arXiv subjects

Francisco S. N. Lobo

Publications and source records attributed to Francisco S. N. Lobo.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2026

Radiation reaction in the classical relativistic Størmer problem

We extend the classical relativistic Størmer problem by incorporating radiation reaction through the Landau--Lifshitz formulation, thereby providing a self-consistent description of dissipative charged-particle motion in a static dipole magnetic field. We derive the complete dimensionless equations and distinguish them from a reduced drag-only model that preserves the exact energy-loss law while omitting directional effects associated with magnetic field gradients. For planar motion, the reduced system yields exact instantaneous evolution laws for the particle energy and canonical angular momentum, together with averaged transport equations for regular bound librations. When the motion is constrained to the instantaneous circular branch, the secular evolution can be integrated in closed form and approaches a simple large-radius power law. This analytical solution provides a useful benchmark, although the circular branch is radially unstable and therefore does not describe generic nearby trajectories. Numerical integrations further illustrate the nonuniform dissipative deformation of planar rosette-like orbits. In three dimensions, the complete Landau--Lifshitz force produces local exponential damping of small vertical perturbations, with the leading contribution arising from the field-gradient term absent from the reduced model. These exact, averaged, conditional, and local results establish a controlled analytical framework for studying radiation-driven phase-space transport in strongly inhomogeneous magnetic fields and provide a foundation for future global simulations, kinetic descriptions, and calculations of the associated electromagnetic emission.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2026

From Størmer to Schwarzschild: Analytical Dynamics of Charged Particles in a Dipole Magnetosphere

We investigate the conservative dynamics of relativistic charged particles in a Schwarzschild spacetime threaded by an externally supported dipolar magnetic field. The gravitational sector is treated exactly in isotropic coordinates, while the electromagnetic field is described by the leading asymptotic term of the relativistic exterior dipole solution. This formulation provides an analytically tractable relativistic extension of the classical Størmer problem and allows the circular-orbit and stability structure to be studied explicitly. For the outward-Lorentz branch, characterized by a positive signed magnetic coupling for positive azimuthal motion, we find a non-trivial competition between radial and vertical stability. Weak magnetic coupling shifts the radially marginal orbit inward, whereas at stronger coupling vertical instability becomes the limiting mechanism and the inner boundary of stable circular motion moves outward. The associated vertical epicyclic mode progressively softens and vanishes at the vertical stability boundary. The marginally bound sequence exhibits a distinct strong-coupling behaviour, illustrating that energetic and stability boundaries need not evolve together. The radial and vertical epicyclic frequencies also generate characteristic commensurabilities that may provide natural sites for nonlinear orbital coupling. Because the magnetic field is treated as a test field, these charged-particle effects leave the vacuum Schwarzschild null-geodesic structure unchanged. Magnetic signatures in compact-object observations must therefore arise through the dynamics and radiation of charged matter, plasma propagation effects, or physics beyond the test-field approximation. The framework developed here provides an analytical basis for studying nonlinear dynamics, radiation reaction, and more realistic compact-object magnetospheres.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Traversable Wormholes induced by polytropic $n=1$ energy density

We investigate spherically symmetric and static traversable wormholes supported by exotic matter, focusing on solutions sourced by physically motivated dark matter energy density profiles. Considering the polytropic $n=1$ (Lane-Emden) distribution, we construct explicit forms of the shape function $b(r)$ and analyze the resulting radial and tangential pressures, carefully addressing the requirements of the flare-out condition at the throat and the absence of horizons. We explore zero-tidal-force configurations as well as inhomogeneous equations of state, demonstrating how appropriate choices of the radial pressure allow for finite and well-behaved redshift functions throughout the spacetime. Boundary conditions at a finite radius are implemented to ensure vanishing energy density and pressures, and asymptotic expansions are derived to characterize the behavior of the metric and matter content near the edge of the dark matter halo. Additionally, we reformulate the Einstein field equations entirely in terms of the energy density, radial and tangential pressures, and their derivatives, providing a framework to analyze the matter distribution independently of the explicit metric functions. Our results offer a systematic methodology to construct physically consistent wormhole geometries supported by realistic dark matter halos, highlighting the intricate interplay between matter profiles, equations of state, and geometric constraints.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Structural morphology and the gravitational arrow of time

The Newtonian $N$-body problem in the zero-energy, zero-linear-momentum, and zero-angular-momentum sector provides a time-reversal-invariant setting in which generic complete solutions possess a Janus point and exhibit a gravitational arrow on both branches away from it. The dimensionless variety $V$, a global scale-invariant measure of clustering contrast, is not pointwise monotonic but fluctuates while growing between rising bounds away from the Janus region. Central configurations are critical shapes of the same scale-invariant landscape and therefore provide controlled probes of the structural information encoded by $V$. We investigate this question for two planar $N=5000$ central configurations using the numerical particle-coordinate data. Local morphology is quantified by the six-neighbour anisotropy $A_6$, which ranges from $0$ for an isotropic local environment to $1$ for an effectively one-dimensional one. Although the varieties of the two configurations differ by only $1.686\%$, their mean anisotropies differ by $156.8\%$, from $0.1331$ to $0.3419$. Moreover, $18.1\%$ of the particles in the higher-variety configuration satisfy $A_6>0.5$, whereas none do so in the lower-variety configuration. The anisotropy ordering persists for all tested neighbourhood sizes $4\le k\le12$, and the principal contrast survives a dimensionless close-pair robustness test. For this pair of critical shapes, nearby values of the global variety therefore coexist with markedly different local geometrical organization. Thus the scalar quantity whose long-term behavior characterizes the BKM gravitational arrow does not, by itself, uniquely specify morphology. This identifies local relational observables as a complementary level of description and provides a quantitative bridge between the static shape-space landscape and morphology along genuine Janus-point histories.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Entropy dynamics in gravitational collapse: From Minkowski breaking to de Sitter thermodynamics

The origin of black hole entropy remains one of the deepest mysteries in modern physics. Two recent developments offer complementary perspectives on this puzzle: the entropy release from regular Schwarzschild black holes with a de Sitter core (the OCK construction), and the local thermodynamics of the de Sitter vacuum (Volovik). In the OCK framework, the inner horizon carries positive Bekenstein-Hawking entropy $S_{\rm inner}=πh_c^2$ that is gradually released as the core shrinks, until a classical Minkowski breaking obstructs the evolution at $n=0$. In Volovik's framework, the total entropy of a homogeneous de Sitter region is $S_{\rm dS}= \operatorname{sgn}(H)\,π/H^{2} = \operatorname{sgn}(H)\,A/4$: expanding de Sitter ($H>0$) carries positive entropy, while contracting de Sitter ($H<0$) carries negative entropy. We show that the sign of the Hubble parameter is the unifying element linking the two pictures. The OCK core is de~Sitter only for $n>2$; the Minkowski breaking is a classical kinematic obstruction, not a dynamical transition to a contracting de Sitter phase. Any connection between the expanding and contracting regimes would require a quantum mechanism that remains speculative. Nevertheless, both frameworks embody the same thermodynamic principle, the shrinking of the interior drives the system toward increased total entropy, and together they provide a consistent picture of entropy flow during gravitational collapse. The integer nature of the OCK parameter suggests a quantized entropy spectrum and a statistical interpretation of black hole entropy, while the generalized second law is satisfied in both frameworks, and in the speculated quantum connection provided the environmental entropy is properly accounted for.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Entropy release from Minkowski breaking in regular Schwarzschild black holes

The classical formation of a Schwarzschild black hole from a regular, non-singular configuration has recently been shown to be impossible within general relativity: the geometry inevitably develops a discontinuity at the origin, a phenomenon termed Minkowski breaking by Ovalle, Casadio, and Kamenshchik [PRD 113 (2026), 064042]. This obstruction signals that the transition to the Schwarzschild point mass must be a discrete, quantum event. We uncover the thermodynamic footprint of this transition. Using the explicit family of regular Schwarzschild black holes with a de Sitter core, we show that the inner Killing horizon carries a formal Bekenstein-Hawking entropy $S_{\rm inner} = A_{\rm inner}/4$ that is absent in the singular Schwarzschild state. This entropy is hidden from external observers in equilibrium but, assuming the generalized second law, must be released when the inner horizon disappears. As the collapse parameter $n$ decreases, the inner horizon shrinks and its entropy is gradually released during classical evolution, until the horizon finally vanishes at $n=0$ with the Minkowski breaking. The surface gravity diverges as $n\to0^+$, with the semiclassical description breaking down at $n \sim 1/\ln(h/\ell_P)$; the final disappearance is therefore a deep quantum process. For the $n=3$ regular black hole, the stored entropy is approximately $59\%$ of $A/4$; in the semiclassical limit $n\gg1$, it approaches the full $A/4$. The integer nature of $n$ implies a quantized entropy spectrum, with the Schwarzschild black hole as the ground state within the OCK family. We discuss how the classical mass-inflation instability may be circumvented by the quantum disappearance of the Cauchy horizon, and clarify the continuous vs. discrete nature of the collapse.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Regular Black Holes in General Relativity from Nonlinear Electrodynamics with de Sitter Cores

We present new regular black hole solutions in general relativity (GR) within a static, spherically symmetric framework governed by a variable equation of state, following the approach of [Class. Quant. Grav. 42, 025024 (2025)]. The matter supporting these geometries is identified as a purely magnetic monopole configuration of the Maxwell-Faraday tensor in the context of nonlinear electrodynamics (NLED). We explicitly reconstruct the corresponding NLED Lagrangian and analyze the asymptotic and central behaviors of the solutions. The geometric structure is examined through the metric functions, the regularity of the Kretschmann scalar, and the profiles of energy density and pressures, including a discussion of the resulting energy conditions. Using Event Horizon Telescope observations of Sgr A$^*$, we constrain the model parameters by comparing the predicted size of the central dark region with the inferred observational images, taking into account the effective geometry experienced by photons in the presence of NLED. Finally, we investigate the dynamical stability of these configurations under scalar perturbations by computing the quasinormal mode spectrum and performing a time-domain analysis.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Generalized Unruh temperature for dynamical thin-shell wormholes

We unify two independent notions of effective temperature in dynamical thin-shell wormholes: the local acceleration temperature of the throat and the Hawking-like particle-creation temperature governed by the peeling of null rays. The effective acceleration scale, obtained by averaging over both sides of the junction, defines the thermodynamic shell temperature, while peeling functions for each asymptotic universe yield an effective particle-creation temperature. For asymptotically exponential null-ray maps, we derive the generalized Unruh identity that equates these two temperatures. Applied to Schwarzschild-Schwarzschild wormholes, the formalism yields explicit analytical expressions for the Hawking-like spectra, renormalized quantum fluxes, and quasi-horizon limits in both symmetric and asymmetric configurations. The divergence of the shell temperature near the quasi-horizon is shown to mirror the divergence of the local Tolman temperature, both originating from the infinite gravitational blueshift at a horizon. These results provide a unified interpretation of acceleration, particle creation, and temperature in horizonless dynamical spacetimes, extending the conceptual link between the Hawking and Unruh effects beyond stationary black holes.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

The End of the Road for Bulk Fields in Warped Randall-Sundrum Braneworlds

In this manuscript we generalize Ref. [1] and derive a complete set of local consistency conditions for bulk fields in braneworld scenarios with an arbitrary number of dimensions. This provides the first fully local and dimension-independent generalization of all known criteria for bulk fields. Within this framework, we show that a free scalar field is consistent and localized, whereas minimally and non-minimally coupled Maxwell fields violate the conditions, leading to a no-go theorem valid in any dimension. For nonlinear electrodynamics, we find that only the model $L(F)=b\sqrt{F}$ admits a consistent and normalizable zero mode, and that among p-forms, consistency occurs solely for the free 0-form. We also demonstrate that Dirac fermions, with or without Yukawa terms, are inconsistent within this framework and therefore cannot propagate in the bulk. Our local approach makes explicit that these conclusions do not depend on any particular internal geometry or warp factor: previously known results arise merely as special cases of a broader and strictly local structure, highlighting the universality of the constraints derived here.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Big Bang Nucleosynthesis constraints on $f(T,L_m)$ gravity

We investigate Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) in the framework of $f(T,L_m)$ gravity, where the gravitational Lagrangian depends on the torsion scalar $T$ and the matter Lagrangian $L_m$. Working within a semi-analytical BBN strategy, we encode departures from GR through the expansion-rate ratio $Z\equiv H/H_{\rm GR}$ evaluated at a characteristic freeze-out temperature and combine this with the freeze-out condition and the observationally inferred abundances of deuterium and helium-4 to constrain the free parameters of three representative EFT-motivated $f(T,L_m)$ models. A distinctive aspect of $f(T,L_m)$ cosmology is that the explicit $L_m$ dependence can induce an effective energy exchange between the standard component and the modified-gravity sector; we therefore derive the corresponding interaction term $Q$ and restrict our analysis to the adiabatic regime $\varepsilon\equiv |Q_{\rm rad}/(4Hρ)|\ll 1$ throughout the BBN window, ensuring internal consistency of the temperature-based BBN mapping. Finally, to connect the radiation-era constraints with the late-time background, we present a two-fluid (dust+radiation) analysis showing how the $L_m$-dependent corrections decouple as $\ell\propto (1+z)^4\to 0$, yielding torsion-only ($f(T)$ or TEGR) cosmologies at late times on the GR-connected branch. Our results provide transparent first-pass BBN bounds on torsion--matter EFT corrections and identify viable parameter regions consistent with early-Universe data providing a controlled starting point for further early-Universe phenomenology in $f(T,L_m)$ gravity.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2026

Black hole shadows in nonminimally coupled Weyl connection gravity

We study black hole shadows in nonminimally coupled Weyl connection gravity, a metric-affine extension of general relativity in which spacetime is described by a metric and a Weyl vector field encoding non-metricity. Despite going beyond the Riemannian framework, the presence of a non-dynamical Weyl vector ensures second-order field equations. The theory admits Schwarzschild- and Reissner--Nordström-like solutions modified by a Weyl integration constant that parametrizes deviations from General Relativity. By computing the corresponding shadow radii and confronting them with the Event Horizon Telescope constraints on Sgr A*, we place observational bounds on the Weyl parameter. Assuming an observer distance $r_O = 4.1\times 10^{10}M$ and requiring consistency at the $2σ$ level, we obtain $ω\gtrsim 10^{11.7}M$ (model I), $ω\gtrsim 10^{10.5}M$ (model II), and $ω\sim 10^{12}M$ (model III). Our results show that present horizon-scale imaging already sets meaningful limits on spacetime non-metricity. This work highlights the power of black hole shadow observations as probes of extended gravitational dynamics and establishes a direct link between Weyl-based theories and current astrophysical data.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Thermodynamics of thin-shell wormholes

We develop a unified thermodynamic description of dynamic thin-shell wormholes, starting from the transparent (vacuum bulk) case and then relaxing the transparency condition to include bulk matter crossing the throat. For isolated shells, we show that the entropy is conserved under transparent evolution, $TdS=0$, which holds for arbitrary dynamical motion of the throat within the assumptions of the thin-shell formalism. When bulk matter is present, the generalised first law becomes $T\dot{S}=AΦ$, where $Φ$ is the net energy flux; entropy increases (decreases) when matter flows into (out of) the shell. Explicit expressions for the flux are provided for null dust and massless scalar fields, and quantum pair production (Hawking-like emission) is also discussed. A formulation of the generalised second law is presented, and it is consistent with standard thermodynamic expectations under conditions where heat flows from hotter to colder regions. As a concrete astrophysical application, we study accretion of null dust: the critical accretion rate above which the throat becomes dynamically unstable depends sensitively on the spacetime geometry and the shell equation of state, highlighting the environmental dependence of these configurations. Fluctuations in the energy flux induce a stochastic force on the throat dynamics, leading to a Langevin description with an associated fluctuation-dissipation relation. This results in diffusion of the throat radius and additional entropy production. The framework applies to a broad class of spherically symmetric thin-shell constructions within general relativity. Our results provide evidence that thin-shell wormholes admit a consistent thermodynamic description, quantify their sensitivity to accretion processes, and suggest possible avenues for probing exotic compact objects with future gravitational wave observations.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Black bounce solutions in a realistic dark matter halo from M60*

We formulate a Simpson-Visser black bounce solution embedded in a dark matter halo. The latter is modeled using an empirical density profile calibrated from observations of the elliptical galaxy NGC 4649 (M60), based on imaging from the Hubble Space Telescope, stellar velocity dispersion data, and the dynamics of globular clusters. The resulting spacetime metric, in addition to retaining dependence on the mass parameter $m$, the asymptotic circular velocity $V_c$, and the halo scale radius $a$, also depends on the regularization parameter $q_H$. It reduces to the canonical black bounce solution without a halo in the limit $V_c\to0$ (or $a\to\infty$), and to the Schwarzschild solution with a dark matter halo when $q_H\to0$. We analyze the response of fundamental geometrical and physical quantities in the presence of a halo, such as the event horizon radius, the shadow size, and some curvature invariants. In particular, we show the observational range of the shadow radius, from the imaging of Sagittarius A*, constrains the parameter space of the solution to regular black hole configurations, excluding wormhole scenarios. We study the dynamics of massless particles here through the effective potential and examine thermodynamic properties, highlighting the impact on thermodynamic potentials in terms of entropy. Finally, we extend the analysis to scenarios with electromagnetic fields non-minimally coupled to a phantom scalar field, considering configurations with either purely magnetic or purely electric charge. Our results suggest that the dark matter halo influences both the internal geometry and the observational properties of black bounces, imposing constraints on the solution's parameter space from astrophysical data. This highlights the need to include astrophysical environments in modeling regular black holes and wormholes, offering new tests of gravity in the strong-field regime.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Linearized stability of T-duality quantum-inspired thin-shell wormholes

Wormholes that are traversable in principle offer fascinating insights into general relativity, yet they typically require exotic matter and suffer from stability issues. We construct a thin-shell wormhole by gluing two copies of a quantum-corrected, regular spacetime obtained from string T-duality. This regularisation replaces the classical curvature singularity with a smooth core and introduces a fundamental length scale $l_0$. For the static configuration, we derive the surface stresses and show that, unlike the Schwarzschild case, the null and strong energy conditions can be satisfied for sufficiently large throat radii. A linearised stability analysis reveals a rich landscape: close to the minimum allowed throat radius the configuration is unstable; at intermediate radii ($a \sim l_0$) the geometric stability threshold becomes negative, yielding a window of \emph{unconditional stability} where any convex surface mass function suffices; at large radii the wormhole recovers Schwarzschild-like behaviour and stability requires a stiff equation of state. The T-duality scale $l_0$ is thus not merely a regulariser but a key physical parameter that opens a novel region of unconditional stability absent in classical thin-shell wormholes. Our results suggest that quantum-gravity-motivated modifications can simultaneously cure singularities and make traversable wormholes dynamically viable, providing new targets for gravitational-wave astronomy and theoretical studies of exotic compact objects.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Black Bounce Solutions from a Self-Interacting 3-Form Field in General Relativity

We construct a new class of black-bounce solutions sourced by a self-interacting 3-form field minimally coupled to general relativity and a scalar field. The 3-form field, which naturally arises in string theory, supergravity, and cosmological models, provides the anisotropic effective stresses required to sustain regular geometries that interpolate smoothly between black holes and traversable wormholes. By exploiting the Hodge duality between a 3-form and a 1-form in four dimensions, we reduce the field equations and obtain exact solutions through the direct integration of the coupled equations of motion. In particular, the solutions are derived from algebraic combinations and manipulations of the Einstein, scalar, and 3-form field equations, starting from a complete action principle, without employing the usual reconstruction procedure in which the metric ansatz is imposed a priori and the matter sector is reconstructed afterwards. This approach reveals two distinct classes of solutions. The first one yields a globally phantom scalar field and a metric function with a characteristic arctangent dependence, reducing to the Schwarzschild-(anti) de Sitter spacetime in the limit of vanishing 3-form coupling. The second class produces a constant 3-form Lagrangian and, remarkably, a partially canonical scalar field, namely phantom only near the bounce and canonical outside the event horizon, a feature previously attainable mainly in modified theories of gravity, but which emerges here within pure general relativity. Both families are globally regular, as confirmed by the finiteness of the Kretschmann scalar, and exhibit an asymmetric horizon structure inherited from the 3-form energy-density distribution. These results demonstrate that the 3-form black-bounce framework is both mathematically consistent and observationally viable.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Lorentz-violating signatures in quasi-periodic oscillations from a magnetised Kalb-Ramond black hole

We investigate the dynamics of charged particles around a Schwarzschild-like black hole sourced by a Kalb-Ramond field and immersed in a uniform external magnetic field. The Kalb-Ramond field introduces a Lorentz violation parameter $l$ that modifies the spacetime geometry, while the magnetic field profoundly influences the trajectories through the Lorentz force, leading to a rich variety of orbital behaviours including curled (epicyclic) motion and dramatic transitions between distinct energy boundary configurations. We derive the full equations of motion, the effective potential, and the fundamental frequencies of quasi-periodic oscillations, and perform a comprehensive Monte Carlo Markov Chain (MCMC) analysis using observational data from the microquasars GRO 1655-40, XTE 1550-564, and GRS 1915+105. The pure Schwarzschild model is statistically ruled out for all three sources. For GRO 1655-40 and XTE 1550-564, only the combined effect of the magnetic field and Lorentz violation yields statistically robust models, with best-fit values $\mathcal{B}\sim 0.03$-$0.04$ and $l\sim 0.08$--$0.10$. Remarkably, for GRS 1915+105, the most massive object in our sample, the Lorentz violation parameter alone is sufficient to model the QPO frequencies, yielding an optimal fit with $ΔAIC = ΔBIC = 0$. Across all three objects, a clear trend emerges: the required value of $l$ decreases as the mass of the astrophysical object increases, suggesting a mass-dependent scaling of the Kalb-Ramond parameter. These findings establish the combined KR and magnetic field framework as a viable and statistically robust scenario for modeling QPOs in microquasars, and indicate that Lorentz-violating modifications to gravity may leave observable imprints in the strong-field regime, offering new avenues for testing quantum-gravity phenomenology with current and next-generation X-ray missions.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

The Emergence of Measured Geometry in Self-Gravitating Systems

This work investigates the geometrical properties of self-gravitating $N$-body systems from the perspective established by Henri Poincaré and Albert Einstein concerning the operational nature of measured geometry. Utilizing recent numerical analyses of central configurations--special equilibrium solutions to the Newtonian $N$-body problem--we uncover systematic spatial variations in nearest-neighbor particle separations correlated with the radial distance from the system's center of mass. We argue that these variations reflect a context-dependent, emergent effective geometry shaped by gravitational interactions, in accordance with Poincaré's assertion that measured geometry depends on the forces influencing measuring devices, and Einstein's view that rods and clocks define physical geometry through their local dynamics. By revisiting these foundational insights within a modern computational framework, we provide evidence that geometry in self-gravitating Newtonian systems is not a fixed background, but an emergent construct arising from internal physical interactions.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Exact solutions, trajectories and radiation patterns in the classical relativistic Störmer problem

We investigate the relativistic generalization of the classical Störmer problem, which describes the motion of charged particles in a purely magnetic dipole field. By incorporating special relativistic effects, the particle dynamics is governed by a strongly nonlinear system of second-order differential equations derived from the Lorentz force law. We present a rigorous and fully covariant derivation of the relativistic equations of motion, together with the associated conservation laws. An exact solution for planar motions is obtained in parametric form, providing analytical insight into the structure of the trajectories. In addition, we perform a detailed numerical analysis of the particle dynamics across both nonrelativistic and relativistic regimes, exploring a range of initial conditions and highlighting the impact of relativistic corrections. The electromagnetic radiation emitted by the accelerated charges is also examined. We compute the time dependence of the total radiated power and determine the corresponding frequency spectrum. Our results provide a comprehensive characterization of magnetic dipole--type radiation associated with Störmer-like motion. In particular, the power spectral density consistently exhibits distinct peaks, indicating the presence of preferred frequency bands in the emitted radiation.

astro-ph.HE↗