arXiv subjects

Gaurang Ramakant Kane

Publications and source records attributed to Gaurang Ramakant Kane.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Localised Horizons and Holographic Thermodynamics: Supercooling in the 1/D Expansion

In holography, four-dimensional confining gauge theories are often modelled by five-dimensional Einstein--scalar gravity by choosing a specific form of the scalar potential. In a large class of non-conformal theories, we show that a predictive structure emerges for the thermal confinement transition by generalising the gravitational dual to $D+1$ dimensions and using a $1/D$ expansion. These results are independent of the details of the scalar potential, hinting towards universality. The black brane geometry dual to the deconfined phase can be analytically constructed due to its effects being localised near the horizon at leading order. The solution does not exist below a minimal temperature $T_{\rm min}$ and the maximum possible supercooling in the transition $ε_{\rm sc} = 1-T_{\rm min}/T_{\rm c}$ is generically suppressed by a factor of $1/D^2$. Remarkably, the maximum supercooling at the leading order is set by the speed of sound in the deconfined phase of the gauge theory at the critical temperature, $ε_{\rm sc}=c_s^2(T_{\rm c})/2$. These predictions agree with explicit calculations in an exponential superpotential, improved holography, and the thermal transition in $\mathcal{N}=4$ super Yang--Mills on a sphere.

hep-th↗

arXiv2026

Abundant production of scalars and axions from phase transition bubble expansion

We revisit aspects of particle production during cosmological first-order phase transitions, and show that the expansion of true-vacuum bubbles can be a copious source of particle production. Specifically, for a massive spin-0 field linearly coupled to the bubble profile, spherical bubbles expanding even at \emph{constant} radial velocity efficiently produce particles until the local-rest-frame radius of curvature of the bubble wall exceeds the particle Compton wavelength -- contrary to the expectation that walls moving at constant speed cannot radiate. We compute the momentum spectrum of the produced particles for both accelerated and constant-velocity expansion histories, identify the regimes of coherent and incoherent production, quantify the validity of the perturbative treatment, and show that this mechanism can parametrically dominate other production processes of feebly coupled particles, including freeze-in. Our results apply to many models of light, feebly coupled particles studied in the literature, providing new sources of dark radiation and dark matter. In particular, a first-order deconfinement-confinement transition in a hidden Yang-Mills sector can abundantly produce axion-like particles, leading to dark radiation and/or dark matter signatures over large regions of parameter space.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Prediction for Maximum Supercooling in SU(N) Confinement Transition

The thermal confinement phase transition (PT) in $SU(N)$ Yang-Mills theory is first-order for $N\geq 3$, with bounce action scaling as $N^2$. Remarkably, lattice data for the action include a small coefficient whose presence likely strongly alters the PT dynamics. We give evidence, utilizing insights from softly-broken SUSY YM models, that the small coefficient originates from a deconfined phase instability just below the critical temperature. We predict the maximum achievable supercooling in $SU(N)$ theories to be a few percent, which can be tested on the lattice. We briefly discuss the potentially significant suppression of the associated cosmological gravitational wave signals.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Supercooled Confinement

We study general properties of confinement phase transitions in the early universe. An observable gravitational wave signal from such transitions requires significant supercooling. However, in almost all understood examples of confining gauge theories the degree of supercooling is too small to give interesting gravitational wave signals. We review and highlight the evidence why supercooling is not generic in confining gauge theories. The exceptions are Randall-Sundrum models which define a strongly coupled gauge theory holographically by a 5D gravitational theory. We construct a simple illustrative model of a 4D gauge theory inspired by features of the Randall-Sundrum model. It is a large-$N$ gauge theory in the conformal window coupled to a weakly coupled scalar field which undergoes a supercooled phase transition that breaks the conformal symmetry and triggers confinement. We show that there are interesting features in the gravitational wave spectra that can carry the imprint of the confining gauge theory.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Chern-Simons Induced Thermal Friction on Axion Domain Walls

We study the dynamics and interactions of the solitonic domain walls that occur in realistic axion electrodynamics models including the Chern-Simons interaction, $aε_{μνλσ}F^{μν} F^{λσ}$, between an axion $a(x)$ of mass $m_a$, and a massless U(1) gauge field, e.g. EM, interacting with strength $α=e^2/4π$ with charged matter, e.g. electron-positron pairs. In particular, in the presence of a U(1) gauge-and-matter relativistic thermal plasma we study the friction experienced by the walls due to the Chern-Simons term. Utilizing the linear response method we include the collective effects of the plasma, as opposed to purely particle scattering across the wall (as is done in previous treatments) which is valid only in the thin wall regime that is rarely applicable in realistic cases. We show that the friction depends on the Lorentz-$γ$-factor-dependent inverse thickness of the wall in the plasma frame, $\ell^{-1} \sim γm_a$, compared to the three different plasma scales, the temperature $T$, the Debye mass $m_D\sim\sqrtα T$, and the damping rate $Γ\sim α^2 T$, and elucidate the underlying physical intuition for this behavior. (For friction in the thin-wall-limit we correct previous expressions in the literature.) We further consider the effects of long-range coherent magnetic fields that are possibly present in the early universe and compare their effect with that of thermal magnetic fields. Finally, we briefly discuss the possible early universe consequences of our results for domain wall motion and network decay, stochastic gravitational wave production from domain wall networks, and possible primordial black hole production from domain wall collapse, though a more complete discussion of these topics is reserved for a companion paper.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

Thermality of horizon through near horizon instability: a path integral approach

Recent investigations revealed that the near horizon Hamiltonian of a massless, chargeless outgoing particle, for its particular motion in static as well as stationary black holes, is effectively $\sim xp$ kind. This is unstable by nature and has the potential to explain a few interesting physical phenomena. From the path integral kernel, we first calculate the density of states. Also, following the idea of [Phys. Rev. D 85, 025011 (2012)] here, in the vicinity of the horizon, we calculate the effective path corresponding to its Schrodinger version of Hamiltonian through the path integral approach. The latter result appears to be complex in nature and carries the information of escaping the probability of the particle through the horizon. In both ways, we identify the correct expression of Hawking temperature. Moreover, here we successfully extend the complex path approach to a more general black hole like Kerr spacetime. We feel that such a complex path is an outcome of the nature of near horizon instability provided by the horizon and, therefore, once again bolstered the fact that the thermalization mechanism of the horizon may be explained through the aforesaid local instability.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2021

Entangled quantum Unruh Otto engine is more efficient

We propose a relativistic quantum Otto cycle between an entangled state of two qubits and their composite excited (or ground) state whose efficiency can be greater than the usual single qubit quantum Otto engine. The hot and cold reservoirs are constructed by providing uniform accelerations to these qubits along with the interaction between the background field and individual qubits. The efficiency, as measured from one of the qubits' frame, not only depends on the energy gap of the states but also the relative acceleration between them. For lower acceleration of our observer's qubit compared to the other one, the cycle is more efficient than the single qubit quantum Otto engine. Furthermore, a complete protocol to construct such a cycle is being provided.

quant-ph↗