arXiv subjects

Chen Deng

Publications and source records attributed to Chen Deng.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2025

Axial current as the origin of quantum intrinsic orbital angular momentum

We show that the axial current density is the physical origin (generator) of quantum intrinsic orbital angular momentum (IOAM). Without the axial current, the IOAM of particles vanishes. Broadly speaking, we argue that the spiral or interference characteristics of the axial current density determine the occurrence of nonlinear or tunneling effects in any spacetime-dependent quantum systems. Our findings offer a comprehensive theoretical framework that addresses the limitations of Keldysh's ionization theory and provides new insights into the angular momentum properties of quantum systems, particularly in tunneling-dominated regimes. Using Wigner function methods, fermionic generalized two-level model, and Berry phase simulations, we predict that IOAM effect can persist even in pure quantum tunneling processes. These results open the door for experimental verification of IOAM effects in future high-intensity QED experiments, such as those using X-ray free electron lasers.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

OCTOPUS: A Versatile, User-Friendly, and Extensible Public Code for General-Relativistic Ray-Tracing in Spherically Symmetric and Static Spacetimes

This paper presents OCTOPUS, a relativistic ray-tracing algorithm developed within a Fortran-based, OpenMP-accelerated framework, designed for asymptotically flat, spherically symmetric curved spacetimes. The code efficiently and accurately computes key relativistic features -- including the black hole event horizon, photon rings, critical curves, and innermost stable circular orbits -- and simulates black hole shadows, redshift factor distributions, accretion disk images, toroidal images, as well as gravitational lensing, light curves, and gravitational radiation from hot-spots. OCTOPUS provides an automated, modular solution for qualitative studies of black hole observables and multi-messenger correlations between electromagnetic and gravitational signals in curved spacetime. Its implementation requires only the metric potential and its first-, second-, and third-order radial derivatives as input, ensuring low user barriers while remaining highly extensible and adaptable. Using a Schwarzschild black hole surrounded by a Dehnen-type dark matter halo, we thoroughly validate the algorithm's precision, efficiency, and functionality, and investigate how dark matter halo parameters affect observational signatures. Our results demonstrate that increasing the scale and density of the dark matter halo strengthens the spacetime's gravitational field, an effect clearly reflected in black hole images and supported by hot-spot light curve signatures. A future version of OCTOPUS, with expanded capabilities for axisymmetric spacetimes, is planned for release.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Magnetic Reconnection as a Potential Driver of X-ray Variability in Active Galactic Nuclei

We present a systematic analysis on the X-ray variability in 13 bright quasars at z > 4.5, combining recent Swift observations from 2021 to 2023 and archival multi-epoch observations. Upper limits of the luminosity measurements were included in the analysis by using the Kaplan-Meier estimator method. It is found that the high-z quasars exhibit X-ray variability on both short-term (hours-to-days) and intermediate-term (weeks-to-months) timescales, with short-term variability dominating the overall variation. A linear correlation exists between the global mean ($μ_{\mathrm{L_{2-10\,keV}}}$) and standard deviation ($σ_{\mathrm{L_{2-10\,keV}}}$) of X-ray luminosities, which is independent of the X-ray photon index and optical-to-X-ray spectral slope. The localized stochastic magnetic reconnection mechanism is strongly favored, which can naturally lead to a scale-invariant power-law energy distribution and satisfactorily explain the correlation. The $σ$-$μ$ correlation parallels with the well-documented rms-flux relation of low-z active galactic nuclei (AGNs), implying the magnetic reconnection mechanism could drive short-timescale X-ray variability in both high- and low-z AGNs. The highest-z quasar in our sample, J142952+544717 (z = 6.18), shows a luminosity distribution extending to ${10}^{47}\ \rm{erg\ {s}^{-1}}$ with a not conspicuous median luminosity. On the other hand, J143023+420436 (z = 4.7), which hosts the most relativistic jet among known high-z blazars, is dominated in the high-luminosity regime (${10}^{47}\ \rm{erg\ {s}^{-1}}$ ), making it an ideal target for multi-wavelength follow-up observations. J090630+693030 is found to have a rest-frame period of 182.46 days and J143023+420436 has a period of 16.89 days, both could be explained by the global evolution of plasmoid chains, in which magnetic islands formed during reconnection may merge successively.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Light Curves of Chaotic Charged Hot-Spots in Curved Spacetime: Opening an Observational Window to Chaos

The observed scarcity of chaotic phenomena in astronomy contrasts sharply with their theoretical significance, primarily due to the absence of a robust framework for detecting chaos. In this study, we numerically simulate the light curves of hot-spots in Kerr spacetime under the influence of an external asymptotically uniform electromagnetic field. Our results reveal a clear distinction between the light curves of chaotic and regular hot-spots, particularly in their power spectra: the latter display isolated, sharp peaks, while the former exhibit broad, continuous peaks of low amplitude. These findings highlight the potential of using light curves as a probe for chaotic orbits in curved spacetime.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Shadows of three black holes in static equilibrium configuration

In this paper, we employ a ray-tracing algorithm to simulate the shadows of three equal-mass black holes in static equilibrium across a wide parameter space. We find that the shadows consist of a larger primary shadow and several distorted, eyebrow-like secondary shadows. The boundaries of these profiles exhibit self-similar fractal structures, which can be attributed to the photon chaotic scattering. In certain parameter spaces, we also observe the ring-like shadows, with the ring diameter associated with the spacing of black holes. Furthermore, when the black holes approach each other sufficiently, their shadows can merge into a standard disk, suggesting a shadow degeneracy between closely arranged triple black holes and a single massive, spherically symmetric black hole. The shadow features of the triple black holes revealed in this study have potential implications for analyzing the shadow formation mechanisms, as well as the gravitational lensing during the merger and inspiral of black holes.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Spectral Hardening Reveals Afterglow Emergence in Long-Duration Fast X-ray Transients: A Case Study of GRB 250404A/EP250404a

The prompt emission and afterglow phases of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have been extensively studied, yet the transition between these two phases remains inadequately characterized due to limited multiwavelength observational coverage. Among the recent growing samples of fast X-ray transients observed by Einstein Probe (EP), a subgroup of GRBs are captured with long-duration X-ray emission, potentially containing featured evolution from prompt emission to the afterglow phase. In this Letter, we present a detailed analysis of GRB 250404A/EP250404a, a bright fast X-ray transient detected simultaneously by EP and the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor in X-rays and gamma rays. Its continuous X-ray emission reveals a long-duration tail, accompanied by distinct spectral evolution manifested by the spectral index $α_{\rm X}$ with an initial softening, followed by an evident hardening, eventually reaching a plateau at the value of $\sim$ -2. Early optical and near-infrared observations enable broadband modeling with forward- and reverse-shock components, confirming that the X-ray hardening signals the emergence of the external-shock afterglow. From this spectral hardening we infer that the prompt phase in soft X-rays lasted $\sim300\;\mathrm{s}$, which is more than 3 times longer than the gamma-ray $T_{90}$. This well-tracked soft-hard-flat spectral pattern provides a clear indication of afterglow emergence from the fading prompt emission and offers a practical criterion for identifying a distinct population of GRBs among fast X-ray transients, even when the detection of the gamma-ray counterpart or obvious temporal break is absent.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Influence of the external electromagnetic field on the properties of the Novikov-Thorne accretion disk in Kerr spacetime

The Novikov-Thorne accretion disk model is widely employed in astrophysics, yet computing its blackbody spectrum theoretically requires analytical expressions for the orbital parameters -- specific energy, angular momentum, and angular velocity -- of the constituent timelike particles, a task extremely challenging in non-integrable curved spacetimes. In this work, we numerically obtain these orbital parameters for quasi-Keplerian motion in Kerr spacetime with an asymptotically uniform magnetic field using iterative, finite-difference, and interpolation methods, enabling simulations of the disk's energy flux density, temperature, and blackbody spectra across diverse spin parameters, observational inclinations, and magnetic field strengths. We demonstrate that when the magnetic field aligns with the black hole's angular momentum, the disk's radiation positively correlates with field strength, while spectral analysis for our specific black hole mass and accretion rate reveals a conservative detectable threshold of $1.0638 \times 10^{-9}$ T for ambient magnetic fields. This study not only extends the Novikov-Thorne model to non-integrable axisymmetric spacetimes but also establishes the first direct relationship between external magnetic fields and disk properties, providing critical theoretical support for future magnetic environment studies through disk radiation observations.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Novel inner shadows of the Kerr black hole with a tilted thin accretion disk

The inner shadow of a black hole, as a projection of the event horizon, is regarded as a potential tool for testing gravitational theories and constraining system parameters. Whether this holds in the case of a tilted accretion disk warrants further investigation. In this paper, we employ a ray-tracing algorithm to simulate images of the Kerr black hole illuminated by a tilted thin accretion disk, with particular attention to the relationship between the inner shadow and system parameters. Our findings reveal that in the case of an equatorial accretion disk, the Kerr black hole exhibits a minimum inner shadow size of $S_{\textrm{min}} = 13.075$ M$^{2}$, where M denotes the black hole mass. This minimum is achieved when the viewing angle is $0^{\circ}$ and the spin parameter approaches $1$. However, with a non-zero disk tilt, the inner shadow exhibits novel configurations -- taking on petal, crescent, or eyebrow shapes -- significantly smaller than $S_{\textrm{min}}$ across various parameter spaces. This indicates that the inner shadow is highly sensitive to the accretion environment, suggesting that caution is needed when using it as a diagnostic tool for black holes. Notably, an observed inner shadow smaller than $S_{\textrm{min}}$ would either indicate the presence of a tilted accretion disk or support the viability of modified gravity. Moreover, in certain parameter spaces, we identify the emergence of a dual-shadow structure, which could also serve as a probe for the tilted accretion disk.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Softness Ratio of SWIFT Gamma-ray Bursts and Relevant Correlations

The properties of X-ray flashes (XRFs) and X-ray rich gamma-ray bursts (XRRs) as compared with classical gamma-ray bursts (C-GRBs) have been widely discussed during the \emph{Swift} era. It has been proposed that XRFs and XRRs are low-energy extensions of the GRB population so that they should follow similar correlations. To further examine this idea, we collect a sample of $303$ GRBs detected by \emph{Swift} over the past two decades, all of which have reliable redshifts and spectral parameters. The bursts are classified into XRFs, XRRs, and C-GRBs based on their softness ratio (SR), which is calculated by dividing the $25-50$ keV fluence with the $50-100$ keV fluence. A strong correlation is found among the isotropic energy $E_{\mathrm{iso}}$, peak luminosity $L_{\mathrm{p}}$, and rest frame burst duration $T_{90, \mathrm{rest}}$, i.e., $E_{\mathrm{iso}} \propto L_{\mathrm{p}}^{0.88\pm0.02} T_{90, \mathrm{rest}}^{0.58\pm0.02}$. Additionally, two tight three-parameter correlations involving SR and the rest-frame peak energy $E_{\mathrm{p}}$ are also derived, i.e. $E_{\mathrm{p}} \propto E_{\mathrm{iso}}^{0.20\pm0.02} \mathrm{SR}^{-2.27\pm0.15}$ and $E_{\mathrm{p}} \propto L_{\mathrm{p}}^{0.17\pm0.02} \mathrm{SR}^{-2.33\pm0.14}$. It is interesting to note that XRFs, XRRs, and C-GRBs all follow the above correlations. The implications of these correlations and their potential application in cosmology are discussed.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

GRB Timing: Decoding the Hidden Slow Jets in GRB 060729

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are luminous stellar explosions characterized by the ejection of relativistic jets. This work proposes a novel paradigm to study these GRB jets. By analyzing the timing information of prompt pulses and X-ray flares, in conjunction with the multi-wavelength afterglow observations, we identify three distinct jets in the extraordinary GRB 060729, with initial bulk Lorentz factors ranging from approximately 20 to 80, smaller than typical values of $> 100$. These three jets undergo two successive collisions, producing the observed pair of X-ray flares. Following these interactions, the system evolves into a fast, narrow jet and a slower, hollow jet that continues to propagate in the circumburst medium, evidenced by the notable twin bumps observed in the X-ray and optical afterglow of GRB 060729. Our findings demonstrate that the timing of the early emission enables us to measure the velocities of the GRB jets. The proposed paradigm enhances our understanding of jet dynamics and shock interactions and serves as a powerful tool for probing the physics of the central engine with the expanded sample in the current golden era of GRB research.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Generalized quantum two level model and its application in astrophysics

Complicated time-dependent curved spacetime and electric field are involved in many astrophysical situations, including the early universe, Hawking radiation, the Schwinger effect, and gravitational pair production. In this Letter, a generalized quantum two-level model (GQTLM) is developed, which is applicable to arbitrary time-dependent curved spacetime and electric field. The model is found to be consistent with quantum kinetic theory, and is characterized by its simplicity and versatility. The momentum distribution of particles and the effects of gravitational distortions can be correctly described. Quantum properties concerning vortex structures, such as the intrinsic orbital angular momentum of particles and antiparticles can also be conveniently calculated. The model is expected to significantly advance the quantum exploration of the universe. It could refine the prediction of primordial gravitational waves and relevant non-Gaussian signals, extend the calculation of Hawking radiation to general black hole configurations, help to distinguish neutron stars from strange quark stars, and elucidate the gravitational pair production mechanism.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

The Observed Luminosity Correlations of Gamma-Ray Bursts and Their Applications

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are among the most luminous electromagnetic transients in the universe, providing unique insights into extreme astrophysical processes and serving as promising probes for cosmology. Unlike Type Ia supernovae, which have a unified explosion mechanism, GRBs cannot directly act as standard candles for tracing cosmic evolution at high redshifts due to significant uncertainties in their underlying physical origins. Empirical correlations derived from statistical analyses involving various GRB parameters provide valuable information regarding their intrinsic properties. In this brief review, we describe various correlations among GRB parameters involving the prompt and afterglow phases, discussing possible theoretical interpretations behind them. The scarcity of low-redshift GRBs poses a major obstacle to the application of GRB empirical correlations in cosmology, referred to as the circularity problem. We present various efforts aiming at calibrating GRBs to address this challenge and leveraging established empirical correlations to constrain cosmological parameters. The pivotal role of GRB sample quality in advancing cosmological research is underscored. Some correlations that could potentially be utilized as redshift indicators are also introduced.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Mass function of stellar black holes as revealed by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA observations

Ninety gravitational wave events have been detected by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA network and are released in the Gravitational-Wave Transient Catalog. Among these events, 83 cases are definitely binary black hole mergers since the masses of all the objects involved significantly exceed the upper limit of neutron stars. The black holes in these merger events naturally form two interesting samples, a pre-merger sample that includes all the black holes before the mergers and a post-merger sample that consists of the black holes generated during the merging processes. The former represents black holes that once existed in the Universe, while the latter represents newly born black holes. Here we present a statistical analysis on these two samples. The non-parametric $τ$ statistic method is adopted to correct for the observational selection effect. The Lynden-Bell's $C^{-}$ method is further applied to derive the mass distribution and density function of black holes. It is found that the mass distribution can be expressed as a broken power-law function. More interestingly, the power-law index in the high mass region is comparable for the two samples. The number density of black holes is found to depend on redshift as $ρ(z) \propto z^{-2.06}$ -- $z^{-2.12}$ based on the two samples. Implications of these findings on the origin of black holes are discussed.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

Observational features of deformed Schwarzschild black holes illuminated by an anisotropic accretion disk

The projection effect of an anisotropic accretion disk causes its electromagnetic radiation to depend on the emission angle. Although this dependency has the potential to influence the observational characteristics of black holes, it has not received sufficient attention. In this paper, we employ a relativistic ray-tracing algorithm to numerically simulate 86 GHz and 230 GHz images of deformed Schwarzschild black holes illuminated by an equatorial anisotropic accretion disk, aiming to reveal the observational signatures of the target black hole and the impact of the projection effect on the images. The study demonstrates that while the introduction of the projection effect does not alter the profiles of the black hole's inner shadow and critical curve, it significantly suppresses the specific intensity of light rays, particularly in direct emission, thereby reducing image brightness. The extent of this reduction depends on both the observation inclination and frequency. This phenomenon aids in the extraction of geometric information from higher-order subrings in the image. Furthermore, we find that increasing the deformation parameter enhances the brightness of the deformed Schwarzschild black hole image, accompanied by a reduction in the size of the critical curve and inner shadow. This relationship establishes a connection between the intrinsic properties of deformed Schwarzschild black holes and their observational characteristics, providing a reliable tool for testing the no-hair theorem and gravitational theories. Specifically, we propose a novel method for constraining parameters based on the silhouette of the inner shadow, which holds promise for extension to any spherically symmetric black hole in other gravitational theories.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

On the dynamical evolution of the asteroid belt in a massive star-neutron star binary

Some fast radio bursts (FRBs) exhibit repetitive behaviors and their origins remain enigmatic. It has been argued that repeating FRBs could be produced by the interaction between a neutron star and an asteroid belt. Here we consider the systems in which an asteroid belt dwells around a massive star, while a neutron star, as a companion of the massive star, interacts with the belt through gravitational force. Various orbital configurations are assumed for the system. Direct N-body simulations are performed to investigate the dynamical evolution of the asteroids belt. It is found that a larger orbital eccentricity of the neutron star will destroy the belt more quickly, with a large number of asteroids being scattered out of the system. A low inclination not only suppresses the collisions but also inhibits the ejection rate at early stages. However, highly inclined systems may undergo strong oscillations, resulting in the Kozai--Lidov instabilities. Among the various configurations, a clear periodicity is observed in the collision events for the case with an orbital eccentricity of 0.7 and mutual inclination of $0^{\circ}$. It is found that such a periodicity can be sustained for at least 8 neutron star orbital periods, supporting this mechanism as a possible explanation for periodically repeating FRBs. Our studies also suggest that the active stage of these kinds of FRB sources should be limited, since the asteroid belt would finally be destroyed by the neutron star after multiple passages.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Towards Activated Muscle Group Estimation in the Wild

In this paper, we tackle the new task of video-based Activated Muscle Group Estimation (AMGE) aiming at identifying active muscle regions during physical activity in the wild. To this intent, we provide the MuscleMap dataset featuring >15K video clips with 135 different activities and 20 labeled muscle groups. This dataset opens the vistas to multiple video-based applications in sports and rehabilitation medicine under flexible environment constraints. The proposed MuscleMap dataset is constructed with YouTube videos, specifically targeting High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) physical exercise in the wild. To make the AMGE model applicable in real-life situations, it is crucial to ensure that the model can generalize well to numerous types of physical activities not present during training and involving new combinations of activated muscles. To achieve this, our benchmark also covers an evaluation setting where the model is exposed to activity types excluded from the training set. Our experiments reveal that the generalizability of existing architectures adapted for the AMGE task remains a challenge. Therefore, we also propose a new approach, TransM3E, which employs a multi-modality feature fusion mechanism between both the video transformer model and the skeleton-based graph convolution model with novel cross-modal knowledge distillation executed on multi-classification tokens. The proposed method surpasses all popular video classification models when dealing with both, previously seen and new types of physical activities. The database and code can be found at https://github.com/KPeng9510/MuscleMap.

cs.CV↗

arXiv2024

Influences of tilted thin accretion disks on the observational appearance of hairy black holes in Horndeski gravity

Research on the observational appearance of black holes, both in general relativity and modified gravity, has been in full swing since the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration announced photos of M87$^{*}$ and Sagittarius A$^{*}$. Nevertheless, limited attention has been given to the impact of tilted accretion disks on black hole images. This paper investigates the $230$ GHz images of non-rotating hairy black holes illuminated by tilted, thin accretion disks in Horndeski gravity with the aid of a ray tracing method. The results indicate that reducing the scalar hair parameter effectively diminishes image luminosity and extends both the critical curve and the inner shadow. This trend facilitates the differentiation between hairy black holes and Schwarzschild black holes, especially in certain parameter spaces where the current Event Horizon Telescope array is capable of capturing such variations. Furthermore, we observe that the inclination of the tilted accretion disk can mimic the observation angle, consequently affecting image brightness and the morphology of the inner shadow. In specific parameter spaces, alterations in the tilt or position of the accretion disk can lead to a drift in the light spot within the images of hairy black holes. This finding may establish a potential correlation between the precession of the tilted accretion disk and image features. Additionally, through an examination of images depicting hairy black holes surrounded by two thin accretion disks, we report the obscuring effect of the accretion environment on the inner shadow of the black hole.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2022

Pseudo Redshifts of Gamma-Ray Bursts Derived from the L-T-E Correlation

The X-ray afterglow of many gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) exhibits a plateau phase before the normal power-law decay stage, which may be related to continued activities of the central engine. Tang et al. 2019 collected 174 such GRBs and confirmed the so called $L-T-E$ correlation which involves three key parameters, i.e., the isotropic $γ$-ray energy $E_{γ,\rm iso}$ of the prompt phase, the end time $T_{a}$ of the plateau phase and the corresponding X-ray luminosity $L_{X}$. In this study, the $L-T-E$ correlation is confirmed and updated as $L_{X} \propto T_{a}^{-0.99} E_{γ,\rm iso}^{0.86}$ with a large sample consisting of 210 plateau GRBs with known redshifts. The tight correlation is then applied to derive the pseudo redshift of other 130 plateau GRBs whose redshifts are not directly measured. Statistical analysis is also carried out on this pseudo redshift sample.

astro-ph.HE↗