Quasinormal Mode Frequencies Research Articles

Stability of Cauchy horizon in Einstein–Power–Maxwell–de Sitter black holes

We investigated the Strong Cosmic Censorship (SCC) conjecture in Einstein–Power–Maxwell–de Sitter (EPMdS) black holes by analyzing the quasinormal modes (QNMs) of a massless neutral scalar field perturbation. Using the pseudospectral method, we calculated the QNM frequencies across various cosmological constants and nonlinear electromagnetic parameters. Our results show that for black holes far from extremality, the lowest QNM frequency -Im(ω)/κ-\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$-\ ext {Im} (\\omega )/\\kappa _-$$\\end{document} remains below 1/2. However, as the black holes approach extremality, the lowest mode’s -Im(ω)/κ-\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$-\ ext {Im} (\\omega )/\\kappa _-$$\\end{document} consistently exceeds 1/2, leading to a violation of SCC. Moreover, with a fixed cosmological constant, as the nonlinearity parameter α\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\alpha $$\\end{document} increases, the interval of SCC violation under the charge extremality ratio narrows. Considering that k=1/2+1/α\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$k = 1/2 + 1/\\alpha $$\\end{document} is inversely proportional to α\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\alpha $$\\end{document}, our results indicate that increasing the order k of the non-linear electromagnetic field can effectively mitigate SCC violations.

Scalar Quasi-Normal Modes of a loop quantum black hole

We compute the Quasi-Normal Mode (QNM) frequencies for scalar perturbations for modified Schwarzschild black holes in Loop Quantum Gravity. We study the singularity-free polymerized metric characterized by two parameters encoding loop quantum effects: the minimal area gap a 0 and the polymeric deformation parameter P. We perform numerical computations using Leaver's continued fraction method and compare our results to other semi-analytical methods and existing literature. We study the effects on the QNM spectrum of variation of both deformation parameters and systematically compare to the standard Schwarzschild case. In particular we find that the scalar fundamental mode is modified from the third decimal for values of P in accordance with the most recent astrophysical constraints. We also show that qualitative differences arise for highly damped modes: on the one hand, a new crossing of the imaginary axis occurs for high values of a 0 and, on the other hand, increasing P produces a positive shift of the real part and an increase of the spacing in imaginary part between modes.

Quasinormal Modes and Stability Analysis of Rotating Hairy Black Holes in Asymptotically Flat Spacetime

Abstract Kerr black holes, characterized solely by their mass and angular momentum, are considered the predominant type in the universe. Recent studies, however, suggest that black holes may possess additional parameters, known as “hair”. This paper investigates the quasinormal modes (QNMs) of rotating hairy black holes in asymptotically flat spacetimes using the continued fraction method to analyze their stability. Our results demonstrate that the introduction of hair parameters modifies the QNM frequencies, indicating a nuanced stability profile that reduces to the classical Kerr solution under specific conditions. These findings provide new insights into the dynamic properties of hairy black holes and their potential astrophysical implications.

Ringdown amplitudes of nonspinning eccentric binaries

Closed-form expressions for the ringdown complex amplitudes of nonspinning unequal-mass binaries in arbitrarily eccentric orbits are presented. They are built upon 237 numerical simulations contained within the RIT catalog, through the parameterisation introduced in [Phys. Rev. Lett. 132 (2024) 101401]. Global fits for the complex amplitudes, associated to linear quasinormal mode frequencies of the dominant ringdown modes, are obtained in a factorised form immediately applicable to any existing quasi-circular model. Similarly to merger amplitudes, ringdown ones increase by more than 50% compared to the circular case for high impact parameters (medium eccentricities), while strongly suppressed in the low impact parameter (highly eccentric) limit. Such reduction can be explained by a transition between an “orbital-type” and an “infall-type” dynamics. The amplitudes (phases) fits accuracy lies around a few percent (deciradians) for the majority of the dataset, comparable to the accuracy of current state-of-the-art quasi-circular ringdown models, and well within current statistical errors of current LIGO-Virgo-Kagra ringdown observations. These expressions constitute another building block towards the construction of complete general relativistic inspiral-merger-ringdown semi-analytical templates, and allow to extend numerically-informed spectroscopic analyses beyond the circular limit. Such generalisations are key to achieve accurate inference of compact binaries astrophysical properties, and tame astrophysical systematics within observational investigations of strong-field general relativistic dynamics.

Observable strong field effects of extra spacetime dimension in the braneworld black hole

Inspired by the string theory, the braneworld picture introduces extra dimensions beyond the four that may have observable non-trivial effects in short distance (strong field) gravity experiments. A case in point is the Randall–Sundrum braneworld picture that projects the 5d bulk Weyl tensor onto the 3d brane providing a stress tensor in the effective Einstein field equations on the brane. Dadhich, Maartens, Papadopoulos and Rezania (DMPR) derived an exact braneworld black hole solution of the brane vacuum field equations. The solution formally resembles that of Reissner–Nordström but is physically different from it since the ”tidal charge” Υ in the solution is not the electric charge but an imprint from the fifth dimension allowing both signs in the power law modification ±Υ2r2 to the Schwarzschild metric Υ=0. The corresponding black holes are designated as DMPR±. We study here the effect of Υ on strong field lensing observables and compare in the eikonal limit the ring down quasinormal mode (QNM) frequencies of DMPR− with those of DMPR＋ , the two variants of tidal charge modified Schwarzschild black hole (Υ=0). It turns out that the tidal charge can significantly modify the Schwarzschild lensing observables and QNM frequencies. In particular, we find that the Pretorius–Khurana critical exponent γ of circular null orbits in the DMPR− black hole has a lower value than that for the Schwarzschild black hole, which indicates a stronger Lyapunov instability suggesting that the accretion disks of DMPR− black holes would appear brighter. The case of the SgrA* black hole is considered for a possible constraint on Υ from the EHT observation of its shadow size.

Iterative extraction of overtones from black hole ringdown

Abstract Extraction of multiple quasinormal modes (QNMs) from ringdown gravitational waves emitted from a binary black hole coalescence is a touchstone to test whether a remnant black hole is described by the Kerr spacetime in general relativity. However, it is not straightforward to check the consistency between the ringdown signal and the QNM frequencies predicted by the linear perturbation theory. While the longest-lived mode can be extracted in a stable manner, the higher overtones damp more quickly and hence the fitting of overtones tends to end up with the overfit. To improve the extraction of overtones, we propose an iterative procedure consisting of fitting and subtraction of the longest-lived mode of the ringdown waveform in the time domain. Through the analyses of the mock waveform and numerical relativity waveform, we clarify that the iterative procedure allows us to extract the overtones in a more stable manner.

Axial gravitational quasi-normal modes of spherically symmetric black hole in f(R) gravity and its optical appearance

This paper investigates the axial gravitational perturbations originating from spherically symmetric black holes in f(R) gravity, along with the optical appearance of such a black hole. The aim is to search for evidence of the existence of these black holes in astrophysical observations and thereby test the correctness of the f(R) theory. In literature Kalita and Mukhopadhyay (Eur Phys J C 79:877, 2019), the spherically symmetric black hole metric in f(R) gravity is obtained. By comparing it with the metric for spherically symmetric black holes in general relativity, we find that the modification of gravity due to f(R) can be described in this black hole spacetime using a parameter Cf\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$C_f$$\\end{document}. Next, we study axial gravitational perturbations in this spacetime and successfully derive a decoupled axial perturbation equation. We also discuss the impact of f(R) gravity on the quasi-normal mode frequencies. Additionally, we have also investigated the optical appearance of the black hole. We discuss the impact of the parameter Cf\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$C_f$$\\end{document} on the observable characteristics of the accretion disk. In principle, both of these effects can be observed using gravitational wave detectors and astronomical telescopes.

Causality and quasi-normal modes in the GREFT

The General Relativity Effective Field Theory (GREFT) introduces higher-derivative interactions to parameterise the gravitational effects of massive degrees of freedom which are too heavy to be probed directly. The coefficients of these interactions have recently been constrained using causality: both from the analytic structure of 4-point graviton scattering and the time delay of gravitational waves on a black hole background. In this work, causality is used to constrain the quasi-normal mode spectrum of GREFT black holes. Demanding that quasi-normal mode perturbations decay faster in the GREFT than in General Relativity—a new kind of causality condition which stems from the analytic structure of 2-point functions on a black hole background—leads to further constraints on the GREFT coefficients. The causality constraints and compact expressions for the GREFT quasi-normal mode frequencies presented here will inform future parameterised gravitational waveforms, and the observational prospects for gravitational wave observatories are briefly discussed.

Gravitational decoupling and aerodynamics: black holes and analog gravity in a jet propulsion lab

A connection is established between transonic sound waves propagating along a de Laval nozzle and quasinormal modes emitted from hairy black holes obtained with the gravitational decoupling method applied to the Reissner–Nordström geometry. Aerodynamical features provide an analogue setup to test experimentally perturbations of fluid flows in a de Laval nozzle producing quasinormal modes. In particular, nozzle shape, pressure, Mach number, temperature, density, and thrust coefficient profiles are determined as functions of the black hole parameters for several multipole numbers. The black hole quasinormal mode frequencies are also investigated for different overtones, evaluating the quality factor of the nozzle.

Charge (in)stability and superradiance of Topological Stars

We study linear massive scalar charged perturbations of Topological Stars in the fuzzball and in the black hole (Black String) regimes. The objects that naturally couple to the electric 3-form field strength of these solutions are charged strings, wound around the compact direction. We explore the possibility of instabilities of these solutions, in analogy with the charge instability already highlighted for other non-BPS geometries like JMaRT. This issue is addressed by calculating quasi-normal mode frequencies with a variety of techniques: WKB approximation, direct integration, Leaver method and by exploiting the recently discovered correspondence between black hole/fuzzball perturbation theory and quantum Seiberg-Witten curves. All mode frequencies we find have negative imaginary parts, implying an exponential decay in time. This suggests a linear stability of Topological Stars also in this new scenario. In addition, we study the charge superradiance for the Black String. We compute the amplification factor with the numerical integration method and a quantum Seiberg-Witten motivated definition including instantonic corrections.

Duality between Seiberg-Witten theory and black hole superradiance

The newly established Seiberg-Witten (SW)/Quasinormal Modes (QNM) correspondence offers an efficient analytical approach to calculate the QNM frequencies, which was only available numerically before. This is based on the fact that both sides are characterized by Heun-type equations. We find that a similar duality exists between Seiberg-Witten theory and black hole superradiance, since the latter can also be linked to confluent Heun equation after proper transformation. Then a dictionary is constructed, with the superradiance frequencies written in terms of gauge parameters. Further by instanton counting, and taking care of the boundary conditions through connection formula, the relating frequencies are obtained analytically, which show consistency with known numerical results.

Gravitational probe of ꝗuantum spacetime

A quest for phenomenological footprints of quantum gravity is among the central scientific tasks in the rising era of gravitational wave astronomy. We study gravitational wave dynamics within the noncommutative geometry framework, based on a Drinfeld twist and newly proposed noncommutative Einstein equation, and obtain the leading quantum correction to Regge-Wheeler potential up to first order in the noncommutativity parameter. By calculating the quasinormal mode frequencies we show that the noncommutative Schwarzschild black hole remains stable under axial gravitational perturbations.

Measuring source properties and quasinormal mode frequencies of heavy massive black-hole binaries with LISA

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will be launched in the mid-2030s. It promises to observe the coalescence of massive black-hole (BH) binaries with signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) reaching thousands. Crucially, it will detect some of these binaries with high SNR in both the inspiral and the merger-ringdown stages. Such signals are ideal for tests of general relativity (GR) using information from the whole waveform. Here, we consider astrophysically motivated binary systems at the high-mass end of the population observable by LISA and simulate their signals using the newly developed multipolar effective-one-body model: pSEOBNRv5HM. The merger-ringdown signal in this model depends on the binary properties (masses and spins) and also on parameters that describe fractional deviations from the GR quasinormal mode (complex) frequencies of the remnant BH. Performing full Bayesian analyses, we assess to which accuracy LISA will be able to constrain deviations from GR in the ringdown signal when using information from the whole signal. We find that these deviations can typically be constrained to within 10% and in the best cases to within 1%. We also show that with this model we can measure the binary masses and spins with great accuracy even for very massive BH systems with low SNR in the inspiral. In particular, individual source-frame masses can typically be constrained to within 10% and as precisely as 1%, and individual spins can typically be constrained to within 0.1 and, in the best cases, to within 0.001. We also probe the accuracy of the SEOBNRv5HM waveform family by performing synthetic injections of GR numerical-relativity waveforms. Using a novel method that we develop here to quantify the impact of systematic errors, we show that, already for sources with SNR O(100), we would measure erroneous deviations from GR due to waveform model inaccuracies. One of the main sources of error is the mismodeling of the relative alignment between harmonics. These results confirm the need for improving waveform models to perform tests of GR with binary BHs observed at high SNR by LISA. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Comments on the double cone wormhole

In this paper we revisit the double cone wormhole introduced by Saad, Shenker and Stanford (SSS), which was shown to reproduce the ramp in the spectral form factor. As a first approximation we can say that this solution computes Tr[e−iKT], a trace of the “evolution” operator that generates Schwarzschild time translations on the two sided wormhole geometry. This point of view leads to a simple way to compute the normalization factor of the wormhole. When we have bulk matter fields, SSS suggested using a modified evolution \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\widetilde{K}$$\\end{document} which involves a slightly complex geometry, so that we are really computing \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\ ext{Tr}}\\left[{e}^{-i\\widetilde{K}T}\\right]$$\\end{document}. We argue that, for general black holes, the spectrum of \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\widetilde{K}$$\\end{document} is given by quasinormal mode frequencies. We explain that this reproduces various features that were previously predicted from the spectral form factor on hydrodynamics grounds. We also give a general algebraic construction of the modified boost in terms of operators constructed from half sided modular inclusions. For the special case of JT gravity, we work out the backreaction of matter on the geometry of the double cone and find that it deforms the geometry in an undesirable direction. We finally give some comments on the possible physical interpretation of \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\widetilde{K}$$\\end{document}.

Correlation functions for open strings and chaos

We study the holographic interpretation of the bulk instability, i.e. the bulk Lyapunov exponent in the motion of open classical bosonic strings in AdS black hole/brane/string backgrounds. In the vicinity of homogeneous and isotropic horizons the bulk Lyapunov exponent saturates the MSS chaos bound but in fact has nothing to do with chaos as our string configurations live in an integrable sector. In the D1-D5-p black string background, the bulk Lyapunov exponent is deformed away from the MSS value both by the rotation (the infrared deformation) and the existence of an asymptotically flat region (the ultraviolet deformation). The dynamics is still integrable and has nothing to do with chaos (either in gravity or in field theory). Instead, the bulk Lyapunov scale captures the imaginary part of quasinormal mode frequencies. Therefore, the meaning of the bulk chaos is that it determines the thermal decay rate due to the coupling to the heat bath, i.e. the horizon.

Scalar quasi-normal modes of accelerating Kerr-Newman-AdS black holes

We study linear scalar perturbations of slowly accelerating Kerr-Newman-anti-de Sitter black holes using the method of isomonodromic deformations. The conformally coupled Klein-Gordon equation separates into two second-order ordinary differential equations with five singularities. Nevertheless, the angular equation can be transformed into a Heun equation, for which we provide an asymptotic expansion for the angular eigenvalues in the small acceleration and rotation limit. In the radial case, we recast the boundary value problem in terms of a set of initial conditions for the isomonodromic tau function of Fuchsian systems with five regular singular points. For the sake of illustration, we compute the quasi-normal modes frequencies.

Astrophysical implications of quantum-improved charged black holes: Insights into quantum gravity and black hole phenomena

This study examines the quantum-improved charged black hole and examines the influence of higher-order thermal fluctuations on its corrected energies. The research aims to assess the null geodesics, shadow radius, quasinormal modes, and emission energy of the black hole. Observations are made on the impact of the quantum parameter and charge of the black hole geometry on the Schwarzschild black hole. The location of the event horizon is determined by the physical characteristics, where larger values of the quantum parameter lead to the event horizon being visible only for lower values of charge. The entropy of the black hole exhibits fluctuations for smaller black holes and grows consistently for bigger black holes. The Helmholtz free energy decreases as the quantum parameter decreases and grows monotonically for bigger black holes. The internal energy and enthalpy of the black hole fluctuate depending on the specific parameter choices. The thermodynamic stability of the quantum-improved charged black hole is determined to be greater than that of the quantum-improved Schwarzschild black hole. The photon radius, shadow radius, and real part of the quasinormal modes frequency exhibit a positive correlation with the rise in charge and quantum parameter, however, the size of the imaginary component has a negative correlation. The emission energy rate reaches a maximum value and then decreases. Overall, it is found that the quantum correction parameter greatly effects the physical characteristics of the charged black hole. This research enhances our comprehension of quantum gravity and has ramifications for many astrophysical phenomena related to black holes.

Study of quasinormal modes, greybody factors, and thermodynamics within a regular MOG black hole surrounded by quintessence

In this article, we consider a regular black hole (BH) surrounded by quintessence in the scalar–vector–tensor (S–V–T) version of modified gravity (MOG). We examine the implications of the presence of a quintessence scalar field on astrophysical observable such as quasinormal modes (QNMs), greybody factors (GFs), and thermodynamics. In the vicinity of the MOG BH with quintessence, we calculate the effective potential generated by scalar and electromagnetic field perturbation, and then use the sixth order WKB method to compute the frequencies of the QNMs under these perturbations. We also study the impact of the MOG parameter α\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\alpha $$\\end{document} and the quintessence parameter c on QNM frequencies. Our investigation reveals that the combined effects of α\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\alpha $$\\end{document} and c parameters lead to significant decrease in oscillation frequencies, while the imaginary part generally rises. We then examine the GFs associated with the BH and found that as the model parameters α\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\alpha $$\\end{document} and c increase, GF also increases, and thus less scattering. Additionally, we investigate the thermodynamic quantities and geometries for asymptotically expanded MOG BH. Through heat capacities, Helmholtz and Gibbs free energies, it is observed that this BH shows the stable behavior for various choices of the state parameter of the quintessence ω\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\omega $$\\end{document}. It is also interesting to mentioned here that Weinhold geometry exhibits the repulsive nature and Ruppiener geometry provides the attractive nature of MOG on the particles for most of the choices of ω\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\omega $$\\end{document}.

Quasinormal modes and isospectrality of Bardeen (Anti-) de Sitter black holes* *Supported by the the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province, China (2022JJ40262), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (12375046, 12205254)

Black holes (BHs) exhibiting coordinate singularities but lacking essential singularities throughout the spacetime are referred to as regular black holes (RBHs). The initial formulation of RBHs was presented by Bardeen, who considered the Einstein equation coupled with a nonlinear electromagnetic field. In this study, we investigate the gravitational perturbations, including the axial and polar sectors, of the Bardeen (Anti-) de Sitter black holes. We derive the master equations with source terms for both axial and polar perturbations and subsequently compute the quasinormal modes (QNMs) through numerical methods. For the Bardeen de Sitter black hole, we employ the 6th-order WKB approach. The numerical results reveal that the isospectrality is broken in this case. Conversely, the QNM frequencies are calculated using the HH method for the Bardeen Anti-de Sitter black hole.

Nonlinear quasi-normal modes: uniform approximation

Recent works have suggested that nonlinear (quadratic) effects in black hole perturbation theory may be important for describing a black hole ringdown. We show that the technique of uniform approximations can be used to accurately compute 1) nonlinear amplitudes at large distances in terms of the linear ones, 2) linear (and nonlinear) quasi-normal mode frequencies, 3) the wavefunction for both linear and nonlinear modes. Our method can be seen as a generalization of the WKB approximation, with the advantages of not losing accuracy at large overtone number and not requiring matching conditions. To illustrate the effectiveness of this method we consider a simplified source for the second-order Zerilli equation, which we use to numerically compute the amplitude of nonlinear modes for a range of values of the angular momentum number.