of the light operators and the ratio between the dimension of the heavy operator and the central charge CT. Neither supersymmetry nor unitary is assumed. Higher-twist coefficients, on the other hand, generally are not protected. A recursion relation allows us to efficiently compute universal lowest-twist coefficients. The universality result hints at the potential existence of a higher-dimensional Virasoro-like symmetry near the lightcone. While we largely focus on the planar black hole limit in this paper, we include some preliminary analysis of the spherical black hole case in an appendix.

Non-CMC Solutions of the Einstein Constraint Equations on Compact Manifolds with Apparent Horizon Boundaries

In this article we continue our effort to do a systematic development of the solution theory for conformal formulations of the Einstein constraint equations on compact manifolds with boundary. By building in a natural way on our recent work in Holst and Tsogtgerel (2013), and Holst, Nagy, and Tsogtgerel (2008, 2009), and also on the work of Maxwell (2004, 2005, 2009) and Dain (2004), under reasonable assumptions on the data we prove existence of both near- and far-from-constant mean curvature solutions for a class of Robin boundary conditions commonly used in the literature for modeling black holes, with a third existence result for constant mean curvature (CMC) appearing as a special case. Dain and Maxwell addressed initial data engineering for space-times that evolve to contain black holes, determining solutions to the conformal formulation on an asymptotically Euclidean manifold in the CMC setting, with interior boundary conditions representing excised interior black hole regions. Holst and Tsogtgerel compiled the interior boundary results covered by Dain and Maxwell, and then developed general interior conditions to model the apparent horizon boundary conditions of Dain and Maxwell for compact manifolds with boundary, and subsequently proved existence of solutions to the Lichnerowicz equation on compact manifolds with such boundary conditions. This paper picks up where Holst and Tsogtgerel left off, addressing the general non-CMC case for compact manifolds with boundary. As in our previous articles, our focus here is again on low regularity data and on the interaction between different types of boundary conditions. While our work here serves primarily to extend the solution theory for the compact with boundary case, we also develop several technical tools that have potential for use with the asymptotically Euclidean case.

Kerr isolated horizons in Ashtekar and Ashtekar–Barbero connection variables

The Ashtekar and Ashtekar-Barbero connection variable formulations of Kerr isolated horizons are derived. Using a regular Kinnersley tetrad in horizon-penetrating Kruskal-Szekeres-like coordinates, the spin coefficients of Kerr geometry are determined by solving the first Maurer-Cartan equation of structure. Isolated horizon conditions are imposed on the tetrad and the spin coefficients. A transformation into an orthonormal tetrad frame that is fixed in the time gauge is applied and explicit calculations of the spin connection, the Ashtekar and Ashtekar-Barbero connections, and the corresponding curvatures on the horizon 2-spheres are performed. Since the resulting Ashtekar-Barbero curvature does not comply with the simple form of the horizon boundary condition of Schwarzschild isolated horizons, i.e., on the horizon 2-spheres, the Ashtekar-Barbero curvature is not proportional to the Plebanski 2-form, which is required for an SU(2) Chern-Simons treatment of the gauge degrees of freedom in the horizon boundary in the context of loop quantum gravity, a general method to construct a new connection whose curvature satisfies such a relation for Kerr isolated horizons is introduced. For the purpose of illustration, this method is employed in the framework of slowly rotating Kerr isolated horizons.

Higher-spin flat space cosmologies with soft hair

We present and discuss near horizon boundary conditions for flat space higher-spin gravity in three dimensions. As in related work our boundary conditions ensure regularity of the solutions independently of the charges. The asymptotic symmetry algebra is given by a set of widehat{mathfrak{u}}(1) current algebras. The associated charges generate higher-spin soft hair. We derive the entropy for solutions that are continuously connected to flat space cosmologies and find the same result as in the spin-2 case: the entropy is linear in the spin-2 zero-mode charges and independent from the spin-3 charges. Using twisted Sugawara-like constructions of higher-spin currents we show that our simple result for entropy of higherspin flat space cosmologies coincides precisely with the complicated earlier results expressed in terms of higher-spin zero mode charges.

Some notes on the Kodama state, maximal symmetry, and the isolated horizon boundary condition

We recall some well and some less known results about the Kodama state and the related $\theta$ ambiguity in defining canonical variables. Based on them, we make some comments highlighting that the Kodama state for real connection variables can be given a precise meaning and that it implements a vacuum peaked on a (in a suitable sense) maximally symmetric geometry. We also highlight the similarity of this construction with the isolated horizon boundary condition $F \propto \Sigma$ and stress that it is, in agreement with earlier work, inadequate to define the notion of a quantum horizon.

Horizon Entropy from Quantum Gravity Condensates.

We construct condensate states encoding the continuum spherically symmetric quantum geometry of a horizon in full quantum gravity, i.e., without any classical symmetry reduction, in the group field theory formalism. Tracing over the bulk degrees of freedom, we show how the resulting reduced density matrix manifestly exhibits a holographic behavior. We derive a complete orthonormal basis of eigenstates for the reduced density matrix of the horizon and use it to compute the horizon entanglement entropy. By imposing consistency with the horizon boundary conditions and semiclassical thermodynamical properties, we recover the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy formula for any value of the Immirzi parameter. Our analysis supports the equivalence between the von Neumann (entanglement) entropy interpretation and the Boltzmann (statistical) one.

CFT/gravity correspondence on the isolated horizon

A quantum isolated horizon can be modelled by an SU(2) Chern–Simons theory on a punctured 2-sphere. We show how a local 2-dimensional conformal symmetry arises at each puncture inducing an infinite set of new observables localised at the horizon which satisfy a Kac–Moody algebra. By means of the isolated horizon boundary conditions, we represent the gravitational flux degrees of freedom in terms of the zero modes of the Kac–Moody algebra defined on the boundary of a punctured disk. In this way, our construction encodes a precise notion of CFT/gravity correspondence. The higher modes in the algebra represent new nongeometric charges which can be represented in terms of free matter field degrees of freedom. When computing the CFT partition function of the system, these new states induce an extra degeneracy factor, representing the density of horizon states at a given energy level, which reproduces the Bekenstein's holographic bound for an imaginary Immirzi parameter. This allows us to recover the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy formula without the large quantum gravity corrections associated with the number of punctures.

New variables for classical and quantum gravity in all dimensions: V. Isolated horizon boundary degrees of freedom

In this paper, we generalize the treatment of isolated horizons in loop quantum gravity, resulting in a Chern–Simons theory on the boundary in the four-dimensional case, to non-distorted isolated horizons in 2(n + 1)-dimensional spacetimes. The key idea is to generalize the four-dimensional isolated horizon boundary condition by using the Euler topological density E(2n) of a spatial slice of the black hole horizon as a measure of distortion. The resulting symplectic structure on the horizon coincides with the one of higher-dimensional SO(2(n + 1))-Chern–Simons theory in terms of a Peldan-type hybrid connection Γ0 and resembles closely the usual treatment in (3 + 1) dimensions. We comment briefly on a possible quantization of the horizon theory. Here, some subtleties arise since higher-dimensional non-Abelian Chern–Simons theory has local degrees of freedom. However, when replacing the natural generalization to higher dimensions of the usual boundary condition by an equally natural stronger one, it is conceivable that the problems originating from the local degrees of freedom are avoided, thus possibly resulting in a finite entropy.

Binary black hole circular orbits computed with cocal

In this work we present our first results of binary black hole circular orbits using {\sc cocal}, the Compact Object CALculator. Using the 3+1 decomposition five equations are being solved under the assumptions of conformal flatness and maximal slicing. Excision is used and the appropriate apparent horizon boundary conditions are applied. The orbital velocity is determined by imposing a Schwarzschild behaviour at infinity. A sequence of equal mass black holes is obtained and its main physical characteristics are calculated.

Hairy black holes in the ghost-free bigravity theory

We study black holes in the recently proposed ghost-free theory with two gravitons, one of which is massive and another is massless. These black holes possess a regular event horizon which is common for both metrics and has the same values of the surface gravity and Hawking temperature with respect to each metric. The ratio of the event horizon radii measured by the two metrics is a free parameter that labels the solutions. We present a numerical evidence for their existence and find that they comprise several classes. Black holes within each class approach the same AdS-type asymptotic at infinity but differ from each other in the event horizon vicinity where the short-range massive modes reside. In addition, there are solutions showing a curvature singularity at a finite proper distance from the horizon. For some special solutions the graviton mass may become effectively imaginary, causing oscillations around the flat metric at infinity. The only asymptotically flat black hole we find -- the Schwarzschild solution obtained by identifying the two metrics -- seems to be exceptional, since changing even slightly its horizon boundary conditions completely changes the asymptotic behavior at infinity. We also construct globally regular solutions describing `lumps of pure gravity' which can be viewed as black hole remnants in the limit where the event horizon shrinks. Finally, adding a matter source we obtain globally regular and asymptotically flat solutions exhibiting the Vainstein mechanism of recovery of General Relativity in a finite region.

Black Hole Entropy andSU(2)Chern-Simons Theory

Black holes (BH's) in equilibrium can be defined locally in terms of the so-called isolated horizon boundary condition given on a null surface representing the event horizon. We show that this boundary condition can be treated in a manifestly SU(2) invariant manner. Upon quantization, state counting is expressed in terms of the dimension of Chern-Simons Hilbert spaces on a sphere with punctures. Remarkably, when considering an ensemble of fixed horizon area a(H), the counting can be mapped to simply counting the number of SU(2) intertwiners compatible with the spins labeling the punctures. The resulting BH entropy is proportional to a(H) with logarithmic corrections ΔS=-3/2 loga(H). Our treatment from first principles settles previous controversies concerning the counting of states.

Balanced restoration of geological volumes with relaxed meshing constraints

Balanced restoration consists in removing the effects of tectonic deformation in order to recover the depositional state of sedimentary layers. Restoration thus helps in the understanding of a geodynamic scenario, reduces structural uncertainties by testing the consistency of the structural model, and, under mechanical behavior assumptions, evaluates retro-deformation. We show how an elastic finite element model can be used to solve restoration problems, by setting displacement boundary conditions on the top horizon and contact boundary conditions on the fault cut-offs. This method is generally applied on a tetrahedral mesh, which raises significant meshing problems in complex structural settings, where restoration is particularly useful. Indeed, the mesh has to be conformable to both faults and horizons, including unconformities and onlap surfaces, which may drastically increase the number of elements and decrease the mesh quality. As an alternative, we propose to represent unfaulted horizons as a property of the tetrahedral model, and to transfer the associated boundary conditions onto the neighboring nodes of the mesh, using an “implicit” approach. The proposed methods are demonstrated on a typical example and results show good agreement between both approaches. While the computational time is equivalent in both cases, the time needed for model building is significantly reduced in the implicit case. In addition, the implicit method provides a convenient way to handle unconformities in restoration, both for eroded surfaces, and on onlap layer geometries. In such cases, our method provides a flexible way to specify the amount of eroded material, and generates less mesh elements than the conforming mesh, thereby reducing computational time.

Trapping horizons as inner boundary conditions for black hole spacetimes

We present a set of inner boundary conditions for the numerical construction of dynamical black hole spacetimes, when employing a $3+1$ constrained evolution scheme and an excision technique. These inner boundary conditions are heuristically motivated by the dynamical trapping horizon framework and are enforced in an elliptic subsystem of the full Einstein equation. In the stationary limit they reduce to existing isolated horizon boundary conditions. A characteristic analysis completes the discussion of inner boundary conditions for the radiative modes.