Static Vacuum Solutions Research Articles

Spherically symmetric electrovac spacetimes in conformal Killing gravity

Recently Harada proposed a third-order gravitational theory for the derivatives of the metric. Mantica and Molinari showed that Harada’s theory may be recast into the form of Einstein’s field equations (EFEs) with an additional source term which is a second-order conformal Killing tensor. Accordingly they named the theory conformal Killing gravity. However, they overlooked the fact that all solutions of the new theory (except those satisfying EFEs) admit a non-trivial second-order Killing tensor. Harada derived an analog of the Schwarzschild solution. Recently Tarciso et al obtained a generalization of Harada’s vacuum solution analogous to the Reissner–Nordström solution. However, like Harada they assumed a restricted form for a static spherically symmetric metric. In this study the most general spherically symmetric static vacuum solution of Harada’s theory and its generalization with a Maxwell electromagnetic field as source were obtained. The validity of Birkhoff’s theorem for static spherically symmetric electrovac fields in conformal Killing gravity is investigated.

An exact stationary axisymmetric vacuum solution within a metric-affine bumblebee gravity

Within the framework of the spontaneous Lorentz symmetry breaking (LSB), we consider a metric-affine generalization of the gravitational sector of the Standard Model Extension (SME), including the Lorentz-violating (LV) coefficients u and sμν . In this model, we derive the modified Einstein field equations in order to obtain a new axisymmetric vacuum spinning solution for a particular bumblebee's profile. Such a solution has the remarkable property of incorporating the effects of LSB through the LV dimensionless parameter X = ξb 2, with ξ is the nonminimal coupling constant, and b 2 = bμbμ , with bμ is the vacuum expectation value of the bumblebee field; as the LSB is turned off, X = 0, we recover the well-established result, the Kerr solution, as expected. Afterwards, we calculate the geodesics, the radial acceleration and thermodynamic quantities for this new metric. We also estimate an upper bound for X by using astrophysical data of the advance of Mercury's perihelion.

A new gravitational theory and dark matter problem

We propose a new gravitational theory with torsion based on Riemann–Cartan geometry, in which all physical quantities are dynamical. In addition to the spacetime metric, the gravitational degrees of freedom in this theory also include the torsion and two scalar fields. The energy-momentum tensor of the matter fields in this theory is also proposed. A spherically symmetric static vacuum solution of the theory is obtained. It turns out that this solution can fit the observational data of the rotation curve outside the stellar disk in the Milky Way. Therefore, the galactic dark matter may just be the gravitational effect of the theory with torsion.

Observational tests of 4D double field theory

Although General Relativity (GR) is a very successful theory of gravity, it cannot explain every observational phenomenon. People have tried many kinds of modified gravity theory to explain these phenomena which GR cannot explain very well, such as string theory. In recent years Double Field Theory (DFT) has been an exciting research area in string theory. The most general, spherically symmetric, asymptotically flat, static vacuum solution to D=4\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$D=4$$\\end{document} double field theory has been derived by S.M. Ko, J.H. Park and M. Suh. In this article, we calculate the minor corrections to the three predictions in GR: optical deflation, planet precession and gravitational redshift. These three predictions should be able to tested by observations and find the discrepancies between GR and DFT in the future.

A stationary axisymmetric vacuum solution for pure 2 gravity

The closed-form expression for pure vacuum solution obtained in Phys. Rev. D 107, 104 008 (2023) lends itself to a generalization to axisymmetric setup via the modified Newman–Janis algorithm. We adopt the procedure put forth in Phys. Rev. D 90, 064 041 (2014) bypassing the complexification of the radial coordinate. The procedure presumes the existence of Boyer-Lindquist coordinates. Using the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration results, we model the central black hole M87* by the thus obtained exact rotating metric, depending on the mass, rotation parameter and a third dimensionless parameter. The latter is constrained upon investigating the shadow angular size assuming mass and rotation parameters are those of M87*. Stability is investigated.

Black strings from dark matter

In this paper, we obtain two static black string solutions by considering as sources axisymmetric dark matter (DM) distributions in 3+1 dimensions, in two different scenarios, namely, purely isotropic and radial orbits, which are regulated by two DM parameters. Both solutions tend asymptotically to the usual static and uncharged black string vacuum solution predicted by General Relativity (GR), and each of them presents an event horizon, which is larger than the one corresponding to the vacuum solution, as it is shown. We also show that the presence of DM turns these solutions singular at their symmetry axis. Then, we calculate the Hawking temperatures of these black string horizons and discuss some of their consequences. Unlike what occurs with the static black string vacuum solution, we find that there exists a linear density of mass (or tension) remnant associated with a vanishing Hawking temperature for the solutions under consideration. Thus, we analyze how the presence of DM affects the occurrence of the remnants. Further, we calculate other thermodynamic quantities, namely entropy, heat capacity, and free energy per unit length, showing that thermal phase transitions can occur in the presence of DM. We also analyze the weak (and null) energy conditions and conclude that DM does not behave like an exotic fluid. Finally, the corresponding stationary solutions are obtained, as well as their new tensions as functions of both the mass and angular momentum of the black strings.

Static spherical vacuum solutions in the bumblebee gravity model

The bumblebee gravity model is a vector-tensor theory of gravitation where the vector field nonminimally couples to the Ricci tensor. By investigating the vacuum field equations with spherical symmetry, we find two families of black-hole (BH) solutions in this model: one has a vanishing radial component of the vector field and the other has a vanishing radial component of the Ricci tensor. When the coupling between the vector field and the Ricci tensor is set to zero, the first family becomes the Reissner-Nordstr\"om solution while the second family degenerates to the Schwarzschild solution with the vector field being zero. General numerical solutions in both families are obtained for nonzero coupling between the vector field and the Ricci tensor. Besides BH solutions, we also reveal the existence of solutions that have a nonvanishing $tt$-component of the metric on the supposed event horizon where the $rr$-component of the metric diverges while the curvature scalars are finite. These solutions are not supported by existing observations but present certain properties that are of academic interests. We conclude the study by putting the BH solutions into tests against the Solar-System observations and the images of supermassive BHs.

Take the A-Metric: Interpretations of Some Known Solutions of Einstein’s Vacuum Field Equations

In this work, we present a new interpretation of the only static vacuum solution of Einstein’s field equations with planar symmetry, the Taub solution. This solution is a member of the AIII class of metrics, along with the type D Kasner solution. Various interpretations of these solutions have been put forward previously in the literature, however, some of these interpretations have suspect features and are not generally considered physical. Using a simple mathematical analysis, we show that a novel interpretation of the Taub solution is possible and that it naturally emerges from the radial, near-singularity limit of negative-mass Schwarzschild spacetime. A new, more transparent derivation is also given, showing that the type D Kasner metric can be interpreted as a region of spacetime deep within a positive-mass Schwarzschild black hole. The dual nature of this class of A-metrics is thereby demonstrated.

Zipoy-Voorhees Gravitational Object as a Source of High-Energy Relativistic Particles

The Zipoy-Voorhees solution is known as the γ-metric and/or q-metric being static and axisymmetric vacuum solution of Einstein field equations which becomes strong curvature naked singularity. The metric is characterized by two parameters, namely, the mass M and the dimensionless deformation parameter γ. It is shown that the velocity of test particle orbiting around the central γ-object can reach the speed of light, consequently, the total energy of the particle will be very high for a specific value the deformation parameter of the spacetime. It is also shown that causality problem arises in the interior region of the physical singularity for the specific value of the deformation parameter when test particles can move with superluminal velocity being greater than the speed of light that might be an additional tool for explaining the existence of tachyons for γ>1/2 which are invisible for an observer.

Balancing static vacuum black holes with signed masses in four and five dimensions

We construct a new set of asymptotically flat, static vacuum solutions to the Einstein equations in dimensions 4 and 5, which may be interpreted as a superposition of positive and negative mass black holes. The resulting spacetimes are axisymmetric in 4-dimensions and bi-axisymmetric in 5-dimensions, and are regular away from the negative mass singularities, for instance conical singularities are absent along the axes. In 5-dimensions, the topologies of signed mass black holes used in the construction may be either spheres $S^3$ or rings $S^1 \times S^2$; in particular, the negative mass static black ring solution is introduced. A primary observation that facilitates the superposition is the fact that, in Weyl-Papapetrou coordinates, negative mass singularities arise as overlapping singular support for a particular type of Green's function. Furthermore, a careful analysis of conical singularities along axes is performed, and formulas are obtained for their propagation across horizons, negative mass singularities, and corners. The methods are robust, and may be used to construct a multitude of further examples. Lastly, we show that balancing does not occur between any two signed mass black holes of the type studied here in 4 dimensions, while in 5 dimensions two-body balancing is possible.

Black holes in the scalar-tensor formulation of 4D Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity: Uniqueness of solutions, and a new candidate for dark matter

In this work we study static black holes in the regularized 4D Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory of gravity; a shift-symmetric scalar-tensor theory that belongs to the Horndeski class. This theory features a simple black hole solution that can be written in closed form, and which we show is the unique static, spherically-symmetric and asymptotically-flat black hole vacuum solution of the theory. We further show that no asymptotically-flat, time-dependent, spherically-symmetric perturbations to this geometry are allowed, which suggests that it may be the only spherically-symmetric vacuum solution that this theory admits (a result analogous to Birkhoff's theorem). Finally, we consider the thermodynamic properties of these black holes, and find that their final state after evaporation is a remnant with a size determined by the coupling constant of the theory. We speculate that remnants of this kind from primordial black holes could act as dark matter, and we constrain the parameter space for their formation mass, as well as the coupling constant of the theory.

Geometrically thick tori around compact objects with a quadrupole moment

We study geometrically thick perfect-fluid tori with constant specific angular momentum, so-called ‘Polish doughnuts’, orbiting deformed compact objects with a quadrupole moment. More specifically, we consider two different asymptotically flat, static and axisymmetric vacuum solutions to Einstein’s field equation with a non-zero quadrupole moment, the q-metric and the Erez–Rosen spacetime. It is our main goal to find features of Polish doughnuts in these two spacetimes which qualitatively distinguish them from Polish doughnuts in the Schwarzschild spacetime. As a main result we find that, for both metrics, there is a range of positive (Geroch–Hansen) quadrupole moments which allows for the existence of double tori. If these double tori fill their Roche lobes completely, their meridional cross-section has the shape of a fish, with the body of the fish corresponding to the outer torus and the fish-tail corresponding to the inner torus. Such double tori do not exist in the Schwarzschild spacetime.

Static Spherically Symmetric Black Holes in Weak f(T)-Gravity

With the advent of gravitational wave astronomy and first pictures of the “shadow” of the central black hole of our milky way, theoretical analyses of black holes (and compact objects mimicking them sufficiently closely) have become more important than ever. The near future promises more and more detailed information about the observable black holes and black hole candidates. This information could lead to important advances on constraints on or evidence for modifications of general relativity. More precisely, we are studying the influence of weak teleparallel perturbations on general relativistic vacuum spacetime geometries in spherical symmetry. We find the most general family of spherically symmetric, static vacuum solutions of the theory, which are candidates for describing teleparallel black holes which emerge as perturbations to the Schwarzschild black hole. We compare our findings to results on black hole or static, spherically symmetric solutions in teleparallel gravity discussed in the literature, by comparing the predictions for classical observables such as the photon sphere, the perihelion shift, the light deflection, and the Shapiro delay. On the basis of these observables, we demonstrate that among the solutions we found, there exist spacetime geometries that lead to much weaker bounds on teleparallel gravity than those found earlier. Finally, we move on to a discussion of how the teleparallel perturbations influence the Hawking evaporation in these spacetimes.

Black holes in ultraviolet-complete Hořava gravity

Horava gravity is a proposal for completing general relativity in the ultraviolet by interactions that violate Lorentz invariance at very high energies. We focus on (2+1)-dimensional projectable Horava gravity, a theory which is renormalizable and perturbatively ultraviolet-complete, enjoying an asymptotically free ultraviolet fixed point. Adding a small cosmological constant to regulate the long distance behavior of the metric, we search for all circularly symmetric stationary vacuum solutions with vanishing angular momentum and approaching the de Sitter metric with a possible angle deficit at infinity. We find a two-parameter family of such geometries. Apart from the cosmological de Sitter horizon, these solutions generally contain another Killing horizon and should therefore be interpreted as black holes from the viewpoint of the low-energy theory. Contrary to naive expectations, their central singularity is not resolved by the higher derivative terms present in the action. It is unknown at present if these solutions form as a result of gravitational collapse. The only solution regular everywhere is just the de Sitter metric devoid of any black hole horizon.

New cylindrically symmetric solution of Einstein field equations their conservation laws and the particles dynamics

The study explores the particle dynamics, asymptotic behavior, and flatness in Riemann curvature corresponding to the solutions obtained from the Ricci tensor of cylindrical spacetimes. Since these solutions are non-Minkowskian and are proposed to have curvature in almost all the cases, that is why some cylindrically symmetric static vacuum solutions of Einstein Field Equations have been worked out. We explore the Noether symmetries along with their conservation laws of the corresponding static-spacetime and calculate the equation of motions by taking into account Noether symmetries. We study the dynamics of particle in the form of effective potential, effective force.

5-dimensional space-periodic solutions of the static vacuum Einstein equations

An affirmative answer is given to a conjecture of Myers concerning the existence of 5-dimensional regular static vacuum solutions that balance an infinite number of black holes, which have Kasner asymptotics. A variety of examples are constructed, having different combinations of ring S1 × S2 and sphere S3 cross-sectional horizon topologies. Furthermore, we show the existence of 5-dimensional vacuum solitons with Kasner asymptotics. These are regular static space-periodic vacuum spacetimes devoid of black holes. Consequently, we also obtain new examples of complete Riemannian manifolds of nonnegative Ricci curvature in dimension 4, and zero Ricci curvature in dimension 5, having arbitrarily large as well as infinite second Betti number.

On the Analyticity of Static Solutions of a Field Equation in Finsler Gravity

It is well-known that static vacuum solutions of Einstein equations are analytic in suitable coordinates. We ask here for an extension of this result in the context of Finsler gravity. We consider Finsler spacetimes that retain several properties of static Lorentzian spacetimes, are Berwald and have vanishing Ricci scalar.

Quasinormal modes of generalized black holes: δ-Kerr spacetime

The nonlinear superposition of the -metric and the Kerr metric results in a -Kerr metric that represents a deformed Kerr black hole with , where q > 0 is proportional to the nonrelativistic quadrupole moment of the collapsed configuration. We study this spacetime and determine q+ such that for q, 0 < q < q+ , the outer spacetime singularity remains a null hypersurface. In this case, -Kerr spacetime represents a generalized black hole, namely, an asymptotically flat, stationary and axisymmetric vacuum solution of general relativity for which the outer singularity is a closed null hypersurface. For an approximate variant of -Kerr spacetime characterized by mass M, quadrupole parameter q and angular momentum parameter a, where the latter two parameters are treated to first and second orders of approximation, respectively, we analytically determine the quasinormal mode (QNM) frequencies in the ray approach using the light-ring method as well as in the complementary wave approach for massless scalar field perturbations in the a = 0 limit. The QNM frequencies of -Kerr spacetime turn out to be nearly the same as those of the rotating Hartle–Thorne spacetime.

A complete classification of S1-symmetric static vacuum black holes

In a seminal paper of 1917, Weyl presented a remarkable reduction of the static axisymmetric vacuum Einstein equations, serving as a relatively straightforward technique to generate and explore new solutions. Weyl’s reduction was used by Myers in 1987, and independently by Korotkin–Nicolai in 1994, to construct a new family of static and axisymmetric solutions with compact non-empty horizon, however with non-trivial topology and asymptotically Kasner. This family, together with the Schwarzschild and the Boost families, remained until now as the only known -symmetric static black hole solutions, namely, (metrically complete) -symmetric static vacuum solutions with compact and non-empty horizon. In this article we prove that, indeed, these three families exhaust all the examples of -symmetric static vacuum black holes.

Spherically symmetric static vacuum solutions in hybrid metric-Palatini gravity

We consider vacuum static spherically symmetric solutions in the hybrid metric-Palatini gravity theory, which is a combination of the metric and Palatini $f(R)$ formalisms unifying local constraints at the Solar System level and the late-time cosmic acceleration. We adopt the scalar-tensor representation of the hybrid metric-Palatini theory, in which the scalar-tensor definition of the potential can be represented as a Clairaut differential equation. Due to their mathematical complexity, it is difficult to find exact solutions of the vacuum field equations, and therefore we adopt a numerical approach in studying the behavior of the metric functions and of the scalar field. After reformulating the field equations in a dimensionless form, and by introducing a suitable independent radial coordinate, the field equations are solved numerically. We detect the formation of a black hole from the presence of a singularity in the metric tensor components. Several models, corresponding to different functional forms of the scalar field potential are considered. The thermodynamic properties of these black hole solutions (horizon temperature, specific heat, entropy and evaporation time due to Hawking luminosity) are also investigated in detail.