Naked Singularity Spacetimes Research Articles

Tidal force effects and bound orbits in null naked singularity spacetime

Naked singularities form during the gravitational collapse of inhomogeneous matter clouds. The final nature of the singularity depends on the initial conditions of the matter properties and types of matter profiles. These naked singularities can also be divided into two types: null-like and timelike singularities. The spacelike singularity of the Schwarzschild black hole can be distinguished from the null and timelike naked singularity spacetimes. In light of this, we investigate the precession of timelike bound orbits in the null naked singularity spacetime, as well as tidal force effects and geodesic deviation features. As a result, we find that the orbital precession of the timelike bound orbits in null naked singularity spacetime could be distinguished from the Schwarzschild precession case. The radial component of the tidal force has an intriguing profile, whereas the angular component has a profile that is comparable to that of a Schwarzschild black hole scenario. The geodesic deviation equation is then solved numerically, yielding results that resemble Schwarzschild black holes. These characteristic features can then be used to discern among these singularities.

The ring-shaped shadow of a rotating naked singularity with a complete photon sphere* *Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (12105151), the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province, China (ZR2020QA080) and partially Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (11875026, 11875025, 12035005)

We investigate the shadows of the Konoplya-Zhidenko naked singularity. In the spacetime of the Konoplya-Zhidenko naked singularity, not only an unstable retrograde light ring (LR) but also an unstable prograde LR exists, leading to the formation of a complete photon sphere (PS). Due to the absence of an event horizon, a dark disc-shaped shadow does not appear; instead, a ring-shaped shadow is observed. The ring-shaped shadow appears as an infinite number of relativistic Einstein rings in the image of the naked singularity. For some parameter values, only the unstable retrograde LR exists, resulting in an incomplete unstable PS and thus giving rise to an arc-shaped shadow for the Konoplya-Zhidenko naked singularity. The shadow of the Konoplya-Zhidenko naked singularity gradually shifts to the right as the rotation parameter a increases and gradually becomes smaller as the deformation parameter increases. Moreover, stable LRs and stable photon spherical orbits can exist in the Konoplya-Zhidenko naked singularity spacetime, but they have no effect on the image of the naked singularity. This study demonstrates that a rotating naked singularity can exhibit not only an arc-shaped shadow but also a ring-shaped shadow.

Particle motion and tidal force in a non-vacuum-charged naked singularity

We investigate the gravitational field of a charged, non-vacuum, non-rotating, spherically symmetric body of mass M assuming a static solution to the Einstein–Maxwell field equations. We show the characteristics of perihelion precession of orbits in the case of charged naked singularity (CNS) spacetime. Here we discuss some novel features of light-like geodesics in this spacetime. We also discuss the comparative study of tidal force in the null singularity spacetime and charged naked singularity spacetime.

Relativistic orbits of S2 star in the presence of scalar field

The general theory of relativity predicts the relativistic effect in the orbital motions of S-stars which are orbiting around our Milky-way Galactic Center. The post-Newtonian or higher-order approximated Schwarzschild black hole models have been used by GRAVITY and UCLA Galactic Center groups to carefully investigate the S2 star’s periastron precession. In this paper, we investigate the scalar field effect on the orbital dynamics of S2 star. Hence, we consider a spacetime, namely Janis-Newman-Winicour (JNW) spacetime which is seeded by a minimally coupled, mass-less scalar field. The novel feature of this spacetime is that one can retain the Schwarzschild spacetime from JNW spacetime considering zero scalar charge. We constrain the scalar charge of JNW spacetime by best fitting the astrometric data of S2 star using the Monte-Carlo–Markov-Chain (MCMC) technique assuming the charge to be positive. Our best-fitted result implies that similar to the Schwarzschild black hole spacetime, the JNW naked singularity spacetime with an appropriate scalar charge also offers a satisfactory fitting to the observed data for S2 star. Therefore, the JNW naked singularity could be a contender for explaining the nature of Sgr A* through the orbital motions of the S2 star.

Horizon-scale tests of gravity theories and fundamental physics from the Event Horizon Telescope image of Sagittarius A

Horizon-scale images of black holes (BHs) and their shadows have opened an unprecedented window onto tests of gravity and fundamental physics in the strong-field regime. We consider a wide range of well-motivated deviations from classical general relativity (GR) BH solutions, and constrain them using the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) observations of Sagittarius A (Sgr A), connecting the size of the bright ring of emission to that of the underlying BH shadow and exploiting high-precision measurements of Sgr A’s mass-to-distance ratio. The scenarios we consider, and whose fundamental parameters we constrain, include various regular BHs, string-inspired space-times, violations of the no-hair theorem driven by additional fields, alternative theories of gravity, novel fundamental physics frameworks, and BH mimickers including well-motivated wormhole and naked singularity space-times. We demonstrate that the EHT image of Sgr A places particularly stringent constraints on models predicting a shadow size larger than that of a Schwarzschild BH of a given mass, with the resulting limits in some cases surpassing cosmological ones. Our results are among the first tests of fundamental physics from the shadow of Sgr A and, while the latter appears to be in excellent agreement with the predictions of GR, we have shown that a number of well-motivated alternative scenarios, including BH mimickers, are far from being ruled out at present.

Lense–Thirring effect and precession of timelike geodesics in slowly rotating black hole and naked singularity spacetimes

In this paper, we investigate the properties of the Lense-Thirring precession frequency and periastron precession of the relativistic bound orbits in slowly rotating naked singularity spacetimes. We show that the precession frequencies of a stationary test gyroscope are quite unique in slowly rotating naked singularity spacetimes, and therefore, one can easily distinguish them from the slowly rotating Kerr black hole spacetime. On the other hand, we also show that in slowly rotating Joshi-Malafarina-Narayan (JMN1) naked singularity spacetime, negative precession of the timelike bound orbits is allowed which is not possible in Kerr and slowly rotating null naked singularity spacetimes.

A shadows from the static black hole mimickers

In this work, we study shadows from the naked singularity spacetime. The most analytical solutions of black hole shadows only investigated the case that the geodesic equations for photons can separate variables. We review the spherical null naked singularity metric and this spherically symmetric naked singularity spacetime metric is the solution of Einstein equations with an anisotropic fluid source which has no photon sphere. We also review a static, axially-symmetric singular solution of the vacuum Einstein’s equations without an event horizon which is can be used to describe the exterior gravitational field of a mass distribution with quadrupole moment. Moreover, the corresponding spacetime is characterized by the presence of naked singularities. It is theoretically known that not only a black hole can cast shadow, but other compact objects such as naked singularities, gravastar or boson stars can also cast shadows. We present the analytical calculation of shadows for both naked singularities spacetime and compare with the shadow of Schwarzschild static black hole, we show that this can serve as a black hole mimicker. Keywords: compact object, naked singularity, shadow.

Light trajectory and shadow shape in the rotating naked singularity

In this paper, we investigate the light trajectories and shadow properties in the rotating version of null naked singularity (NNS) spacetime which is derived using the Newman–Janis algorithm without complexification method. We discuss some of the geometrical properties and causal structure of Rotating Naked Singularity (RNS) spacetime. The gravitational lensing in a rotating naked singularity is analyzed, and the results are compared to those of a Kerr black hole. In the case of a Kerr black hole, the photon sphere exists for both prograde and retrograde photon orbits, whereas for RNS, the photon sphere exists only for retrograde photon orbits. As a result, the naked singularity projects an arc-shaped shadow that differs from the contour-shaped shadow cast by a Kerr black hole.

Comparing thin accretion disk properties of naked singularities and black holes

In the present paper, we study the thermal properties of the geometrically thin accretion disks surrounding the null naked singularity (NNS) and the first type of Joshi-Malafarina-Narayan (JMN1) spacetimes and compare the results with the accretion disk around equally massive Schwarzschild black hole. First, we examine the properties of the circular orbits in these spacetimes. The emitted flux, radiation spectra, disk efficiency, and temperature distribution on the disk surface are then investigated. The efficiency of the conversion of the accreting matter into radiation is found to be substantially higher for naked singularities than that for black holes. We also verify that the flux radiated from the disk surface is greater for null and JMN1 naked singularities than black holes. Hence, the accretion disks around naked singularities are much more luminous than the black holes of the same mass and accretion rate. In the luminosity spectra of the NNS, we find that the significant contribution of the low-frequency is coming from the nearby regions of the NNS. Furthermore, the spectral luminosity distribution for the ``nonzero torque'' at the inner boundary is also analyzed by the inclusion of the nonzero torque value at the inner edge of the disk. The slopes of the luminosity distribution with respect to frequency for naked singularity spacetimes differ significantly from those of black holes. These unique features of the naked singularities serve as an effective tool to distinguish them from the equally massive black holes.

Naked singularity in 4D Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet novel gravity: Echoes and instability

We study the stability of an asymptotically flat, static, spherically symmetric naked singularity spacetime in the novel four-dimensional Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet (EGB) gravity. The four-dimensional EGB black hole for large enough values of the coupling parameter leads to such a naked singularity. The stability and the response of the spacetime are studied against the perturbations by test scalar, electromagnetic and Dirac fields, and the time evolution of these perturbations was observed numerically. Implementing a null Dirichlet boundary condition near the singularity, we observed that for $l=1$ modes of scalar, electromagnetic perturbation, and $l=0$, 1 modes of Dirac perturbation, the time-domain profiles give rise to distinct echoes. However, as the coupling constant increases, the echoes align, and the quasinormal mode structure of the 4D-EGB naked singularity-spacetime becomes prominent. For higher values of the multipole number, the spacetime becomes unstable, thereby restricting the parameter space for the coupling parameter.

Evolution of anti–de Sitter black holes in Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton theory

We study the nonlinear evolution of the spherical symmetric black holes under a small neutral scalar field perturbation in Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton theory with coupling function $f(\phi)=e^{-b\phi}$ in asymptotic anti-de Sitter spacetime. The non-minimal coupling between scalar and Maxwell fields allows the transmission of the energy from the Maxwell field to the scalar field, but also behaves as a repulsive force for the scalar. The scalar field oscillates with damping amplitude and converges to a final value by a power law. The irreducible mass of the black hole increases abruptly at initial times and then saturates to the final value exponentially. The saturating rate is twice the decaying rate of the dominant mode of the scalar. The effects of the black hole charge, the cosmological constant and the coupling parameter on the evolution are studied in detail. When the initial configuration is a naked singularity spacetime with a large charge to mass ratio, a horizon will form soon and hide the singularity.

Shadows and precession of orbits in rotating Janis\u2013Newman\u2013Winicour spacetime

In this paper, we construct the rotating Janis–Newman–Winicour (JNW) naked singularity spacetime using Newman–Janis Algorithm (NJA). We analyse NJA with and without complexification methods and find that the energy conditions do satisfied when we skip the complexification step. We study the shadows cast by rotating JNW naked singularity and compare them with the shadows cast by the Kerr black hole. We find that the shadow of the rotating naked singularity can be distinguished from the shadow of the Kerr black hole. While we analyse the precession of timelike bound orbits in rotating JNW spacetime, we find that it can have a negative (or opposite) precession, which is not present in the Kerr black hole case. These novel signatures of the shadow and orbital precession in rotating JNW naked singularity spacetime could be important in the context of the recent observation of the shadow of the M87 galactic center and the stellar dynamics of ‘S-stars’ around Milkyway galactic center.

Gravitational lensing by a photon sphere in a Reissner-Nordström naked singularity spacetime in strong deflection limits

We investigate gravitational lensing by a photon sphere in a Reissner-Nordstr\"{o}m naked singularity spacetime in strong deflection limits. Because of the nonexistence of an event horizon and the existence of a potential barrier near an antiphoton sphere, infinite numbers of images slightly inside and outside of a photon sphere can appear. We obtain the analytic expressions of the factors of logarithmic divergent terms and the constant terms of the deflection angles in the strong deflection limits not only the for the little outside but also the barely inside of the photon sphere without Taylor expansions in the power of an electric charge. We can distinguish between a Reissner-Nordstr\"{o}m black hole spacetime and the naked singularity spacetime since the images little inside of the photon sphere around the naked singularity are significantly brighter than the image barely outside of the photon sphere around the black hole and the naked singularity.

Shadows and negative precession in non-Kerr spacetime

It is now known that the shadow is not only the property of a black hole, it can also be cast by other compact objects like naked singularities. However, there exist some novel features of the shadow of the naked singularities which are elaborately discussed in some recent articles. In the earlier literature, it is also shown that a naked singularity may admit negative precession of bound timelike orbits which cannot be seen in Schwarzschild and Kerr black hole spacetimes. This distinguishable behavior of timelike bound orbit in the presence of the naked singularity along with the novel features of the shadow may be useful to distinguish between a black hole and a naked singularity observationally. However, in this paper, it is shown that deformed Kerr spacetime can allow negative precession of bound timelike orbits when the central singularity of that spacetime is naked. We also show that negative precession and shadow both can exist simultaneously in deformed Kerr naked singularity spacetime. Therefore, any observational evidence of negative precession of bound orbits, along with the central shadow may indicate the presence of a deformed Kerr naked singularity.

Precession of timelike bound orbits in Kerr spacetime

Astrometric observations of S-stars provide a unique opportunity to probe the nature of Sagittarius-A* (Sgr-A*). In view of this, it has become important to understand the nature and behavior of timelike bound trajectories of particles around a massive central object. It is known now that whereas the Schwarzschild black hole does not allow the negative precession for the S-stars, the naked singularity spacetimes can admit the positive as well as negative precession for the bound timelike orbits. In this context, we study the perihelion precession of a test particle in the Kerr spacetime geometry. Considering some approximations, we investigate whether the timelike bound orbits of a test particle in Kerr spacetime can have negative precession. In this paper, we only consider low eccentric timelike equatorial orbits. With these considerations, we find that in Kerr spacetimes, negative precession of timelike bound orbits is not allowed.

Strong gravitational lensing by a strongly naked null singularity

We study strong gravitational lensing in a static, spherically symmetric, naked singularity spacetime, without a photon sphere. The nature of the singularity is found to be lightlike. We discuss the characteristic lensing features of this naked singularity in the strong deflection limit. In spite of the absence of a photon sphere in this spacetime, the bending angle of light diverges, as it approaches the singularity. However, unlike black holes, it is found that the nature of this divergence is nonlogarithmic, and we derive an analytic formula for the same. Moreover, the relativistic rings produced due to strong lensing by the singularity are found to be well separated from each other, making them easy to resolve and possibly detect. These features are expected to be important in the study of strong lensing by ultracompact objects, especially ones without event horizons.

Imprints of the Janis-Newman-Winicour spacetime on observations related to shadow and accretion

The final fate of gravitational collapse of massive stars has been a subject of interest for a long time since such a collapse may lead to black holes and naked singularities alike. Since, the formation of naked singularities is forbidden by the cosmic censorship conjecture, exploring their observational differences from black holes may be a possible avenue to search for these exotic objects. The simplest possible naked singularity spacetime emerges from the Einstein massless scalar field theory with the advantage that it smoothly translates to the Schwarzschild solution by the variation of the scalar charge. This background, known as the Janis-Newman-Winicour spacetime is the subject of interest in this work. %A further advantage of working with this spacetime is that it smoothly translates to the Schwarzschild solution by the variation of the scalar charge. We explore electromagnetic observations around this metric which involves investigating the characteristics of black hole accretion and shadow. We compute the shadow radius in this spacetime and compare it with the image of M87*, recently released by the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration. Similarly, we derive the expression for the luminosity from the accretion disk and compare it with the observed optical luminosity of eleven Palomar Green quasars. Our analysis indicates that the shadow of M87* and the quasar optical data consistently favor the Schwarzschild background over the Janis-Newman-Winicour spacetime. The implications of this result are discussed.

Charged black holes in Einsteinian cubic gravity and nonuniqueness

Black holes are the simplest objects in the universe. They correspond to extreme deformations of spacetime geometry, and can exist even devoid of matter. In general relativity, (electro)vacuum black holes are uniquely determined by their mass, charge and angular momentum. This feature follows from a uniqueness theorem, which can be evaded if one considers higher dimensions or matter fields coupled to gravity. Here we find that Einsteinian cubic gravity, a well-motivated modification of Einstein gravity that includes third-order curvature corrections in accordance with low-energy effective theory expectations, admits black hole solutions with charge greater than mass, when minimally coupled to a Maxwell field. Moreover, we find that, in this regime, there can be two asymptotically flat black holes with the same charge and mass, posing the first example of vacuum black hole nonuniqueness in four dimensions that is free from pathologies. Examination of these black hole's thermodynamics reveals that when two branches coexist only the larger black hole is thermodynamically stable, while the smaller branch has negative specific heat. Einsteinian cubic gravity unveils two further surprising features. The charged black holes do not possess an inner horizon, in contrast with the usual Reissner-Nordstr\"om spacetime, thus avoiding the need to resort to strong cosmic censorship to uphold determinism. In addition to black holes, there exists a one-parameter family of naked singularity spacetimes sharing the same mass and charge as the former, but not continuously connected with them. These naked singularities exist in the under-extremal regime, being present even in pure (uncharged) Einsteinian cubic gravity.

Shadow of a naked singularity without photon sphere

It is generally believed that the shadows of either a black hole or naked singularity arise due to photon spheres developing in these spacetimes. Here we propose a new spherically symmetric naked singularity spacetime solution of Einstein equations which has no photon sphere, and we show that the singularity casts a shadow in the absence of the photon sphere. We discuss some novel features of this shadow and the lightlike geodesics in this spacetime. We compare the shadow of the naked singularity here with shadows cast by Schwarzschild black hole and the first type of Joshi-Malafarina-Narayan (JMN1) naked singularity, where for the last two spacetimes the shadow is formed due to the presence of a photon sphere. It is seen, in particular, that the size of shadow of the singularity is considerably smaller than that of a black hole. Our analysis shows that the shadow of this naked singularity is distinguishable from the shadow of a Schwarzschild black hole and the JMN1 naked singularity. These results are useful and important in the context of recent observations of shadow of the M87 galactic center.

Timelike geodesics in naked singularity and black hole spacetimes

In this paper, we derive the solutions of orbit equations for a class of naked singularity spacetimes, and compare these with timelike orbits, that is, particle trajectories in the Schwarzschild black hole spacetime. The Schwarzschild and naked singularity spacetimes considered here can be formed as end state of a spherically symmetric gravitational collapse of a matter cloud. We find and compare the perihelion precession of the particle orbits in the naked singularity spacetime with that of the Schwarzschild black hole. We then discuss different distinguishable physical properties of timelike orbits in the black hole and naked singularity spacetimes and implications are discussed. Several interesting differences follow from our results, including the conclusion that in naked singularity spacetimes, particle bound orbits can precess in the opposite direction of particle motion, which is not possible in Schwarzschild spacetime.