arXiv subjects

Long-Yue Li

Publications and source records attributed to Long-Yue Li.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Imaging Signatures of the Israel Junction: Photon Ring Evolution in Dynamical Thin Shell Schwarzschild Spacetimes

We study the images of black holes by gluing two Schwarzschild spacetimes with a thin shell where the Israel junction conditions are satisfied. By studying the refraction law for null geodesics at the spherical shell, and taking account of the light travel time delay, the images are obtained by ray tracing a geometrically and optically thin accretion disk. For a static shell we identify three signatures: a redshift cusp at the shell, a V-shaped profile of the transfer function $r(b)$, and a loss of the one-to-one correspondence between photon spheres and photon rings on the observer's screen. During the collapse of the shell, the spacetime evolves from a stage with a single photon sphere inside the shell, through an intermediate stage with double photon spheres, and finally to a spacetime with a single photon sphere outside the shell. However, when the shell is released from a large distance, the corresponding images never show two separate photon rings, even in the stage with two photon spheres. In addition, the motion of the shell leads to a discontinuity in the redshift factor. These signatures provide a practical basis for testing the Israel junction in black hole spacetimes.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Signatures of the Israel Junction II: Double Photon Rings in Slowly Rotating Kerr Spacetime with Thin Shell

Applying the junction conditions to the slowly rotating Kerr spacetime with a thin shell, when higher order terms in the spin parameter a can be neglected, we find that while the angular momentum $L$ and Carter constant $C$ of the ray remain unchanged upon crossing the shell, its energy $E$ does not. Consequently, the impact parameters $\eta=L/E$ and $\xi=C/E^2$ of the ray are discontinued at the shell. Utilizing this transformation, we study the shadow of this spacetime and the corresponding images from an equatorial thin accretion disk. The presence of the shell gives rise to distinctive features in the observed images. Notably, we observe distinct double photon rings in the images, which can gradually merge into a single ring. Moreover, the shadow boundaries and the photon rings do not exhibit a one-to-one correspondence. The abrupt changes in redshift factor and the truncated photon regions profoundly influence the image, producing distinctive features such as the step-like structures. These features in shell-equipped spacetimes can help evaluate, through future astronomical observations, the applicability of the Israel junction condition and the shell model in real astrophysical systems.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Images and photon regions of continuous photon sphere spacetime

We study images of spacetimes containing continuous photon spheres (CPS). For a self-gravitating, isotropic, spherically symmetric spacetime with CPS, we find that a thin accretion disk produces images that closely resemble those of a Schwarzschild black hole, despite significant differences in photon dynamics. More generally, for any static, pherically symmetric spacetime with a luminous CPS core, the image profile is universal: members of this class produce identical image shapes, differing only by an overall normalization factor. This universality is, however, sensitive to the nature of the accretion flow and breaks down for spherically symmetric infalling accretion, where Doppler shifts and non-static emission introduce image features that depend on the flow dynamics and the metric. Finally, we investigate photon regions in a rotating CPS spacetime and find that unlike in Kerr spacetime, the photon region appears as one or two angular sectors in a constant-$ϕ$ cross section. These distinctive photon region properties could produce observable signatures that distinguish rotating CPS spacetimes from the Kerr one.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Image of Quantum Improved Regular Kerr Black Hole and Parameter Constraints from EHT Observations

Quantum Improved Regular Kerr (QIRK) black hole is a rotating regular black hole model constructed based on the asymptotic safety method. The model eliminates the ring singularity and prevents the formation of closed timelike curves, while retaining well-defined thermodynamic properties. Given these properties, probing the observable features of the QIRK black hole is important. In this work, we numerically determine the region of parameter space in which the QIRK spacetime remains regular, admits an event horizon, and is free of closed timelike curves. Subsequently, we simulate images of a QIRK black hole surrounded by a thin accretion disk. We find the primary effect of the quantum correction parameter, $\widetildeω$, is a systematic reduction in the overall observed intensity, with only subtle effects on the image geometry. Using observational data from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) for Sgr A* and M87*, we further constrain the parameters of the QIRK black hole. Moreover, since there exist QIRK parameters that are free of singularities and can admit closed timelike curves, we investigate the images of CTCs under these conditions. These results reveal the distinctive observational features of the QIRK spacetime and provide a quantitative basis for assessing its viability as an astrophysical candidate.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

The instability of the inner horizon of the quantum-corrected black hole

We analyse the stability of the inner horizon of the quantum-corrected black hole which is proposed in loop quantum gravity as the exterior of the quantum Oppenheimer-Snyder and Swiss Cheese models. It is shown that the flux and energy density of a test scalar field measured by free-falling observers are both divergent near the Cauchy horizon. By considering the generalized Dray-'t Hooft-Redmond relation which is independent of the field equation, we find that the mass inflation always happens and the scalar curvature and Kretschmann scalar are also divergent on the inner horizon. These suggest that the inner horizon is unstable and will probably turn into a null singularity. The results support the strong cosmic censorship hypothesis. However, this also implies that the quantum corrected model may not be the definitive endpoint as a regular black hole. Besides, it further proposes that it may be challenging to observe the astronomical phenomenon which depends on the existence of the inner horizon of the black hole.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

The appearance of de Sitter black holes and strong cosmic censorship

We study the optical appearance of Schwarzschild-de Sitter and Reissner-Nordström-de Sitter black holes viewed by distant observers inside cosmological horizons. Unlike their asymptotically flat counterparts, due to the positive cosmological constant, there are outermost stable circular orbits in the spacetimes, resulting in significant outer edges in the images. Besides, when the Reissner-Nordström-de Sitter black hole has a stable Cauchy horizon, the photons from the preceding companion universe can be received by the observer in our universe. These rays create a multi-ring structure in the image. Since the stable Cauchy horizon violates the strong cosmic censorship conjecture, this novel image shed some light on the test of the conjecture by astronomical observations.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

The appearance of the regular black hole with a stable inner horizon

The strong cosmic censorship conjecture, which states that the evolution of generic initial data will always produce a globally hyperbolic spacetime, is hard to be tested by astronomical observations. In this paper, we study the appearance of the regular black hole without mass inflation, which violates the strong cosmic censorship conjecture. Since the inner horizon is stable, the photons entering the two horizons of the regular black hole in the preceding companion universe can come out from the white hole in our universe. These rays create a novel multi-ring structure, which is significantly different from the image of the Schwarzschild black hole. This serves a potential method to test the strong cosmic censorship conjecture.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2021

A Bound on the Rate of Bondi Mass Loss

To ensure the light (emitted far away from the source of gravity) can arrive at the null infinity of an asymptotically flat spacetime, it is shown that the rate of Bondi mass aspect has to satisfy some conditions. In Einstein gravity theory, we find the sufficient condition implies a bound on the Bondi mass $m$, i.e., $|\dot{m}|\leqslant 0.3820~c^3/G$. This provides a new perspective on Dyson's maximum luminosity. However, in Brans-Dicke theory, the sufficient condition depends on the behavior of the radiation field of the scalar. Specifically, the photons can escape to the null infinity when the scalar gravitational radiation is not too large and the mass loss is not too fast.

gr-qc↗