arXiv subjects

Helvi Witek

Publications and source records attributed to Helvi Witek.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Kerr black holes with vector dark matter hair

We consider a massive vector-field perturbation on a Kerr black hole background. We fix the field's density at the edge of the black hole sphere of influence to model a bath of wave cold dark matter, from which the black hole can accrete endlessly. We employ the approach of Lunin, Frolov, Krtou\v{s}, Kubiz\v{n}\'{a}k, and Santos to separate the equations, and solve them with a mix of analytical and numerical techniques. We find that the field forms a density spike around the black hole with profile $\rho \sim r^{-3/2}$, consistent with dark matter spikes studied in the literature, which is not significantly distorted by spacetime rotation, except near the black hole's ergoregion. For any nonzero spin, an additional superradiant regime appears, in which co-rotating modes extract mass and angular momentum from the black hole. We find a mass \textit{extraction} rate as high as $10\, M_\odot/\text{yr}$ in the superradiant regime for a $10^9\, M_\odot$ black hole. For large field masses, the rate at which the black-hole mass grows behaves similarly to the Schwarzschild case, reaching $\sim 100\, M_\odot/\text{yr}$ for a $10^9\, M_\odot$ black hole. We compare these results to their scalar-field counterparts and discuss how they mix with the superradiant instability.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Charged black holes embedded in matter with anisotropic pressure: Horizon Structure and Quasinormal Mode Spectra

In realistic settings, black holes are expected to be embedded in astrophysical environments. These environments, including possible dark matter distributions, can modify observable properties of black holes and leave imprints on their quasinormal mode spectra. In this work, we model the environment as matter with anisotropic pressure, and we consider a charged black hole embedded in it. The resulting spacetime is described by the Kiselev metric. We first analyze its horizon structure. We then investigate the quasinormal modes of a massless charged scalar field propagating on this background. For this purpose, we develop a nontrivial extension of Leaver's continued fraction method to incorporate the effects of the surrounding matter, and we combine this framework with automatic differentiation techniques. We also compare our results to those obtained with the sixth-order Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin approximation. We find that the surrounding matter modifies the oscillation frequencies and damping rates and leads to the appearance of long-lived modes. We also identify avoided crossings regions and reorganization of the modes in the spectra. Our results demonstrate the importance of incorporating surrounding matter when modeling realistic black holes. The numerical framework we developed here provides a tool for studying quasinormal modes in non-vacuum spacetimes and can be extended to a broad class of black-hole geometries embedded in matter fields.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Scalarization and descalarization in hyperbolic encounters of black holes

We use numerical relativity to study the scalar field evolution sourced by hyperbolic encounters of black holes in quadratic scalar Gauss-Bonnet gravity. In this theory, single black holes are known to acquire a scalar hair through scalarization for certain values of their mass and spin. We work in the decoupling limit and evolve the scalar field on top of a background metric. Seeding binary black holes with an initial scalar field, we find that configurations which initially cannot sustain a scalar hair temporarily scalarize during an encounter and thereby exhibit dynamical scalarization. This is possible for both positive and negative couplings between the scalar field and curvature in black hole binaries with zero and non-zero initial spins, respectively. Furthermore, we find that the change in the spin magnitude of black holes during certain hyperbolic encounters can lead to permanent spin-induced scalarization (or descalarization), which we refer to as spin-up (de)scalarization.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Spin-up and mass-gain in hyperbolic encounters of spinning black holes

Scattering black holes spin up and gain mass through the re-absorption of orbital angular momentum and energy radiated in gravitational waves during their encounter. In this work, we perform a series of numerical relativity simulations to investigate the spin-up and mass-gain for equal-mass black holes with a wide range of equal initial spins, $\chi_{\rm i}\in[-0.7,0.7]$, aligned (or anti-aligned) to the orbital angular momentum. We also consider a variety of initial momenta. Furthermore, we explore a range of incident angles and identify the threshold between scattering and merging configurations. The spin-up and mass-gain are typically largest in systems with incident angles close to the threshold value, large momenta, and negative (i.e. anti-aligned) initial spins. When evaluated at the threshold angle, we find that the spin-up decreases linearly with initial spin. Intriguingly, systems with initial spin $\chi_{\rm i}=0.7$ sometimes experience a spin-down, in spite of an increase in the black-hole angular momentum, due to a corresponding gain in the black-hole mass. Across the simulation suite, we find a maximum spin-up of $0.3$ and a maximum increase in the black-hole mass of $15\%$.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Dephasing in binary black hole mergers surrounded by scalar wave dark matter clouds

Scalar fields of masses between $10^{-21}\rm{eV}/c^2$ and $10^{-11} \rm{eV}/c^2$ can exhibit enhanced gravitational interactions with black holes, and form scalar clouds around them. Such a cloud modifies the dynamics of a coalescing black-hole binary, and the resulting gravitational waves may provide a new channel to detect light scalar fields, such as axion-like particles or wave-like dark matter candidates. In this work we simulate a series of black-hole mergers with mass ratios $q=1$ and $q=1/2$, immersed in an scalar field overdensity with masses in the range $M\mu_{\rm{S}} \in[0,1.0]$. To do so, we implemented a constraint-satisfying initial data solver based on the puncture method, we improved the accuracy of our open-source software Canuda to eighth order finite differences, and we reduced the initial orbital eccentricity. We investigate the impact of the scalar mass on the gravitational and scalar radiation. We find that binaries can undergo a delayed or an accelerated merger with respect to the vacuum. Our study highlights the challenge and importance of accurately modeling black-hole binaries in dark matter environments.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Black-hole hair from vector dark matter accretion

We model a single black hole in equilibrium with a dark photon-cold dark matter environment. Representing the dark photon as a Proca field, we show that a Schwarzschild black hole grows vector-field "hair" when allowed to accrete from an infinite homogeneous bath of particles far from the horizon. We solve the Proca equation in linear perturbation theory, separating it using the vector spherical harmonics and Frolov-Krtou\v{s}-Kubiz\v{n}\'{a}k-Santos approaches for the odd-parity and even-parity sectors, respectively. In the "particle" dark matter regime, the field is purely infalling and exhibits a sharply peaked density profile, in concordance with the particle dark matter "spikes" studied in the literature. In the "wave" regime, the field exhibits standing waves, and the profile is smeared. We find a dark-matter density amplification upward of $10^7$ near the horizon. Though small for most black holes, we find the mass enclosed in the cloud can reach $\sim 1 \%$ of the black hole mass for large supermassive black holes. These black holes are also most susceptible to vector dark matter accretion, with mass accretion rates as large as $10 M_\odot/$yr.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Growing black-hole hair in nonminimally coupled biscalar gravity

Black holes offer a unique laboratory for fundamental physics and are crucial for probing theories beyond Einstein's theory of General Relativity. In this paper, we consider 4D effective field theories with scalar fields. We focus on axi-dilaton gravity, a quadratic gravity theory with two kinetically coupled scalar fields, an axion and a dilaton. To evolve these fields around black holes, we introduce Canuda-AxiDil, the first open-source, parameterized numerical relativity code for quadratic and bi-scalar gravity. Using this code, we perform single black hole simulations to show the dynamical formation of axion and dilaton hairs. Through these simulations, we measure the impact of black-hole spin and curvature coupling strength on the axion and dilaton, and show that a kinetic coupling between the fields increases the observed deviations from General Relativity. Furthermore, we simulate the axion and dilaton fields around a binary black hole coalescence demonstrating the growth of axion hair during the inspiral and the production of radiative modes for both fields.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2023

Black Holes in Massive Dynamical Chern-Simons gravity: scalar hair and quasibound states at decoupling

Black holes have a unique sensitivity to the presence of ultralight matter fields or modifications of the underlying theory of gravity. In the present paper we combine both features by studying an ultralight, dynamical scalar field that is nonminimally coupled to the gravitational Chern-Simons term. In particular, we numerically simulate the evolution of such a scalar field around a rotating black hole in the decoupling approximation and find a new kind of massive scalar hair anchored around the black hole. In the proximity of the black hole, the scalar exhibits the typical dipolar structure of hairy solutions in (massless) dynamical Chern-Simons gravity. At larger distances, the field transitions to an oscillating scalar cloud that is induced by the mass term. Finally, we complement the time-domain results with a spectral analysis of the scalar field characteristic frequencies.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2022

How Do Axisymmetric Black Holes Grow Monopole and Dipole Hair?

We study the dynamical formation of scalar monopole and dipole hair in scalar Gauss-Bonnet theory and dynamical Chern-Simons theory. We prove that the spherically-symmetric mode of the dipole hair is completely determined by the product of the mass of the spacetime and the value of the monopole hair. We then show that the dynamics of the $\ell=1$ mode of the dipole hair is intimately tied to the appearance of the event horizon during axisymmetric collapse, which results in the radiation of certain modes that could have been divergent in the future of the collapse. We confirm these analytical predictions by simulating the gravitational collapse of a rapidly rotating neutron star in the decoupling limit, both in scalar Gauss-Bonnet and dynamical Chern-Simons theory. Our results, combined with those of Ref.~\cite{R:2022cwe}, provide a clear physical picture of the dynamics of scalar monopole and dipole radiation in axisymmetric and spherical gravitational collapse in these theories.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2022

Spin-induced dynamical scalarization, de-scalarization and stealthness in scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity during black hole coalescence

Particular couplings between a scalar field and the Gauss-Bonnet invariant lead to spontaneous scalarization of black holes. Here we continue our work on simulating this phenomenon in the context of binary black hole systems. We consider a negative coupling for which the black-hole spin plays a major role in the scalarization process. We find two main phenomena: (i) dynamical descalarization, in which initially scalarized black holes form an unscalarized remnant, and (ii) dynamical scalarization, whereby the late merger of initially unscalarized black holes can cause scalar hair to grow. An important consequence of the latter case is that modifications to the gravitational waveform due to the scalar field may only occur post-merger, as its presence is hidden during the entirety of the inspiral. However, with a sufficiently strong coupling, we find that scalarization can occur before the remnant has even formed. We close with a discussion of observational implications for gravitational-wave tests of general relativity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2022

New Horizons for Fundamental Physics with LISA

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) has the potential to reveal wonders about the fundamental theory of nature at play in the extreme gravity regime, where the gravitational interaction is both strong and dynamical. In this white paper, the Fundamental Physics Working Group of the LISA Consortium summarizes the current topics in fundamental physics where LISA observations of GWs can be expected to provide key input. We provide the briefest of reviews to then delineate avenues for future research directions and to discuss connections between this working group, other working groups and the consortium work package teams. These connections must be developed for LISA to live up to its science potential in these areas.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2022

The problem with Proca: ghost instabilities in self-interacting vector fields

Massive vector fields feature in several areas of particle physics, e.g., as carriers of weak interactions, dark matter candidates, or as an effective description of photons in a plasma. Here we investigate vector fields with self-interactions by replacing the mass term in the Proca equation with a general potential. We show that this seemingly benign modification inevitably introduces ghost instabilities of the same kind as those recently identified for vector-tensor theories of modified gravity (but in this simpler, minimally coupled theory). It has been suggested that nonperturbative dynamics may drive systems away from such instabilities. We demonstrate that this is not the case by evolving a self-interacting Proca field on a Kerr background, where it grows due to the superradiant instability. The system initially evolves as in the massive case, but instabilities are triggered in a finite time once the self-interaction becomes significant. These instabilities have implications for the formation of condensates of massive, self-interacting vector bosons, the possibility of spin-one bosenovae, vector dark matter models, and effective models for interacting photons in a plasma.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2022

Snowmass2021 Cosmic Frontier White Paper: Numerical relativity for next-generation gravitational-wave probes of fundamental physics

The next generation of gravitational-wave detectors, conceived to begin operations in the 2030s, will probe fundamental physics with exquisite sensitivity. These observations will measure the equation of state of dense nuclear matter in the most extreme environments in the universe, reveal with exquisite fidelity the nonlinear dynamics of warped spacetime, put general relativity to the strictest test, and perhaps use black holes as cosmic particle detectors. Achieving each of these goals will require a new generation of numerical relativity simulations that will run at scale on the supercomputers of the 2030s to achieve the necessary accuracy, which far exceeds the capabilities of numerical relativity and high-performance computing infrastructures available today.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2022

How Do Spherical Black Holes Grow Monopole Hair?

Black holes in certain modified gravity theories that contain a scalar field coupled to curvature invariants are known to possess (monopole) scalar hair while non-black-hole spacetimes (like neutron stars) do not. Therefore, as a neutron star collapses to a black hole, scalar hair must grow until it settles to the stationary black hole solution with (monopole) hair. In this paper, we study this process in detail and show that the growth of scalar hair is tied to the appearance and growth of the event horizon (before an apparent horizon forms), which forces scalar modes that would otherwise (in the future) become divergent to be radiated away. We prove this result rigorously in general first for a large class of modified theories, and then we exemplify the results by studying the temporal evolution of the scalar field in scalar Gauss-Bonnet gravity in two backgrounds: (i) a collapsing Oppenheimer-Snyder background, and (ii) a collapsing neutron star background. In case (i), we find an exact scalar field solution analytically, while in case (ii) we solve for the temporal evolution of the scalar field numerically, with both cases supporting the conclusion presented above. Our results suggest that the emission of a burst of scalar field radiation is a necessary condition for black hole formation in a large class of modified theories of gravity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2021

Dynamical descalarization in binary black hole mergers

Scalar fields coupled to the Gauss-Bonnet invariant can undergo a tachyonic instability, leading to spontaneous scalarization of black holes. Studies of this effect have so far been restricted to single black hole spacetimes. We present the first results on dynamical scalarization in head-on collisions and quasicircular inspirals of black hole binaries with numerical relativity simulations. We show that black hole binaries can either form a scalarized remnant or dynamically descalarize by shedding off its initial scalar hair. The observational implications of these findings are discussed.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2021

Projecting the likely importance of weak-interaction-driven bulk viscosity in neutron star mergers

In this work, we estimate how much bulk viscosity driven by Urca processes is likely to affect the gravitational wave signal of a neutron star coalescence. In the late inspiral, we show that bulk viscosity affects the binding energy at fourth post-Newtonian (PN) order. Even though this effect is enhanced by the square of the gravitational compactness, the coefficient of bulk viscosity is likely too small to lead to observable effects in the waveform during the late inspiral, when only considering the orbital motion itself. In the post-merger, however, the characteristic time-scales and spatial scales are different, potentially leading to the opposite conclusion. We post-process data from a state-of-the-art equal-mass binary neutron star merger simulation to estimate the effects of bulk viscosity (which was not included in the simulation itself). In that scenario, we find that bulk viscosity can reach high values in regions of the merger. We compute several estimates of how much it might directly affect the global dynamics of the considered merger scenario, and find that it could become significant. Even larger effects could arise in different merger scenarios or in simulations that include non-linear effects. This assessment is reinforced by a quantitative comparison with relativistic heavy-ion collisions where such effects have been explored extensively.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2021

Square Peg in a Circular Hole: Choosing the Right Ansatz for Isolated Black Holes in Generic Gravitational Theories

The metric of a spacetime can be greatly simplified if the spacetime is circular. We prove that in generic effective theories of gravity, the spacetime of a stationary, axisymmetric and asymptotically flat solution must be circular if the solution can be obtained perturbatively from a solution in the general relativity limit. This result applies to a broad class of gravitational theories that include arbitrary scalars and vectors in their light sector, so long as their nonstandard kinetic terms and nonmininal couplings to gravity are treated perturbatively.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2021

Post-Newtonian Gravitational and Scalar Waves in Scalar-Gauss-Bonnet Gravity

Gravitational waves emitted by black hole binary inspiral and mergers enable unprecedented strong-field tests of gravity, requiring accurate theoretical modelling of the expected signals in extensions of General Relativity. In this paper we model the gravitational wave emission of inspiraling binaries in scalar Gauss-Bonnet gravity theories. Going beyond the weak-coupling approximation, we derive the gravitational waveform to first post-Newtonian order beyond the quadrupole approximation and calculate new contributions from nonlinear curvature terms. We quantify the effect of these terms and provide ready-to-implement gravitational wave and scalar waveforms as well as the Fourier domain phase for quasi-circular binaries. We also perform a parameter space study, which indicates that the values of black hole scalar charges play a crucial role in the detectability of deviation from General Relativity. We also compare the scalar waveforms to numerical relativity simulations to assess the impact of the relativistic corrections to the scalar radiation. Our results provide important foundations for future precision tests of gravity.

gr-qc↗