Maluf, R. V., Mora-Perez, G., Olmo, G. J., & Rubiera-Garcia, D. (2024). Nonsingular, Lump-like, Scalar Compact Objects in (2+1)-Dimensional Einstein Gravity. Universe, 10(6), 258–13pp.
Abstract: We study the space-time geometry generated by coupling a free scalar field with a noncanonical kinetic term to general relativity in (2+1) dimensions. After identifying a family of scalar Lagrangians that yield exact analytical solutions in static and circularly symmetric scenarios, we classify the various types of solutions and focus on a branch that yields asymptotically flat geometries. We show that the solutions within such a branch can be divided in two types, namely naked singularities and nonsingular objects without a center. In the latter, the energy density is localized around a maximum and vanishes only at infinity and at an inner boundary. This boundary has vanishing curvatures and cannot be reached by any time-like or null geodesic in finite affine time. This allows us to consistently interpret such solutions as nonsingular, lump-like, static compact scalar objects whose eventual extension to the (3+1)-dimensional context could provide structures of astrophysical interest.
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Magalhaes, R. B., Ribeiro, G. P., Lima, H. C. D. J., Olmo, G. J., & Crispino, L. C. B. (2024). Singular space-times with bounded algebraic curvature scalars. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 05(5), 114–34pp.
Abstract: We show that the absence of unbounded algebraic curvature invariants constructed from polynomials of the Riemann tensor cannot guarantee the absence of strong singularities. As a consequence, it is not sufficient to rely solely on the analysis of such scalars to assess the regularity of a given space-time. This conclusion follows from the analysis of incomplete geodesics within the internal region of asymmetric wormholes supported by scalar matter which arise in two distinct metric-affine gravity theories. These wormholes have bounded algebraic curvature scalars everywhere, which highlights that their finiteness does not prevent the emergence of pathologies (singularities) in the geodesic structure of space-time. By analyzing the tidal forces in the internal wormhole region, we find that the angular components are unbounded along incomplete radial time-like geodesics. The strength of the singularity is determined by the evolution of Jacobi fields along such geodesics, finding that it is of strong type, as volume elements are torn apart as the singularity is approached. Lastly, and for completeness, we consider the wormhole of the quadratic Palatini theory and present an analysis of the tidal forces in the entire space-time.
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Castillo-Felisola, O., Grez, B., Olmo, G. J., Orellana, O., & Perdiguero Garate, J. (2024). Cosmological solutions in polynomial affine gravity with torsion. Eur. Phys. J. C, 84(9), 900–12pp.
Abstract: The Polynomial Affine Gravity is an alternative gravitational model, where the interactions are mediated solely by the affine connection, instead of the metric tensor. In this paper, we explore the space of solutions to the field equations when the torsion fields are turned on, in a homogeneous and isotropic (cosmological) scenario. We explore various metric structures that emerge in the space of solutions.
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Magalhaes, R. B., Maso-Ferrando, A. S., Bombacigno, F., Olmo, G. J., & Crispino, L. C. B. (2024). Echoes from bounded universes. Phys. Rev. D, 110(4), 044058–21pp.
Abstract: We construct a general class of modified Ellis-Bronnikov wormholes, where one asymptotic Minkowski region is replaced by a bounded 2-sphere core, characterized by an asymptotic finite areal radius. We pursue an in-depth analysis of the resulting geometry, outlining that geodesic completeness is also guaranteed when the area function asymptotically shrinks to zero. Moreover, we perform an analysis of the circular orbits present in our model and conclude that stable circular orbits are allowed in the bounded region. As a consequence, a stable light ring may exist in the inner region and trapped orbits may appear within this bounded region. Such internal structure suggests that the bounded region can trap perturbations. Then, we study the evolution of scalar perturbations, bringing out how these geometric configurations can in principle affect the time-domain profiles of quasinormal modes, pointing out the distinctive features with respect to other black hole or wormhole geometries.
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Batool, A., Malik Sultan, A., Olmo, G. J., & Rubiera-Garcia, D. (2024). Stellar structure in f(R,T) gravity: Some exact solutions. Phys. Rev. D, 110(6), 064059–6pp.
Abstract: We find some exact solutions for constant-density and quark matter equations of state in stellar structure models framed within the f(R, T) = R + lambda(KT)-T-2 theory of gravity, where R is the curvature scalar, T the trace of the stress-energy tensor, and lambda some constant. These solutions correspond to specific values of the constant lambda and represent different compactness states of the corresponding stars, though only those made of quark matter can be regarded as physical. The latter modify the compactness (Buchdahl) limit of neutron stars upward for lambda > 0 until saturating the one of black holes. Our results show that it is possible to find useful insights on stellar structure in this class of theories, a fact that could be used for obtaining constraints on limiting masses such as the minimum hydrogen burning mass.
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Mora-Perez, G., Olmo, G. J., Rubiera-Garcia, D., & Saez-Chillon Gomez, D. (2024). Boundary terms and on-shell action in Ricci-based gravity theories: The Hamiltonian formulation. Phys. Rev. D, 110(8), 084051–11pp.
Abstract: Considering the so-called Ricci-based gravity theories, a family of extensions of general relativity whose action is given by a nonlinear function of contractions and products of the (symmetric part of the) Ricci tensor of an independent connection, the Hamiltonian formulation of the theory is obtained. To do so, the independent connection is decomposed in two parts, one compatible with a metric tensor and the other one given by a 3-rank tensor. Subsequently, the Riemann tensor is expressed in terms of its projected components onto a hypersurface, allowing one to construct the 3 & thorn; 1 decomposition of the theory and the corresponding Gauss-Codazzi relations, where the boundary terms naturally arise in the gravitational action. Finally, the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner (ADM) decomposition is followed in order to construct the corresponding Hamiltonian and the ADM energy for any Ricci-based gravity theory. The formalism is applied to the simple case of Schwarzschild spacetime.
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Almeida, C. A. S., Lima, F. C. E., Mishra, S. S., Olmo, G. J., & Sahoo, P. K. (2024). Thick brane in mimetic-like gravity. Nucl. Phys. B, 1009, 116747–9pp.
Abstract: We analyze a five-dimensional braneworld governed by a mimetic-like gravity, a plausible candidate for explaining dark matter. Within this scenario, we examine Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) branes and find that constant curvature and Minkowskian solutions are possible. We then show that the mimetic model leads to kink-like and lump-like thick brane solutions without the need for spontaneous symmetry breaking. Its stability against small perturbations is also verified.
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Maso-Ferrando, A., Sanchis-Gual, N., Font, J. A., & Olmo, G. J. (2023). Birth of baby universes from gravitational collapse in a modified-gravity scenario. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 06(6), 028–19pp.
Abstract: We consider equilibrium models of spherical boson stars in Palatini f (R) = R + CR2 gravity and study their collapse when perturbed. The Einstein-Klein-Gordon system is solved using a recently established correspondence in an Einstein frame representation. We find that, in that frame, the endpoint is a nonrotating black hole surrounded by a quasi -stationary cloud of scalar field. However, the dynamics in the f (R) frame is dramatically different. The innermost region of the collapsing object exhibits the formation of a finite -size, exponentially-expanding baby universe connected with the outer (parent) universe via a minimal area surface (a throat or umbilical cord). Our simulations indicate that this surface is at all times hidden inside a horizon, causally disconnecting the baby universe from observers above the horizon. The implications of our findings in other areas of gravitational physics are also discussed.
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Delhom, A., Olmo, G. J., & Singh, P. (2023). A diffeomorphism invariant family of metric-affine actions for loop cosmologies. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 06(6), 059–21pp.
Abstract: In loop quantum cosmology (LQC) the big bang singularity is generically resolved by a big bounce. This feature holds even when modified quantization prescriptions of the Hamiltonian constraint are used such as in mLQC-I and mLQC-II. While the later describes an effective description qualitatively similar to that of standard LQC, the former describes an asymmetric evolution with an emergent Planckian de-Sitter pre-bounce phase even in the absence of a potential. We consider the potential relation of these canonically quantized non-singular models with effective actions based on a geometric description. We find a 3-parameter family of metric-affine f (R) theories which accurately approximate the effective dynamics of LQC and mLQC-II in all regimes and mLQC-I in the post-bounce phase. Two of the parameters are fixed by enforcing equivalence at the bounce, and the background evolution of the relevant observables can be fitted with only one free parameter. It is seen that the non-perturbative effects of these loop cosmologies are universally encoded by a logarithmic correction that only depends on the bounce curvature of the model. In addition, we find that the best fit value of the free parameter can be very approximately written in terms of fundamental parameters of the underlying quantum description for the three models. The values of the best fits can be written in terms of the bounce density in a simple manner, and the values for each model are related to one another by a proportionality relation involving only the Barbero-Immirzi parameter.
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Olmo, G. J., Rosa, J. L., Rubiera-Garcia, D., & Saez-Chillon Gomez, D. (2023). Shadows and photon rings of regular black holes and geonic horizonless compact objects. Class. Quantum Gravity, 40(17), 174002–37pp.
Abstract: The optical appearance of a body compact enough to feature an unstable bound orbit, when surrounded by an accretion disk, is expected to be dominated by a luminous ring of radiation enclosing a central brightness depression typically known as the shadow. Despite observational limitations, the rough details of this picture have been now confirmed by the results of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration on the imaging of the M87 and Milky Way supermassive central objects. However, the precise characterization of both features-ring and shadow-depends on the interaction between the background geometry and the accretion disk, thus being a fertile playground to test our theories on the nature of compact objects and the gravitational field itself in the strong-field regime. In this work we use both features in order to test a continuous family of solutions interpolating between regular black holes and horizonless compact objects, which arise within the Eddington-inspired Born-Infeld theory of gravity, a viable extension of Einstein's general relativity (GR). To this end we consider seven distinctive classes of such configurations (five black holes and two traversable wormholes) and study their optical appearances under illumination by a geometrically and optically thin accretion disk, emitting monochromatically with three analytic intensity profiles previously suggested in the literature. We build such images and consider the sub-ring structure created by light rays crossing the disk more than once and existing on top of the main ring of radiation. We discuss in detail the modifications as compared to their GR counterparts, the Lyapunov exponents of unstable nearly-bound orbits, as well as the differences between black hole and traversable wormholes for the three intensity profiles. In addition we use the claim by the EHT Collaboration on the radius of the bright ring acting (under proper calibrations) as a proxy for the radius of the shadow itself to explore the parameter space of our solutions compatible with such a result.
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