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José P. S. Lemos

Publications and source records attributed to José P. S. Lemos.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Shadow of the Moon and general relativity: Einstein, Dyson, Eddington and the 1919 light deflection

The eclipse of the Sun of 1919 was fundamental in the development of physics and earns a high place in the history of science. Several players took part in this adventure. The most important are Einstein, Dyson, Eddington, the Sun, the Moon, Sobral, and Principe. Einstein's theory of gravitation, general relativity, had the prediction that the gravitational field of the Sun deflects an incoming light ray from a background star on its way to Earth. The calculation gave that the shift in the star's position was 1.75 arcseconds for light rays passing at the Sun's rim. So to test it definitely it was necessary to be in the right places on May 29, 1919, the day of the eclipse. That indeed happened, with a Royal Greenwich Observatory team composed of Crommelin and Davidson that went to Sobral, and that was led at a distance by the Astronomer Royal Frank Dyson, and with Eddington of Cambridge University that went to Principe with his assistant Cottingham. The adventure is fascinating, from the preparations, to the day of the eclipse, the data analysis, the results, and the history that has been made. It confirmed general relativity, and marked an epoch that helped in delineating science in the post eclipse era up to now and into the future. This year of 2019 we are celebrating this enormous breakthrough

physics.hist-ph↗

Einstein and Eddington and the consequences of general relativity: Black holes and gravitational waves

For the celebrations of the 100 years of the observations undertaken by Eddington at the island of Principe and collaborators at Sobral during a total solar eclipse in May 29, 1919, which have confirmed Einstein's theory of general relativity through the deflection of the incoming light from distant stars due to the spacetime curvature caused by the Sun, we highlight the main aspects of the theory, its tests and applications, focusing on some of its outstanding consequences. These are black holes, the object par excellence of general relativity, and gravitational waves, the gravitational probe for the distant Universe. We also point out some open issues.

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Thermodynamics and entropy of self-gravitating matter shells and black holes in $d$ dimensions

The thermodynamic properties of self-gravitating spherical thin matter shells an black holes in $d>4$ dimensions are studied, extending previous analysis for $d=4$. The shell joins a Minkowski interior to a Tangherlini exterior, i.e., a Schwarzschild exterior in $d$ dimensions, with $d\geqslant4$, The junction conditions alone together with the first law of thermodynamics enable one to establish that the entropy of the thin shell depends only on its own gravitational radius. Endowing the shell with a power-law temperature equation of state allows to establish a precise form for the entropy and to perform a thermodynamic stability analysis for the shell. An interesting case is when the shell's temperature has the Hawking form, i.e., it is inversely proportional to the shell's gravitational radius. It is shown in this case that the shell's heat capacity is positive, and thus there is stability, for shells with radii in-between their own gravitational radius and the photonic radius, i.e., the radius of circular photon orbits, reproducing unexpectedly York's thermodynamic stability criterion for a $d=4$ black hole in the canonical ensemble. Additionally, the Euler equation for the matter shell is derived, the Bekenstein and holographic entropy bounds are studied, and the large $d$ limit is analyzed. Within this formalism the thermodynamic properties of black holes can be studied too. Putting the shell at its own gravitational radius, i.e., in the black hole situation, obliges one to choose precisely the Hawking temperature for the shell which in turn yields the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy. The stability analysis implies that the black hole is thermodynamically stable substantiating that in this configuration our system and York's canonical ensemble black hole are indeed the same system. Also relevant is the derivation in a surprising way of the Smarr formula for black holes in $d$ dimensions.

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Cosmology of $f(R, \Box R)$ gravity

Using dynamical system analysis, we explore the cosmology of theories of order up to eight order of the form $f(R, \Box R)$. The phase space of these cosmology reveals that higher-order terms can have a dramatic influence on the evolution of the cosmology, avoiding the onset of finite time singularities. We also confirm and extend some of results which were obtained in the past for this class of theories.

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Covariant action for bouncing cosmologies in modified Gauss-Bonnet gravity

Cyclic universes with bouncing solutions are candidates for solving the big bang initial singularity problem. Here we seek bouncing solutions in a modified Gauss-Bonnet gravity theory, of the type $R+f(G)$, where $R$ is the Ricci scalar, $G$ is the Gauss-Bonnet term, and $f$ some function of it. In finding such a bouncing solution we resort to a technique that reduces the order of the differential equations of the $R+f(G)$ theory to second order equations. As general relativity is a theory whose equations are of second order, this order reduction technique enables one to find solutions which are perturbatively close to general relativity. We also build the covariant action of the order reduced theory.

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Spontaneously broken symmetry restoration of quantum fields in the vicinity of neutral and electrically charged black holes

We consider the restoration of a spontaneously broken symmetry of an interacting quantum scalar field around neutral, i.e., Schwarzschild, and electrically charged, i.e., Reissner-Nordström, black holes in four dimensions. This is done through a semiclassical self-consistent procedure, by solving the system of non-linear coupled equations describing the dynamics of the background field and the vacuum polarization. The black hole at its own horizon generates an indefinitely high temperature which decreases to the Hawking temperature at infinity. Due to the high temperature in its vicinity, there forms a bubble around the black hole in which the scalar field can only assume a value equal to zero, a minimum of energy. Thus, in this region the symmetry of the energy and the field is preserved. At the bubble radius, there is a phase transition in the value of the scalar field due to a spontaneous symmetry breaking mechanism. Indeed, outside the bubble radius the temperature is low enough such that the scalar field settles with a nonzero value in a new energy minimum, indicating a breaking of the symmetry in this outer region. Conversely, there is symmetry restoration from the outer region to the inner bubble close to the horizon. Specific properties that emerge from different black hole electric charges are also noteworthy. It is found that colder black holes, i.e., more charged ones, have a smaller bubble length of restored symmetry. In the extremal case the bubble has zero length, i.e., there is no bubble. Additionally, for colder black holes, it becomes harder to excite the quantum field modes, so the vacuum polarization has smaller values. In the extremal case, the black hole temperature is zero and the vacuum polarization is never excited.

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Wormholes in generalized hybrid metric-Palatini gravity obeying the matter null energy condition everywhere

Wormhole solutions in a generalized hybrid metric-Palatini matter theory, given by a gravitational Lagrangian $f\left(R,\cal{R}\right)$, where $R$ is the metric Ricci scalar, and $\mathcal{R}$ is a Palatini scalar curvature defined in terms of an independent connection, and a matter Lagrangian, are found. The solutions are worked in the scalar-tensor representation of the theory, where the Palatini field is traded for two scalars, $φ$ and $ψ$, and the gravitational term $R$ is maintained. The main interest in the solutions found is that the matter field obeys the null energy condition (NEC) everywhere, including the throat and up to infinity, so that there is no need for exotic matter. The wormhole geometry with its flaring out at the throat is supported by the higher-order curvature terms, or equivalently, by the two fundamental scalar fields, which either way can be interpreted as a gravitational fluid. Thus, in this theory, in building a wormhole, it is possible to exchange the exoticity of matter by the exoticity of the gravitational sector. The specific wormhole displayed, built to obey the matter NEC from the throat to infinity, has three regions, namely, an interior region containing the throat, a thin shell of matter, and a vacuum Schwarzschild anti-de Sitter (AdS) exterior. For hybrid metric-Palatini matter theories this wormhole solution is the first where the NEC for the matter is verified for the entire spacetime keeping the solution under asymptotic control. The existence of this type of solutions is in line with the idea that traversable wormholes bore by additional fundamental gravitational fields, here disguised as scalar fields, can be found without exotic matter. Concomitantly, the somewhat concocted architecture needed to assemble a complete wormhole solution for the whole spacetime may imply that in this class of theories such solutions are scarce.

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Black hole thermodynamics with the cosmological constant as independent variable: Bridge between the enthalpy and the Euclidean path integral approaches

Viewing the cosmological constant $Λ<0$ as an independent variable, we consider the thermodynamics of the Schwarzschild black hole in an anti-de Sitter (AdS) background. For this system, there is one approach which regards the enthalpy as the master thermodynamic variable and makes sense if one considers the vacuum pressure due to the cosmological constant acting in the volume inside the horizon and the outer size of the system is not restricted. From this approach a first law of thermodynamics emerges naturally. There is yet another approach based on the Euclidean action principle and its path integral that puts the black hole inside a cavity, defines a quasilocal energy at the cavity's boundary, and from which a first law of thermodynamics in a different version also emerges naturally. The first approach has affinities with critical phenomena in condensed matter physics and the second approach is an ingredient necessary for the construction of quantum gravity. The bridge between the two approaches is carried out rigorously, putting thus the enthalpic thermodynamics with $Λ$ as independent variable on the same footing as the quasilocal energy approach.

hep-th↗

Black hole mass formula in the membrane paradigm

The membrane paradigm approach adopts a timelike surface, stretched out off the null event horizon, to study several important black hole properties. We use this powerful tool to give a direct derivation of the black hole mass formula in the static and stationary cases without and with electric field. Since here the membrane is a self-gravitating material system we go beyond the usual applicability on test particles and test fields of the paradigm.

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Quantum vacuum polarization around a Reissner-Nordström black hole in five dimensions

WKB approximation methods are applied to the case of a massive scalar field around a 5-dimensional Reissner-Nordström black hole. The divergences are explicitly isolated and the cancellation against the Schwinger-De Witt counter-terms proven. The resulting finite quantity is evaluated for different values of the free parameters, namely the black hole mass and charge, and the scalar field mass. We thus extend our previous results on quantum vacuum polarization effects for uncharged asymptotically flat higher dimensional black holes to electrically charged black holes.

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Unified approach to the entropy of an extremal rotating BTZ black hole: Thin shells and horizon limits

Using a thin shell, the first law of thermodynamics, and a unified approach, we study the thermodymanics and find the entropy of a (2+1)-dimensional extremal rotating Bañados-Teitelbom-Zanelli (BTZ) black hole. The shell in (2+1) dimensions, i.e., a ring, is taken to be circularly symmetric and rotating, with the inner region being a ground state of the anti-de Sitter (AdS) spacetime and the outer region being the rotating BTZ spacetime. The extremal BTZ rotating black hole can be obtained in three different ways depending on the way the shell approaches its own gravitational or horizon radius. These ways are explicitly worked out. The resulting three cases give that the BTZ black hole entropy is either the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy, $S=\frac{A_+}{4G}$, or it is an arbitrary function of $A_+$, $S=S(A_+)$, where $A_+=2πr_+$ is the area, i.e., the perimeter, of the event horizon in (2+1) dimensions. We speculate that the entropy of an extremal black hole should obey $0\leq S(A_+)\leq\frac{A_+}{4G}$. We also show that the contributions from the various thermodynamic quantities, namely, the mass, the circular velocity, and the temperature, for the entropy in all three cases are distinct. This study complements the previous studies in thin shell thermodynamics and entropy for BTZ black holes. It also corroborates the results found for a (3+1)-dimensional extremal electrically charged Reissner-Nordström black hole.

hep-th↗

Cosmological solutions in generalized hybrid metric-Palatini gravity

We construct exact solutions representing a Friedmann-Lemaître-Robsertson-Walker (FLRW) universe in a generalized hybrid metric-Palatini theory. By writing the gravitational action in a scalar-tensor representation, the new solutions are obtained by either making an ansatz on the scale factor or on the effective potential. Among other relevant results, we show that it is possible to obtain exponentially expanding solutions for flat universes even when the cosmology is not purely vacuum. We then derive the classes of actions for the original theory which generate these solutions.

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Thermodynamics of extremal rotating thin shells in an extremal BTZ spacetime and the extremal black hole entropy

In a (2+1)-dimensional spacetime with a negative cosmological constant, the thermodynamics and the entropy of an extremal rotating thin shell, i.e., an extremal rotating ring, are investigated. The outer and inner regions are taken to be the Bañados-Teitelbom-Zanelli (BTZ) spacetime and the vacuum ground state anti-de Sitter (AdS) spacetime, respectively. By applying the first law of thermodynamics to the extremal shell one shows that its entropy is an arbitrary function of the gravitational area $A_+$ alone, $S=S(A_+)$. When the shell approaches its own gravitational radius $r_+$ and turns into an extremal rotating BTZ black hole, it is found that the entropy of the spacetime remains such a function of $A_+$. It is thus vindicated, that extremal black holes, here extremal BTZ black holes, have different properties from the corresponding nonextremal black holes, which have the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy $S(A_+)= \frac{A_+}{4G}$, where $G$ is the gravitational constant. It is argued that for the extremal case $0\leq S(A_+)\leq \frac{A_+}{4G}$. Thus, rather than having just two entropies for extremal black holes, as previous results debated, 0 and $\frac{A_+}{4G}$, it is shown that extremal black holes may have a continuous range of entropies, limited by precisely those two entropies. Surely, the entropy that a particular extremal black hole picks must depend on past processes, notably on how it was formed. It is also found a remarkable relation between the third law of thermodynamics and the impossibility for a massive body to reach the velocity of light. In the procedure, it becomes clear that there are two distinct angular velocities for the shell, the mechanical and thermodynamic angular velocities. In passing, we clarify, for a static spacetime with a thermal shell, the meaning of the Tolman temperature formula at a generic radius and at the shell. (Abridged version).

hep-th↗

Black Hole Quantum Vacuum Polarization in Higher Dimensions

The goal of this paper is to extend to higher dimensionality the methods and computations of vacuum polarization effects in black hole spacetimes. We focus our attention on the case of five dimensional Schwarzschild-Tangherlini black holes, for which we adapt the general method initially developed by Candelas and later refined by Anderson and others. We make use of point splitting regularization and of the WKB approximation to extract the divergences occuring in the coincidence limit of the Green function and, after calculating the counter-terms using the Schwinger - De Witt expansion, we explicitly prove the cancellation of the divergences and the regularity of the vacuum polarization once counter-terms are added up. We finally handle numerically the renormalized expression of the vacuum polarization. As a check on the method we also prove the regularity of the vacuum polarization in the six dimensional case in the large mass limit.

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Regular black holes: Guilfoyle's electrically charged solutions with a perfect fluid phantom core

Regular black hole solutions are found among the Guilfoyle exact solutions. These are spherically symmetric solutions of general relativity coupled to Maxwell's electromagnetism and charged matter where the metric potentials and electromagnetic fields are related in some particularly simple form. We show that, for certain ranges of the parameters, there are objects which correspond to regular charged black holes, whose interior region is filled by an electrically charged phantom-like fluid, or, in the limiting case, a de Sitter false vacuum fluid, and whose exterior region is Reissner-Nordström. The boundary between both regions is a smooth boundary surface, except in the limiting case where the boundary is made of a massless electrically charged spherically symmetric coat. The main physical and geometrical properties of such charged regular solutions are analyzed.

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Magnetic black holes and monopoles in a nonminimal Einstein-Yang-Mills theory with a cosmological constant: Exact solutions

Alternative theories of gravity and their solutions are of considerable importance since at some fundamental level the world can reveal new features. Indeed, it is suspected that the gravitational field might be nonminimally coupled to the other fields at scales not yet probed, bringing into the forefront nonminimally coupled theories. In this mode, we consider a nonminimal Einstein-Yang-Mills theory with a cosmological constant. Imposing spherical symmetry and staticity for the spacetime and a magnetic Wu-Yang ansatz for the Yang-Mills field, we find expressions for the solutions of the theory. Further imposing constraints on the nonminimal parameters, we find a family of exact solutions of the theory depending on five parameters, namely, two nonminimal parameters, the cosmological constant, the magnetic charge, and the mass. These solutions represent magnetic monopoles and black holes in magnetic monopoles with de Sitter, Minkowskian, and anti-de Sitter asymptotics, depending on the sign and value of the cosmological constant $Λ$. We classify completely the family of solutions with respect to the number and the type of horizons and show that the spacetime solutions can have, at most, four horizons. For particular sets of the parameters, these horizons can become double, triple, and quadruple. For instance, for a positive cosmological constant $Λ$, there is a critical $Λ_c$ for which the solution admits a quadruple horizon, evocative of the $Λ_c$ that appears for a given energy density in both the Einstein static and Eddington-Lema\^ıtre dynamical universes. As an example of our classification, we analyze solutions in the Drummond-Hathrell nonminimal theory that describe nonminimal black holes. Another application is with a set of regular black holes previously treated.

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