arXiv subjects

Eric Poisson

Publications and source records attributed to Eric Poisson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Self-gravitating thin shells are dynamically unstable on all angular scales

We establish the dynamical instability of a static, spherically symmetric, and infinitesimally thin shell in general relativity. The shell is made up of a perfect fluid with a barotropic equation of state, and it produces a Schwarzschild spacetime in its exterior and a Minkowski spacetime in its interior. We reveal the existence of two modes with a purely imaginary frequency, one negative (which describes stable oscillations), the other positive (which describes an exponential growth); these modes occur for all sampled values of the shell's compactness and adiabatic index, and all sampled values of the multipolar order $\ell \geq 2$, in the even-parity sector of the perturbation. All other quasinormal modes describe damped oscillations. This study complements a recent analysis by Yang, Bonga, and Pen, which also concluded in a dynamical instability, but was limited by an eikonal approximation to small angular scales ($\ell \gg 1$); our treatment applies to all angular scales. The eigenvalue problem for the mode frequencies is formulated by introducing a perturbation of Minkowski spacetime, a perturbation of Schwarzschild spacetime, and a perturbation of the shell matter. The metric perturbations are governed by the Einstein field equations, and they are matched across the shell with the help of Israel's junction conditions. The matter perturbation is governed by the equations of fluid mechanics, and it produces a source term in the junction conditions. All calculations are carried out in full general relativity, but we also examine a nonrelativistic formulation of the problem; we show that a Newtonian shell also is necessarily unstable to a time-dependent perturbation. Our conclusion suggests that a compact object that features a thin shell at its surface will be dynamically unstable; this makes it nonviable as a model of black-hole mimicker.

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arXiv2025

Impact of nonlinearities on relativistic dynamical tides in compact binary inspirals

The tidal deformation of a neutron star in a binary inspiral driven by the emission of gravitational waves affects the orbital dynamics and produces a measurable modulation of the waves. Late in the inspiral, a regime of dynamical tides takes over from a prior regime of static tides. A recent analysis by Yu et al. [M.N.R.A.S. 519, 4325 (2022)] reveals that nonlinear aspects of the tidal interaction are important during the regime of dynamical tides. Their theoretical framework is grounded in Newtonian gravity and fluid mechanics, and relies on a representation of the tidal deformation in terms of the star's normal modes of vibration. We confirm their observation in a general relativistic treatment of the tidal deformation of a neutron star, without relying on a mode representation of this deformation. The starting point of our description is a simultaneous time-derivative and nonlinear expansion of the tidal deformation, expressed in terms of three encapsulating constants, the static $k_2$, dynamic $\ddot{k}_2$, and nonlinear $p_2$ tidal constants. We describe the neutron star's deformation in terms of a well-defined quadrupole moment tensor, which is related to the tidal quadrupole moment through a frequency-domain response function $\tilde{k}_2(\omega)$. In a pragmatic extension of our simultaneous expansion, we express this in a form proportional to $(1-\omega^2/\omega_*^2)^{-1}$, the characteristic response of a harmonic oscillator subjected to a driving force of frequency $\omega$, with a natural-frequency parameter $\omega_*$ constructed from the tidal constants. We compute these for polytropic stellar models, and show that the nonlinear constant $p_2$ lowers the frequency parameter by as much as 15% relative to an estimation based on a purely linear treatment of the tidal deformation.

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arXiv2025

Mukkamala-Pere\~niguez master function for even-parity perturbations of the Schwarzschild spacetime

Mukkamala and Pere\~niguez recently discovered a new master function for even-parity metric perturbations of the Schwarzschild spacetime. Remarkably, this function satisfies the Regge-Wheeler equation (instead of the Zerilli equation), which was previously understood to govern the odd-parity sector of the perturbation only. In this paper I follow up on their work. First, I identify a source term for their Regge-Wheeler equation, constructed from the perturbing energy-momentum tensor. Second, I relate the new master function to the radiation fields at future null infinity and the event horizon. Third, I reconstruct the metric perturbation from the new master function, in the Regge-Wheeler gauge. The main conclusion of this work is that the greater simplicity of the Regge-Wheeler equation (relative to the Zerilli equation) is offset by a greater complexity of obtaining the radiation fields and reconstructing the metric.

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arXiv2024

Tidally induced multipole moments of a charged material body

We define and calculate the mass multipole moments of a material body of mass $M$ and electric charge $Q$ tidally deformed by a particle of mass $m \ll M$ and charge $q \ll Q$ placed at a distance $r_0$ from the body. Given $Q/M$ and $r_0$, we choose $q/m$ so that the gravitational attraction between body and particle is balanced by the electrostatic repulsion; the system can then be maintained in a static state. The multipole moments are defined in a setting in which the body's self-gravity is allowed to be strong, but the mutual gravity between body and companion is required to be weak. In this setting, the body is described in full general relativity, in terms of a perturbed metric and electromagnetic potential characterized by tidal constants, and the mutual gravity is described within the post-Newtonian approximation to general relativity, in terms of objects with a multipole structure. Matching the different descriptions of the same field delivers a relation between the tidal constants and the multipole moments. In our implementation of this program, the calculation is performed in full Einstein-Maxwell theory (as a linearized perturbation of the unperturbed field), without appeal to a post-Newtonian approximation. After the fact we take $M/r_0$ to be small and carry out an expansion of the metric in powers of $M/r$ to obtain the multipole moments and associated Love numbers. The calculations are performed for a body made up of a perfect fluid with a uniform ratio of charge to mass densities, governed by a polytropic equation of state. We show that the Love numbers of a charged body in a situation of balanced gravitational and electrostatic forces are negative. The statement remains true even when $Q/M$ is very small, and we conclude that the tidal deformability of a charged body is radically different from that of an uncharged object, for which the Love numbers are positive.

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arXiv2024

Self-gravitating anisotropic fluids. I: Context and overview

This paper is the first in a sequence of three devoted to the formulation of a theory of self-gravitating anisotropic fluids in both Newtonian and relativistic gravity. In this first paper we set the stage, place our work in the context of a vast literature on anisotropic stars in general relativity, and provide an overview of the results obtained in the remaining two papers. In both cases, Newtonian and relativistic, the state of the fluid is described by the familiar variables of an isotropic fluid (such as mass density and velocity field), to which we adjoin a director vector, which defines a locally preferred direction within the fluid. Both the Newtonian and relativistic theories are defined in terms of an action functional. While each theory is formulated in complete generality, in these papers we apply them to the construction of stellar models by restricting the fluid configurations to be static and spherically symmetric. We find that the equations of anisotropic stellar structure are generically singular at the stellar surface. To avoid a singularity, we postulate the existence of a phase transition at a critical value of the mass density; the fluid is anisotropic at high densities, and goes to an isotropic phase at low densities. In the case of Newtonian stars, we find that sequences of equilibrium configurations terminate at a maximum value of the central density; beyond this maximum the density profile becomes multi-valued within the star, and the model therefore becomes unphysical. In the case of relativistic stars, this phenomenon typically occurs beyond the point at which the stellar mass achieves a maximum. Also in the case of relativistic stars, we find that for a given equation of state and a given assignment of central density, anisotropic stellar models are always less compact than isotropic models.

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arXiv2024

Self-gravitating anisotropic fluid. II: Newtonian theory

This paper is the second in a sequence of three devoted to the formulation of a theory of self-gravitating anisotropic fluids in both Newtonian gravity and general relativity. In this second paper we develop the Newtonian theory, inspired by a real-life example of an anisotropic fluid, the (nematic) liquid crystal. We apply the theory to the construction of static and spherical stellar models. In addition to the usual fluid variables (mass density, velocity field), the Newtonian theory features a director vector field, whose length provides a local measure of the size of the anisotropy, and whose direction gives the local direction of anisotropy. The theory is defined in terms of a Lagrangian which implicates all the relevant forms of energy: kinetic energy (with contributions from the velocity field and the time derivative of the director vector), internal energy (with isotropic and anisotropic contributions), gravitational interaction energy, and gravitational-field energy. This Lagrangian is easy to motivate, and it provides an excellent starting point for a relativistic generalization in the third paper. The equations of motion for the fluid, and Poisson's equation for the gravitational potential, follow from a variation of the action functional, given by the time integral of the Lagrangian. Because our stellar models feature a transition from an anisotropic phase at high density to an isotropic phase at low density, a substantial part of the paper is devoted to the development of a mechanics for the interface fluid, which mediates the phase transition.

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arXiv2024

Self-gravitating anisotropic fluid. III: Relativistic theory

This is the third and final entry in a sequence of papers devoted to the formulation of a theory of self-gravitating anisotropic fluids in Newtonian gravity and general relativity. In this third paper we elevate the Newtonian theory of the second paper to general relativity, and apply it to the construction of relativistic stellar models. The relativistic theory is crafted by promoting the fluid variables to a curved spacetime, and promoting the gravitational potential to the spacetime metric. The Newtonian action is then generalized in a direct and natural way, and dynamical equations for all the relevant variables are once more obtained through a variational principle. We specialize our relativistic theory of a self-gravitating anisotropic fluid to static and spherically symmetric configurations, and thus obtain models of anisotropic stars in general relativity. As in the Newtonian setting, the models feature a transition from an anisotropic phase at high density to an isotropic phase at low density. Our survey of stellar models reveals that for the same equations of state and the same central density, anisotropic stars are always less compact than isotropic stars.

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arXiv2023

General relativistic dynamical tides in binary inspirals, without modes

A neutron star in an inspiraling binary system is tidally deformed by its companion, and the effect leaves a measurable imprint on the emitted gravitational waves. While the tidal interaction falls within the regime of static tides during the early stages of inspiral, a regime of dynamical tides takes over in the later stages. The description of dynamical tides found in the literature makes integral use of a spectral representation of the tidal deformation, in which it is expressed as a sum over the star's normal modes of vibration. This description is deeply rooted in Newtonian fluid mechanics and gravitation, and we point out that considerable obstacles manifest themselves in an extension to general relativity. To remedy this we propose an alternative, mode-less description of dynamical tides that can be formulated in both Newtonian and relativistic mechanics. Our description is based on a time-derivative expansion of the tidal dynamics. The tidal deformation is characterized by two sets of Love numbers: the static Love numbers $k_\ell$ and the dynamic Love numbers $\ddot{k}_\ell$. These are computed here for polytropic stellar models in both Newtonian gravity and general relativity. The time-derivative expansion of the tidal dynamics seems to preclude any attempt to capture an approach to resonance, which occurs when the frequency of the tidal field becomes equal to a normal-mode frequency. To overcome this limitation we propose a pragmatic extension of the time-derivative expansion which does capture an approach to resonance. We demonstrate that with this extension, our formulation of dynamical tides should be just as accurate as the $f$-mode truncation of the mode representation, in which the sum over modes is truncated to a single term involving the star's fundamental mode of vibration.

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arXiv2023

Nonlinear ringdown at the black hole horizon

The gravitational waves emitted by a perturbed black hole ringing down are well described by damped sinusoids, whose frequencies are those of quasinormal modes. Typically, first-order black hole perturbation theory is used to calculate these frequencies. Recently, it was shown that second-order effects are necessary in binary black hole merger simulations to model the gravitational-wave signal observed by a distant observer. Here, we show that the horizon of a newly formed black hole after the head-on collision of two black holes also shows evidence of non-linear modes. Specifically, we identify one quadratic mode for the $l=2$ shear data, and two quadratic ones for the $l=4,6$ data in simulations with varying mass ratio and boost parameter. The quadratic mode amplitudes display a quadratic relationship with the amplitudes of the linear modes that generate them.

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arXiv2021

Tidally induced multipole moments of a nonrotating black hole vanish to all post-Newtonian orders

The tidal Love numbers of a black hole vanish, and this is often taken to imply that the hole's tidally induced multipole moments vanish also. An obstacle to establishing a link between these statements is that the multipole moments of individual bodies are not defined in general relativity, when the bodies are subjected to a mutual gravitational interaction. In a previous publication [Phys. Rev. D 103, 064023 (2021)] I promoted the view that individual multipole moments can be defined when the mutual interaction is sufficiently weak to be described by a post-Newtonian expansion. In this view, a compact body is perceived far away as a skeletonized post-Newtonian object with a multipole structure, and the multipole moments can then be related to the body's Love numbers. I expand on this view, and demonstrate that all static, tidally induced, mass multipole moments of a nonrotating black hole vanish to all post-Newtonian orders. The proof rests on a perturbative solution to the Einstein-Maxwell equations that describes an electrically charged particle placed in the presence of a charged black hole. The gravitational attraction between particle and black hole is balanced by electrostatic repulsion, and the system is in an equilibrium state. The particle provides a tidal environment to the black hole, and the multipole moments vanish for this environment. I argue that the vanishing is robust, and applies to all slowly-varying tidal environments. The black hole's charge can be as small as desired (though not identically zero); by continuity, the multipole moments of an electrically neutral black hole will continue to vanish.

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arXiv2021

Particle hanging on a string near a Schwarzschild black hole

The literature features many instances of spacetimes containing two black holes held apart by a thin distribution of matter on the axis joining the holes. For all such spacetimes, the Einstein field equations are integrated with an energy-momentum tensor that does not include a contribution from the axial matter; the presence of this matter is inferred instead from the existence of a conical singularity in the spacetime. And for all such spacetimes, the axial matter is characterized by a pressure (or tension) equal to its linear energy density; the matter is therefore revealed to have a very specific equation of state. Our purpose with this paper is to show that the axial matter can be introduced at the very start of the exercise, through the specification of a distributional energy-momentum tensor, and that one can choose for it any equation of state. To evade no-go theorems regarding line sources in general relativity, we retreat to a perturbative expansion of the gravitational field, using the Schwarzschild metric as a description of the background spacetime. Instead of a second black hole, our prototypical system features a point particle at a fixed position outside the Schwarzschild black hole, attached to a string extending to infinity. This matter is described in terms of a distributional energy-momentum tensor, and we examine different equations of state for the string. To integrate the field equations we introduce a new "Weyl" gauge for the metric perturbation, which allows us to find closed-form expressions for the gravitational potentials. Our solutions are linearized versions of multi-hole spacetimes, and some of them feature strings with a varying tension, unequal to the energy density. We describe the properties of these spacetimes, and begin an exploration of their extended thermodynamics.

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arXiv2020

Compact body in a tidal environment: New types of relativistic Love numbers, and a post-Newtonian operational definition for tidally induced multipole moments

We examine the tidal deformation of a nonrotating compact body (material body or black hole) in general relativity. The body's exterior metric is calculated in a simultaneous expansion in powers of the ratio between the distance to the body and three distinct length scales: the radius of curvature of the external spacetime in which the body is inserted, the scale of spatial inhomogeneity of the curvature, and the scale of temporal variation. The metric is valid in the body's immediate neighborhood, which excludes the external matter responsible for the tidal environment. The body's tidal response is encapsulated in four types of relativistic Love numbers: $k_\ell$, the familiar Love number that measures the linear response to a static tidal field, $p_\ell$, which measures the quadratic response to the tidal field, $\dot{k}_\ell$ and $\ddot{k}_\ell$, associated with first and second time derivatives of the tidal field, respectively. The Love numbers acquire an operational meaning through the definition of tidally induced multipole moments. Previously proposed definitions for the moments suffer from ambiguities associated with the subtraction of a "pure tidal field" from the full metric. A robust operational definition is proposed here. It relies on inserting the body's local metric within a global metric constructed in post-Newtonian theory; the global metric includes the external matter responsible for the tidal environment. When viewed in the post-Newtonian spacetime, the compact body appears as a skeletonized object with a specific multipole structure. The tidally induced multipole moments provide a description of this structure. They manifest themselves, for example, in the body's tidal acceleration, which is nonlinear in the tidal field. At leading order in the tidal interaction, the acceleration is proportional to the $k_2$ Love number as calculated in full general relativity.

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arXiv2020

Tidal driving of inertial modes of Maclaurin spheroids

We examine the inertial modes of vibration of a Maclaurin spheroid and determine how they are driven by an external tidal field, either Newtonian (gravitoelectric) or post-Newtonian (gravitomagnetic). The context and motivation for this work come from the realization that inertial modes of rotating neutron stars can be resonantly excited in binary inspirals, with a measurable effect on the phasing of the emitted gravitational waves. We aim to provide additional insights into this phenomenon. We calculate how the frequencies of the relevant inertial modes, and their overlap integrals with the tidal forces, vary as the star's rotation rate increases, spanning almost the full range between zero rotation and the mass-shedding limit. We prove that a single inertial mode couples to a Newtonian tidal field; overlap integrals with all other modes vanish. We prove also that four inertial modes couple to a post-Newtonian, gravitomagnetic tidal field; overlap integrals with all other modes vanish. Finally, we determine the rather extreme conditions under which the gravitoelectric driving of inertial modes dominates over the gravitomagnetic driving.

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arXiv2020

Gravitomagnetic Love tensor of a slowly rotating body: post-Newtonian theory

The gravitomagnetic tidal Love number of a slowly rotating body was calculated previously under the assumption that the velocity perturbation created by the tidal field consists of an induction piece proportional to the vector potential, and a rotational piece that scales with $\Omega$, the body's angular velocity. The second part of this assumption is wrong: the rotational piece of the velocity perturbation scales in fact like $\Omega^0 = 1$. The previous calculations are therefore incorrect, and the purpose of this paper is to repair the mistake. To keep the technical difficulties to a minimum, the treatment here is restricted to a post-Newtonian expansion carried out to leading order -- previous calculations of the gravitomagnetic Love number were performed in full general relativity. On the other hand, the computation presented here is not restricted to a stationary tidal field. I show that the correct scaling of the velocity perturbation with $\Omega$ leads to the promotion of the Love number to a Love tensor $k_{jk}^{\ \ pq}$, a four-index object that relates the body's current quadrupole moment $S_{jk}$ to the gravitomagnetic tidal moment ${\cal B}_{pq}$. The tensorial nature of this quantity has to do with the fact that each $e^{im\phi}$ piece of the tidal force gives rise to an $m$-specific velocity perturbation, and therefore to a Love number that depends on $m$. The collection of these $m$-specific Love numbers makes up the Love tensor $k_{jk}^{\ \ pq}$.

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arXiv2020

Gravitomagnetic tidal resonance in neutron-star binary inspirals

A compact binary system implicating at least one rotating neutron star undergoes gravitomagnetic tidal resonances as it inspirals toward its final merger. These have a dynamical impact on the phasing of the emitted gravitational waves. The resonances are produced by the inertial modes of vibration of the rotating star. Four distinct modes are involved, and the resonances occur within the frequency band of interferometric gravitational-wave detectors when the star spins at a frequency that lies within this band. The resonances are driven by the gravitomagnetic tidal field created by the companion star; this is described by a post-Newtonian vector potential, which is produced by the mass currents associated with the orbital motion. These resonances were identified previously by Flanagan and Racine [Phys. Rev. D 75, 044001 (2007)], but these authors accounted only for the response of a single mode, the r-mode, a special case of inertial modes. All four relevant modes are included in the analysis presented in this paper. The total accumulated gravitational-wave phase shift is shown to range from approximately $10^{-2}$ radians when the spin and orbital angular momenta are aligned, to approximately $10^{-1}$ radians when they are anti-aligned. Such phase shifts will become measurable in the coming decades with the deployment of the next generation of gravitational-wave detectors (Cosmic Explorer, Einstein Telescope); they might even come to light within this decade, thanks to planned improvements in the current detectors. With good constraints on the binary masses and spins gathered from the inspiral waveform, the phase shifts deliver information regarding the internal structure of the rotating neutron star, and therefore on the equation of state of nuclear matter.

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arXiv2020

Self-force from conical singularity, without renormalization

We develop an approach to calculate the self-force on a charged particle held in place in a curved spacetime, in which the particle is attached to a massless string and the force is measured by the string's tension. The calculation is based on the Weyl class of static and axially symmetric spacetimes, and the presence of the string is manifested by a conical singularity; the tension is proportional to the angular deficit. A remarkable and appealing aspect of this approach is that the calculation of the self-force requires no renormalization of the particle's field. This is in contract with traditional methods, which incorporate a careful and elaborate subtraction of the singular part of the field. We implement the approach in a number of different situations. First, we examine the case of an electric charge in Schwarzschild spacetime, and recover the classic Smith-Will force in addition to a purely gravitational contribution to the self-force. Second, we turn to the case of electric and magnetic dipoles in Schwarzschild spacetime, and correct expressions for the self-force previously obtained in the literature. Third, we replace the electric charge by a scalar charge, and recover Wiseman's no-force result, which we generalize to a scalar dipole. And fourth, we calculate the force exerted on extended bodies such as Schwarzschild black holes and Janis-Newman-Winicour objects, which describe scalarized naked singularities.

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arXiv2019

Equilibrium and stability of thin spherical shells in Newtonian and relativistic gravity

We consider thin spherical shells of matter in both Newtonian gravity and general relativity, and examine their equilibrium configurations and dynamical stability. Thin-shell models are admittedly a poor substitute for realistic stellar models. But the simplicity of the equations that govern their dynamics, compared with the much more complicated mechanics of a self-gravitating fluid, allows us to deliver, in a very direct and easy manner, powerful insights regarding their equilibria and stability. We explore, in particular, the link between the existence of a maximum mass along a sequence of equilibrium configurations and the onset of dynamical instability. Such a link is well-established in the case of fluid bodies in both Newtonian gravity and general relativity, but the demonstration of this link is both subtle and difficult. The proof is very simple, however, in the case of thin shells, and it is constructed with nothing more than straightforward algebra and a little calculus.

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arXiv2018

Coulombic contribution to the flux of angular momentum in general relativity

The flux of angular momentum in electromagnetism cannot be expressed entirely in terms of the field's radiative degrees of freedom. Its expression also involves Coulombic pieces of the field, in the form of a charge aspect $q(\theta,\phi)$, a function of polar angles whose integral gives the total charge of the system. Guided by the strong analogy between radiative processes in electromagnetism and gravitation, we ask whether the flux of angular momentum in general relativity might also involve Coulombic pieces of the gravitational field. Further, we ask whether such terms might have been missed in the past by specializing the flux to sources of gravitational waves that are at rest with respect to the frame in which the flux is evaluated. To answer these questions we bring together the Landau-Lifshitz formulation of the Einstein field equations, which provides specific definitions for angular momentum and its associated flux, and the Bondi formalism, which provides a systematic expansion of the metric of an asymptotically flat spacetime in inverse powers of the distance away from the matter distribution. We obtain a new expression for the flux of angular momentum, which is not restricted to sources of gravitational waves at rest nor to periodic sources. We show that our new expression is equivalent to the standard formula used in the literature when these restrictions are put in place. We find that contrary to expectations based on the analogy between electromagnetism and gravitation, the flux of angular momentum in general relativity can be expressed entirely in terms of the field's radiative degrees of freedom. In contrast to electromagnetism, no Coulombic information is required to calculate the flux of angular momentum in general relativity.

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