arXiv subjects

M. S. Cunha

Publications and source records attributed to M. S. Cunha.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

On regular black string spacetimes in nonlinear electrodynamics

In this work, we investigate the coupling of General Relativity with Nonlinear Electrodynamics (NED), governed by a general Lagrangian $\mathcal{L}(\mathcal{F})$, to address the axial singularity of four-dimensional black strings. Through a model-independent analysis, we scrutinize the viability of regular configurations by extending no-go theorems, originally formulated for spherical spacetimes, to cylindrical symmetries. We provide a comprehensive mathematical proof that regular, purely electric black strings cannot be generated by any NED Lagrangian that recovers the Maxwell limit in the weak-field regime, establishing a fundamental constraint for cylindrical topologies. Despite these limitations, we employ specific mathematical frameworks to construct new exact solutions for black strings, including cylindrical analogues of the well-known Bardeen and Hayward regular black hole classes. Each solution is analytically derived, and we demonstrate that their curvature invariants remain finite everywhere, effectively replacing the axial singularity with a regular core. Furthermore, we evaluate the physical consistency of these new metrics by subjecting them to stringent causality and unitarity constraints. Our results provide a comprehensive classification of the conditions under which NED can regularize cylindrical spacetimes and offer new insights into how topological differences between spherical and axial symmetries influence the global structure and the physical viability of non-singular gravitational objects in nonlinear gauge theories.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Cylindrically Symmetric Black Holes Sourced by Dekel-Zhao Dark Matter

In this work, we obtain analytical solutions for a $(3+1)$-dimensional black string and a $(2+1)$-dimensional black hole, both sourced by the Dekel-Zhao dark matter (DM) density profile. Our results indicate that the event horizon radius is sensitive to the inner slope parameter $a$; specifically, beyond a critical threshold, the horizon vanishes, leading to the formation of naked singularities. We find that the DM environment induces curvature singularities in the Ricci and Kretschmann scalars, which are absent in the vacuum BTZ case. Furthermore, an analysis of the effective energy-momentum tensor shows that while the null, weak, and strong energy conditions are strictly satisfied, the dominant energy condition is violated in the lower-dimensional scenario due to the high tangential pressure gradient. We also observe that DM modifies the Hawking temperature and free energy without compromising local or global stability. Notably, the DM distribution transforms the originally constant-curvature BTZ spacetime into a singular one, suggesting that a inherent stiffness of the DM profile is a determinant factor in the causal structure of these solutions.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Traversable double-throat wormholes in a string cloud background

This work constructs a new class of traversable wormhole solutions with a double-throat topology, modeled as a localized perturbation of the Ellis-Bronnikov metric in a string cloud background. Embedding diagrams and the analysis of curvature invariants, including the Kretschmann scalar and the Weyl invariant, illustrate the geometric transition from single to double-throat structures as a function of the perturbation amplitude. By imposing the zero-tidal condition, we derive analytical expressions for the energy density and pressures, showing an asymptotic $r^{-2}$ decay characteristic of a string cloud, endowed with the topology of a global monopole. A key finding is that the energy density converges to a positive constant at the center, with the radial pressure becoming negative. This local behavior provides the repulsive support necessary to inflate the inter-throat region with non-exotic matter, concentrating Null Energy Condition violations to the throat vicinities. These results suggest that multi-throat geometries offer a natural mechanism for localizing exotic matter while maintaining a physical asymptotic background.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Extra modes in helium-core-burning stars probing an infra core cavity

Dipole mixed modes observed in the oscillation pattern of red giant stars probe the radiative regions in the stellar core. Oscillation spectra of helium-core-burning stars sometimes show extra peaks that remain unexplained by the dipole mixed-mode pattern expected from the coupling of a radiative cavity in the stellar core and a pressure cavity in the stellar envelope. We use the asymptotic expansion developed for a multi-cavity star in order to characterize these extra peaks. The analytical resonance condition of the multi-cavity gravito-acoustic modes, with two inner gravity cavities and an outer pressure cavity, helps us explain that the apparent extra peaks are dipole mixed modes that follow the 3-cavity oscillation pattern. The derivation of the two asymptotic period spacings associated with the two distinct regions in the radiative core provides an estimate of the full radiative cavity. Our results provide new constraints for analysing the overshoot or mixing in the core of helium-core-burning stars. An important structure discontinuity inside the radiative core may explain the larger than expected observed period spacings.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2026

Traversable wormholes from a smoothed string fluid in 4D Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity

We investigate traversable wormhole solutions in four-dimensional Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet (EGB) gravity sourced by a smoothed string fluid. Originally proposed to model regular black holes, this energy density profile is adapted here to sustain wormhole geometries by allowing for a radially varying equation of state. We obtain zero-tidal-force solutions that satisfy all traversability criteria and remain globally regular. The Gauss-Bonnet (GB) coupling $α$ plays a central role in shaping the throat geometry. We identify a parameter region ($α\geq 1$, $\varepsilon \leq 0.1$) in which the null energy condition is satisfied in the vicinity of the throat, representing a significant improvement over general relativistic counterparts. The interplay between the smoothing scale $a$ and the string density $\varepsilon$ ensures finite curvature invariants while reducing the violation of energy conditions. An analysis of the volume integral quantifier and the complexity factor further shows that strong EGB coupling simultaneously suppresses gravitational complexity and the total amount of exotic matter. These results establish a unified framework in which the same string fluid source can generate both regular black holes and stable traversable wormholes, depending on the strength of higher-curvature corrections.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Coupled Oscillators, Frequency Transfer and the Higgs Mechanism's Teaching

In this work, we propose a simple model to teach the Higgs mechanism of spontaneous symmetry breaking in particle physics. The basic idea is associated with the analysis of two particles' motion subjected to specific potentials that, in certain situations, will reproduce oscillatory motions with a frequency transfer effect.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2025

Five dimensional rotating and Quintessence black hole and their hypershadows

We present a new five-dimensional rotating quintessence black hole solution. To obtain this, we employ the $5D$ version of the Janis Newman algorithm, which incorporates the Hopf bifurcation. The variation of the quintessence parameter $w_q$ causes the geometry to transition from a regular rotating universe surrounded by a cosmological horizon to a singular rotating geometry, which can represent a naked singularity, a singular extremal black hole, or a singular black hole with both an inner and an outer (event) horizon. We have also determined the properties of the ergosphere. For the study of the shadow, we followed a novel approach in which the $2D$ shadow observed by humans corresponds to cross sections of the $3D$ shadow. We analyzed how quintessence affects both the size and shape of the black hole shadow, showing that increasing the quintessence strength reduces the shadow radius, contrary to the known results in $4D$. We also propose a speculative methodology to test the shadow behavior in five dimensional scenarios, in light of the constraints provided by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) concerning the shadow of the four-dimensional supermassive black hole M87. We identify scenarios in which the theoretical $5D$ results could be consistent with these observational constraints. We have also tested the circularity deviation of our shadows, finding that the results satisfy the bound $ΔC \leq 0.1$ both in the case with quintessence and in the limiting case without quintessence. Finally, we determine the energy conditions required to support the solution.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

Glitches in solar-like oscillating F-type stars: Possible contribution of non-linear terms

The glitch signatures in $r_{010}$ for F-type stars (higher amplitude and period of the oscillatory component) are very different from those of G-type stars. The aim of this work is to analyse the signatures of these glitches and understand the origin of the differences in these signatures between G-type and F-type stars. We fit the glitch signatures in the frequencies, second differences, and $r_{010}$ ratios while assuming either a sinusoidal variation or a more complex expression. The fit provides the acoustic depth, and hence the position, of the bottom of the convective envelope for nine \textit{Kepler} stars and the Sun. We find that for F-type stars, the most commonly used fitting expressions for the glitch of the bottom of the convective envelope provide different measurements of the position of the bottom of the convective envelope for the three seismic indicators, while it is not the case for G-type stars. When adding an additional term in the fitting expression with twice the acoustic depth of the standard term (a contribution that accounts for the highly non-sinusoidal shape of the signature in the $r_{010}$ ratios), we find better agreement between the three seismic indicators and with the prediction of stellar evolution models. While the origin of this additional term is not yet understood, this may be an indication that the transition between the convective envelope and the underlying radiative zone is different for G- and F-type stars. This outcome brings new insight into the physics in these regions.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2024

Static and stationary loop quantum black bounces

We explore a static and stationary black bounce geometry inspired by Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG), focusing on how LQG corrections and regularization parameters affect its properties. Building on the spherically symmetric and static black hole solution from \cite{Kelly:2020uwj}, we trace its origin to Non-Linear Electrodynamics (NED) with electric and magnetic charges and check the energy conditions (NEC, WEC, SEC). By extending the geometry using the Simpson-Visser procedure, we construct a black hole-wormhole bounce structure, influenced by LQG parameters. We analyze the horizon structure to constrain parameters for black holes and wormholes, and examine curvature and new sources including a phantom-type scalar field to ensure spacetime regularity and adherence to energy conditions. Thermodynamic properties are also studied, revealing the existence of remnants and phase transitions. Additionally, we derive a rotating black bounce solution, verifying its regularity, and putting forward that the spherical bouncing surface turns into an ellipsoid with no ring singularity. Finally, we find that increasing the LQG parameter leads to smaller ergospheres and reduced shadows, with potential implications for observational astrophysics and quantum gravitational signatures.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

Expanding the frontiers of cool-dwarf asteroseismology with ESPRESSO. Detection of solar-like oscillations in the K5 dwarf $ε$ Indi

Fuelled by space photometry, asteroseismology is vastly benefitting the study of cool main-sequence stars, which exhibit convection-driven solar-like oscillations. Even so, the tiny oscillation amplitudes in K dwarfs continue to pose a challenge to space-based asteroseismology. A viable alternative is offered by the lower stellar noise over the oscillation timescales in Doppler observations. In this letter we present the definite detection of solar-like oscillations in the bright K5 dwarf $ε$ Indi based on time-intensive observations collected with the ESPRESSO spectrograph at the VLT, thus making it the coolest seismic dwarf ever observed. We measured the frequencies of a total of 19 modes of degree $\ell=0$--2 along with $ν_{\rm max}=5305\pm176\:{\rm μHz}$ and $Δν=201.25\pm0.16\:{\rm μHz}$. The peak amplitude of radial modes is $2.6\pm0.5\:{\rm cm\,s^{-1}}$, or a mere ${\sim} 14\%$ of the solar value. Measured mode amplitudes are ${\sim} 2$ times lower than predicted from a nominal $L/M$ scaling relation and favour a scaling closer to $(L/M)^{1.5}$ below ${\sim} 5500\:{\rm K}$, carrying important implications for our understanding of the coupling efficiency between pulsations and near-surface convection in K dwarfs. This detection conclusively shows that precise asteroseismology of cool dwarfs is possible down to at least the mid-K regime using next-generation spectrographs on large-aperture telescopes, effectively opening up a new domain in observational asteroseismology.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2023

TESS Cycle 2 observations of roAp stars with 2-min cadence data

We present the results of a systematic search of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) 2-min cadence data for new rapidly oscillating Ap (roAp) stars observed during the Cycle 2 phase of its mission. We find seven new roAp stars previously unreported as such and present the analysis of a further 25 roAp stars that are already known. Three of the new stars show multiperiodic pulsations, while all new members are rotationally variable stars, leading to almost 70 per cent (22) of the roAp stars presented being $α^2$ CVn-type variable stars. We show that targeted observations of known chemically peculiar stars are likely to overlook many new roAp stars, and demonstrate that multi-epoch observations are necessary to see pulsational behaviour changes. We find a lack of roAp stars close to the blue edge of the theoretical roAp instability strip, and reaffirm that mode instability is observed more frequently with precise, space-based observations. In addition to the Cycle 2 observations, we analyse TESS data for all known roAp stars. This amounts to 18 further roAp stars observed by TESS. Finally, we list six known roAp stars that TESS is yet to observe. We deduce that the incidence of roAp stars amongst the Ap star population is just 5.5 per cent, raising fundamental questions about the conditions required to excite pulsations in Ap stars. This work, coupled with our previous work on roAp stars in Cycle 1 observations, presents the most comprehensive, homogeneous study of the roAp stars in the TESS nominal mission, with a collection of 112 confirmed roAp stars in total.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2023

Temporal variation of the photometric magnetic activity for the Sun and Kepler solar-like stars

The photometric time series of solar-like stars can exhibit rotational modulation due to active regions co-rotating with the stellar surface, allowing us to constrain stellar rotation and magnetic activity. In this work we investigate the behavior, particularly the variability, of the photometric magnetic activity of Kepler solar-like stars and compare it with that of the Sun. We adopted the photometric magnetic activity proxy Sph, which was computed with a cadence of 5 x the rotation period, Prot. The average Sph was taken as the mean activity level, and the standard deviation was taken as a measure of the temporal variation of the magnetic activity over the observations. We also analyzed Sun-as-a-star photometric data from VIRGO. Sun-like stars were selected from a very narrow parameter space around the solar properties. We also looked into KIC 8006161 (HD 173701), an active metal-rich G dwarf, and we compared its magnetic activity to that of stars with similar stellar parameters. We find that the amplitude of Sph variability is strongly correlated with its mean value, independent of spectral type. An equivalent relationship has been found for ground-based observations of chromospheric activity emission and magnetic field strength, but in this work we show that photometric Kepler data also present the same behavior. While, depending on the cycle phase, the Sun is among the less active stars, we find that the solar Sph properties are consistent with those observed in Kepler Sun-like stars. KIC 8006161 is, however, among the most active of its peers, which tend to be metal-rich. This results from an underlying relationship between Prot and metallicity and supports the following interpretation of the magnetic activity of KIC 8006161: its strong activity is a consequence of its high metallicity, which affects the depth of the convection zone and, consequently, the efficiency of the dynamo.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2023

New regular 2+1 black hole solutions from bilocal gravity

We obtain new regular black hole solutions for an action in 2+1 dimensions with bilocal Ricci scalar and negative cosmological constant. Besides their connection to the cosmological constant, these solutions depend on a fundamental length due to their non-local nature. The effective profile densities that result from the non-local geometries have quasi-localized mass/energy since they are finite at the origin and their integration in all space is convergent. The black holes obtained are free of singularities and present one, two, or none horizons depending on the values of the involved parameters. The new solutions can have either an AdS, dS, or even a flat core. In the case of a de-Sitter core, it could represent a repulsive force coming from quantum effects. Although the resulting (effective) cosmological constant is positive near the origin, the classical (naked) counterpart is still negative thus precluding a cosmological horizon. We investigate the energy conditions of the effective source and determine the region where exotic energy should be found. Thermodynamic quantities are also computed. On the one hand, Gibbs's potential shows that both solutions are globally unstable, as in the BTZ case. On the other, we show that for small values of the horizon radius the Hawking temperature is negatively divergent but a finite size remnant can be defined where $T_H$ crosses zero. At this point, the heat capacity sign changes from negative to positive, indicating that the black holes are locally stable while irradiating. Thus, such a quantity, along with $T_H$, presents crucial differences with the BTZ black hole for small horizon radii where quantum effects become relevant. Finally, we analyze the bilocal black hole geodesics and find stable circular orbits for massless and massive particles, another feature absent in the BTZ case.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2023

Glitches in solar-like oscillating F-type stars: Theoretical signature of the base of the convective envelope on the ratios $r_{010}$

The transition between convective and radiative stellar regions is still not fully understood. The sharp variations in sound speed located in these transition regions give rise to a signature in specific seismic indicators, opening the possibility to constrain the physics of convection to radiation transition. Among those seismic indicators, the ratios of the small to large frequency separation for $l=0$ and $1$ modes ($r_{010}$) were shown to be particularly efficient to probe these transition regions. Interestingly, in the Kepler Legacy F-type stars, the oscillatory signatures left in the $r_{010}$ ratios by the sharp sound-speed variation have unexpected large amplitudes that still need to be explained. We show that the signature of the bottom of the convective envelope is amplified in the ratios $r_{010}$ by the frequency dependence of the amplitude compared to the signal seen in the frequencies themselves or the second differences. We find that among the different options of physical input investigated here, large amplitude signatures can only be obtained when convective penetration of the surface convective zone into the underlying radiative region is taken into account. In this case and even for amplitudes as large as those observed in F-type stars, the oscillating signature in the ratios can only be detected when the convective envelope is deep enough. This deep extension of the convective envelope causes doubt that the origin of the large amplitudes is due to penetrative convection as it is modelled here or implies that current stellar modelling (without penetrative convection) leads to an underestimation of the size of convective envelopes. In any case, studying the glitch signatures of a large number of oscillating F-type stars opens the possibility to constrain the physics of the stellar interior in these regions.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2023

FRA -- A new Fast, Robust and Automated pipeline for the detection and measurement of solar-like oscillations in time-series photometry of red-giant stars

We developed, tested and validated a new Fast, Robust and Automated (FRA) tool to detect solar-like oscillations. FRA is based on the detection and measurement of the frequency of maximum oscillation power $ν_{max}$, without relying on the detection of a regular frequency spacing to guide the search. We applied the FRA pipeline to 254 synthetic power spectra representative of TESS red giants, as well as 1689 red giants observed by Kepler and 2344 red giants observed by TESS. We obtain a consistency rate for $ν_{max}$ compared with existing measurements of $\sim$ 99% for Kepler red giants and of $\sim$ 98% for TESS red giants. We find that using $ν_{max}$ as an input parameter to guide the search for the large frequency separation $Δν$ through the existing Envelope AutoCorrelation Function (EACF) method significantly improves the consistency of the measured $Δν$ in the case of TESS stars, allowing to reach a consistency rate above 99%. Our analysis reveals that we can expect to get consistent $ν_{max}$ and $Δν$ measurements while minimizing both the false positive measurements and the non-detections for stars with a minimum of four observed sectors and a maximum G magnitude of 9.5.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2022

Scalar particles around a Rindler-Schwarzschild wormhole

In this paper, we study quantum relativistic features of a scalar field around the Rindler-Schwarzschild wormhole. First, we introduce this new class of spacetime, investigating some energy conditions and verifying their violation in a region nearby the wormhole throat, which means that the object has to have an exotic energy in order to prevent its collapse. Then, we study the behavior of the massless scalar field in this spacetime and compute the effective potential by means of tortoise coordinates. We show that such a potential is attractive nearby the wormhole throat and that is traversable via quantum tunneling by massive particles with sufficiently low energies. The solution of the Klein-Gordon equation is obtained subsequently, showing that the energy spectrum of the field is subject to a constraint which induces a decreasing oscillatory behavior. On imposing Dirichlet boundary conditions on a spherical shell nearby the throat we then determine the particle energy levels, and we use this spectrum to calculate the quantum revival of the eigenstates. Finally, we compute the Casimir energy associated with the massless scalar field at zero temperature. We perform this calculation by means of the sum of modes method. The zero-point energy is regularized using the Epstein-Hurwitz zeta-function. We also obtain an analytical expression for the Casimir force acting on the shell.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2022

Quasibound states of scalar fields in the consistent 4D Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet-(Anti-)de Sitter gravity

We examine the interaction between massless scalar fields and the gravitational field generated by a black hole solution that was recently obtained in the consistent well-defined 4-dimensional Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity with a cosmological constant. In order to do this, we calculate quasibound state frequencies of scalar fields for the spherically symmetric black hole in the consistent 4-dimensional Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet-de Sitter and Anti-de Sitter theories. The expression for the quasibound states is obtained by using the polynomial condition associated to the Heun functions, and their values are overdamped. We also demonstrate the stability of the systems.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2022

On quantum traversability of wormholes

In this paper we study the possibility of non-relativistic quantum particles to traverse the generalized Ellis-Bronnikov wormholes by considering quantum effects, such as tunneling. We have used the generalized Ellis-Bronnikov wormhole metric and found that for $n=2$ we have a single barrier shaped effective potential centered at the throat of the wormhole for any value of orbital angular momentum. For $n\neq2$ we have a symmetric double barrier shaped potential when the orbital angular momentum is zero and a single barrier for nonzero angular orbital momentum. Analytical solutions for the Schrödinger equation in the generalized Ellis-Bronnikov spacetime could be found only for $n=2$. Such solutions were given in terms of the confluent Heun functions. Finally, by using a delta-barrier approximation we could find the transmission and reflection coefficients for a non-relativistic particle to traverse the generalized Ellis-Bronnikov wormhole.

hep-th↗