arXiv subjects

Eduardo Bittencourt

Publications and source records attributed to Eduardo Bittencourt.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Scalar Laplace-Beltrami harmonics and curvature-induced radial mode mixing in Friedmann-like cosmologies

We develop a harmonic framework for spherically symmetric Friedmann-like geometries with constant scalar curvature but non-zero trace-free Ricci curvature. This preserves Friedmann-type isotropic expansion while introducing a radially varying tidal field and supporting anisotropic stress. We formulate the scalar Laplace-Beltrami operator as a Sturm-Liouville problem and establish its self-adjoint domains and regularity at minimal spheres. Robertson-Walker harmonics are recovered in the maximally symmetric limit. Trace-free curvature terms are expressed as spectral projection kernels. Rotational symmetry preserves angular labels and parity, while the tidal profile couples different radial eigenmodes. A finite-shell calculation displays this off-diagonal structure, verifies consistency between radial representations, and confirms the expected weak-field scaling. A minimally coupled scalar field remains diagonal in the exact basis, indicating operator-dependent mixing rather than mixing solely due to inhomogeneity. We formulate transverse-traceless kernels, whose dynamical application requires a specified model for the supporting anisotropic matter. This converts curvature-induced mode mixing into a spectral problem for perturbations beyond maximally symmetric cosmologies.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Covariant Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equations in Energy-Momentum Squared Gravity

We study static, spherically symmetric stellar configurations in an extended class of Energy--Momentum Squared Gravity using the covariant $1+1+2$ semi-tetrad formalism. For perfect physical fluids, we show that the nonlinear matter corrections can be reinterpreted as an effective perfect fluid, so that the stellar equilibrium equations retain the standard Tolman--Oppenheimer--Volkoff form when written in terms of effective variables. The resulting covariant structure equations are formulated in both metric and dimensionless variables and, whenever an effective closure relation exists, reduce to an autonomous planar dynamical system. This provides a global qualitative description of the stellar phase space in terms of finite and asymptotic critical points. Specializing to linear physical equations of state, we recover the general relativistic benchmark and identify sectors that are exactly, asymptotically, or piecewise equivalent to general relativity, as well as sectors -- particularly dust configurations -- for which the planar reduction breaks down and the full three-dimensional covariant flow must be considered. We further recover the standard metric Tolman--Oppenheimer--Volkoff equation in terms of effective variables and show that, although the exterior spacetime remains Schwarzschild, the natural matching condition at the stellar surface is $p_{\rm eff}(R)=0$, which need not coincide with $p(R)=0$ for self-bound matter.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Cosmological perturbations in Energy-Momentum Squared Gravity

We present a fully covariant and gauge-invariant analysis of linear cosmological perturbations in Energy-Momentum Squared Gravity. Working within the 1+3 formalism, we derive the exact propagation equations for scalar, vector, and tensor modes on FLRW backgrounds, in the case of radiation and dust. Two representative subclasses are examined in detail, in which non-linearity enters through $\mathcal{O}(ηρ^2)$ corrections or modifications in the equation-of-state parameter and the sound speed. For scalar perturbations, the density contrast can be enhanced or reduced relative to General Relativity, depending on the coupling parameter and the wavelength regime. A similar behaviour occurs for vector modes, allowing for a non-trivial vorticity at early-times. Tensor modes, described by the magnetic part of the Weyl tensor and the shear tensor propagate as damped waves with slowly varying effective masses. All sectors reduce continuously to their GR limits as $η\!\to\!0$. The framework isolates robust signatures - early-time scalar tilts, tensor damping shifts, and altered vorticity decay - that can be confronted with CMB and large-scale-structure observations to constrain these theories of gravity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Covariant Dynamical Systems Formulation of the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff Equations

We revisit static, spherically symmetric perfect-fluid stellar models in General Relativity within the framework of the $1+1+2$ semi-tetrad formalism. For locally rotationally symmetric static spacetimes, the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff system can be expressed as a covariant first-order dynamical system and, after suitable normalization, reformulated as a three-dimensional autonomous flow for a general equation of state (EoS). In the case of a linear EoS, the system reduces further to a planar dynamical system whose finite and asymptotic equilibrium points, together with their stability properties, admit a clear geometrical interpretation in terms of covariant variables. For more general equations of state, such as the polytropic case, the dynamics naturally acquire a genuinely three-dimensional character. Beyond providing a compact, covariant, and physically transparent reformulation of the relativistic stellar problem, the present analysis clarifies how the standard metric description is encoded within a global phase-space structure constructed from geometrically meaningful covariant variables.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Nonlinear electrodynamics in magnetars: systematic effects on radius constraints and timing analysis

Magnetars are among the most extreme laboratories in the universe, harboring surface magnetic fields reaching $10^{15}$~G. At these supercritical scales, Maxwell's linear electrodynamics is superseded by Nonlinear Electrodynamics (NLED). While vacuum birefringence has provided initial observational evidence for these effects, its broader impact on photon propagation remains largely unexplored. In this work, we demonstrate that NLED significantly alters photon propagation in the vicinity of magnetars, deviating light from standard null-geodesics. We estimate that neglecting these corrections leads to relative errors in inferred stellar radii by means of ray-tracing techniques of approximately $10\%$. Furthermore, we find that NLED induces a systematic minimal travel-time delay of approximately $350~n$s, a value that already far exceeds the $100$~ns temporal resolution of missions like NICER. These results are critical for the interpretation of X-ray pulse profiles from current and future observatories, such as eXTP, which rely on high-precision light-bending and timing models to determine neutron-star masses and radii. Finally, our results underscore the role of magnetars as a vital window into the physics of superdense matter and supercritical fields, and we briefly highlight other astrophysical observables--such as glitches and antiglitches--that may be affected by NLED.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Propagation-based classification of linear magnetoelectric response in dielectrics

We study electromagnetic wave propagation in homogeneous dielectrics endowed with a linear magnetoelectric (ME) response in the geometric-optics regime. Assuming isotropic permittivity and permeability while keeping a generic $3\times 3$ ME matrix $α_{ij}$, we derive the eikonal (Fresnel) eigenvalue problem for the polarization vector and obtain a compact quartic dispersion relation for the normalized phase speed $r=v/v_d$, where $v_d=(μ\varepsilon)^{-1/2}$ is the phase speed of the underlying dielectric. We then classify the propagation effects of $α_{ij}$ by decomposing it into trace, symmetric-traceless, and antisymmetric sectors. We show that (i) the pure-trace sector is propagation-silent at leading geometric-optics order; (ii) the antisymmetric sector yields a factorized quartic and produces two branches with closed-form phase speeds, including regimes where $|v|>v_d$; and (iii) the symmetric-traceless sector encodes the richest directional dependence through algebraic invariants that control the Fresnel wave surface and polarization mixing. Finally, we discuss how the predicted phase-speed shifts can be accessed by phase-sensitive transmission and resonant techniques, and we outline numerical workflows to validate the analytic dispersion and map polarization signatures in bulk and finite geometries.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Metric-Induced Principal Symbols in Nonlinear Electrodynamics

We present a geometrical formulation of nonlinear electrodynamics by expressing its principal symbol as an optical metric-induced object. Under the assumption of no birefringence, we show that the evolution of linear perturbations can be recast as a covariant divergence on a curved, field-dependent background, enabling the application of quantum field theory techniques as in Maxwell's theory in curved backgrounds. This geometric reformulation opens a new route for analogue models potentially implementable in laboratory via tailored nonlinear metamaterials.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Qualitative analysis of a quasi-magnetic universe

We investigate the cosmological dynamics induced by nonlinear electrodynamics in a homogeneous and isotropic universe, focusing on the role of primordial electromagnetic fields with random spatial orientations. Building upon a generalization of the Tolman-Ehrenfest averaging procedure, we derive a modified energy-momentum tensor consistent with the spacetime symmetries, incorporating the influence of the dual invariant G and its statistical contributions. A specific nonlinear electrodynamics model with quadratic corrections to Maxwell's Lagrangian is considered, giving rise to what we define as a quasi-magnetic universe, interpolating between purely magnetic and statistically null field configurations. We analyze the resulting cosmological dynamics through qualitative methods. By casting the equations into autonomous dynamical systems, we identify the equilibrium points, determine their stability, and study the behavior of solutions under various spatial curvatures. Our findings reveal the existence of bouncing and cyclic solutions, regions where energy conditions are violated, and scenarios of accelerated expansion. Special attention is given to two limiting cases, both of which exhibit qualitatively distinct phase portraits and energy-condition behavior. This work provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the influence of nonlinear electromagnetic fields in the early universe and opens avenues for exploring their observational consequences

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

Mimicking a rotating black hole with nonlinear electrodynamics

We exhibit the first analogue model of a rotating black hole constructed in the framework of nonlinear electrodynamics. The background electromagnetic field is assumed to be algebraically special and adapted to a geodesic shear-free congruence of null rays in Minkowski spacetime, the Kerr congruence. The corresponding optical metric has a Kerr-Schild form and, it is shown to be characterized by three parameters, thus predicting the existence of an ergosurface, a horizon, and a slice identical to one also present in the Kerr metric.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

Constraints on polynomial inflation under power-law perturbations

We investigate perturbations in power-law monomial potentials within inflationary models driven by a single scalar field. By introducing a second term to the original potential, we study how this perturbation influences the slow-roll parameters and analyze the consequent changes in the spectral index, $n_s$, and the tensor-to-scalar ratio, $r$, treating the additional term as a correction to the monomial case. Comparing our numerical results with current cosmological data from the Planck satellite observations on $n_s$, $r$, and the clustering parameter, $σ_8$, we place significant constraints on the free parameter of our class of inflationary potentials. We found that the perturbative consistency method we analyze could be an interesting test to explore for more complex inflationary models, looking for features that better match the data that might highlight fundamental physics implications.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

Photon traps in nonlinear electrodynamics

We demonstrate the existence of photon traps within the framework of nonlinear electrodynamics. The trapping mechanism is based on the fact that, for null background fields, the optical metric reduces to the Kerr-Schild form, which plays a prominent role in the context of black hole physics. We then construct explicit examples where photons are confined in a region of spacetime, such that a distant observer cannot interact with them. Finally, we argue that the trapping scheme is quite universal, being entirely compatible with causality, energy conditions, and hyperbolicity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2023

Feasibility of singularity avoidance for a collapsing object due to a scalar field

We study the problem of the gravitational collapse of an object as seen by an external observer. We assume that the resultant spacetime is a match of an external Vaidya spacetime with an interior Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FRLW) spacetime of any spatial curvature and with a scalar field both minimally and non-minimally coupled to the metric. With the goal of studying a contracting (collapsing) object, for the initial moment of observation we take that its energy density and pressure are positive, that there are no trapping surfaces, and that the null energy condition (NEC) and the strong energy condition (SEC) are fulfilled. We show that there are many cases where singularities could be avoided for both the minimal and non-minimal couplings, although the contexts for so are very different in both cases. For the minimal coupling, the avoidance of singularities could happen either through evaporation or altogether, triggered by a violation of the SEC for a period of time. For the non-minimal coupling, the complete singularity avoidance happens only if evaporation takes place, and a temporary violation of the SEC does not thwart the formation of singularities. The above results show the relevance of the global (the whole spacetime) validity of energy conditions for the singularity theorems to be applicable; otherwise, the fate of a collapsing star is not known a priori. At the same time, the surface behavior of a collapsing body offers partial diagnostics of what happens in the inaccessible regions of spacetime to external observers. Our analyses suggest that a bounce behavior of the surface of the initially collapsing object is a fingerprint of the SEC violation in its interior, and that could be due to the existence of scalar fields there.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2023

From disformal electrodynamics to exotic spacetime singularities

We study different types of spacetime singularities which emerge in the context of disformal electrodynamics. The latter is characterized by transformations of the background metric which preserve regular (non-null) solutions of Maxwell equations in vacuum. Restricting ourselves to the case of electrostatic fields created by charged point particles along a line, we show that exotic types of singularities arise.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2022

Light propagation in (2+1)-dimensional electrodynamics: the case of linear constitutive laws

In this paper, we turn our attention to light propagation in three-dimensional electrodynamics. More specifically, we investigate the behavior of light rays in a continuous bi-dimensional hypothetical medium living in a three-dimensional ambient spacetime. Relying on a fully covariant approach, we assume that the medium is endowed with a local and linear response tensor which maps field strengths into excitations. In the geometric optics limit, we then obtain the corresponding Fresnel equation and, using well-known results from algebraic geometry, we derive the effective optical metric.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2022

Light propagation in (2+1)-dimensional electrodynamics: the case of nonlinear constitutive laws

We scrutinize the geometrical properties of light propagation inside a nonlinear medium modeled by a fully covariant electromagnetic theory in $2+1$-dimensions. After setting the nonlinear constitutive relations, the phase velocity and the polarization of waves are derived and three special cases are analyzed in details. In spite of the dimensional reduction, our model still presents phenomena like one-way propagation, controlled opacity among others for a large class of dielectric and magneto-electric parameters.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

On the intrinsically flat cosmological models in a lattice

In this manuscript we investigate the intrinsically flat (space-flat) spacetimes as viable cosmological models. We show that they have a natural geometric structure which is suitable to describe inhomogeneous matter distributions forming a periodic pattern throughout the space. We prove theorems for their local representation and for existence and uniqueness of the Einstein's equations with these periodic boundary conditions. We also find an interesting class of exact solutions, which illustrates the applicability of such spacetimes in cosmology, with an early time behavior close to homogeneity and isotropy and a late time aspect with peaks and voids in the matter distribution.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2021

Interference effects and modified Born rule in the presence of torsion

The propagation of nonrelativistic excitations in material media with topological defects can be modeled in terms of an external torsion field modifying the Schroedinger equation. Through a perturbative approach, we find a solution for the wave function which gives corrections in the interference patterns of the order of 0.1 Angstrom, for a possible experimental setup at atomic scales. Finally, we demonstrate how this geometric, but effective, approach can indeed accommodate a probabilistic interpretation of the wave function although the perturbative theory is nonunitary.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Spherical symmetry and nonmagnetic dielectrics in analogue models of gravity

Nonmagnetic and spherically symmetric dielectric material media are investigated in their generality as analogue models, in the domains of geometrical optics, for a few relevant static and spherically symmetric solutions of gravitation, including black holes and wormholes. Typic and desirable gravitational features are systematically linked to the nonlinear properties of the phenomenological dielectric permittivity of the medium. From this, the limitations of such analogies are explored in terms of their corresponding geometric flexibility, dielectric configurations and causal structure.

gr-qc↗