arXiv subjects

Sabino Matarrese

Publications and source records attributed to Sabino Matarrese.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Gravitationally mediated entanglement of fermionic qubits: from static to dynamical limits

We employ the quantum Boltzmann equation to analyze the gravitationally generated entanglement between two remote qubits by considering two explicit microscopic models. A graviton propagator is employed as the mediator of the interactions, while the qubits are considered in a spatial superposition state. Such a setup, in the case of any entanglement generation, could potentially offer experimental evidence for the quantization of gravity. By treating the qubits as spin-1/2 particles in wave packets, we establish that the entanglement arises from forward scattering processes involving graviton exchanges. In our study, we consider both static and dynamical limits of the propagator and show that only in the dynamical limit such entangled states can be generated. These effects are observed to be diminished as the wave packet size increases. Our findings sheds more light into the gravity mediated entanglement between two spin-1/2 particles.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

AI--Assisted Exploration: DHOST Theories without Quantum Ghosts

We ask whether a local symmetry can organize both classical degeneracy and perturbative stability in DHOST theories. An AI-assisted search finds a candidate in a constant-disformal image of Einstein gravity. We identify it as a field-dependent diffeomorphism plus a vertical translation of a spectator scalar and extend it to every regular first-derivative map $\widetilde g_{μν}=C(ϕ,X)g_{μν}-D(ϕ,X)\nabla_μϕ\nabla_νϕ$, which pulls the spectator translation back to an exact local gauge redundancy. We derive its closed generator and show that $\mathcal J=C-XC_X+X^2D_X$ controls kinetic invertibility, the generator denominator and the metric-map determinant. This regular ($\mathcal J\neq0$) construction is distinct from non-invertible mimetic symmetry. We prove that a same-field sector $K(ϕ,\widetilde X)$ preserves the local shift exactly when its scalar density is variationally trivial. For one scalar on a generic branch this requires constant $K$; nonconstant $K(\widetilde X)$ leaves only a global shift. The multi-field extension has local group $\mathbb R^n$ and admits determinant-type topological exceptions for $n\geq d$. Under standard local BV hypotheses, the spectator, its ghost and their antifields form a contractible quartet, so the spectator fibre adds no independent local counterterm, gauge deformation or anomaly class. The constant-map Einstein image is a special two-mode quartic-Horndeski subclass, while regular nonconstant $K$ restores one scalar. Finally, the complete canonical Einstein--scalar one-loop divergence shows that $(\widetilde\Boxϕ)^2$ is equation-of-motion redundant at first loop order. The essential $\widetilde X^2$ pole pulls back to a first-derivative counterterm throughout the regular orbit and introduces no additional perturbative mode at $O(\hbar)$ within the stated hyperbolic EFT domain.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2026

A First Post-Friedmann Extension of the Schrödinger Approach to Cosmic Structure Formation

We extend the Schrödinger approach to large-scale structure formation beyond the Newtonian regime by working at first post-Friedmann (1PF) order. The standard Schrödinger--Poisson system gives a useful reformulation of the dynamics of a self-gravitating pressureless fluid, but it corresponds to the leading post-Friedmann, or Newtonian, limit. It therefore misses the relativistic corrections that enter at next-to-leading order and become relevant on horizon scales and for high-precision cosmological surveys. Starting from the 1PF continuity and Euler equations in a flat $Λ$CDM background, we identify the conserved density variable associated with covariant mass conservation. In terms of this variable, the continuity equation takes a Newtonian-like conservative form. However, even for vanishing covariant vorticity, the spatial velocity field in the cosmological frame contains a transverse 1PF component. Thus the full 1PF mass flux cannot be represented solely by the gradient of a scalar phase. We show that the Schrödinger-like formulation at 1PF order requires an effective vector potential fixed by this transverse velocity component. This vector potential contains the post-Friedmann metric vector perturbation, related to relativistic frame-dragging effects, together with nonlinear scalar terms required by the zero-vorticity condition. Equivalently, when the equation is written in scalar form, these corrections appear as an imaginary contribution to the effective potential. At leading order our system reduces to the usual Schrödinger--Poisson formulation, while at 1PF order it provides a relativistic extension of the Schrödinger description of cold matter dynamics.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2026

Exploring Gravitational Wave Signatures Due to Primordial Non-gaussianity and Large Scale Structure Using SKAO

This chapter explores theoretical and observational strategies to use the stochastic gravitational-wave background detectable by Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) as a probe of precision cosmology. We detail the critical phenomenon of scalar-induced gravitational waves, demonstrating their unique features and their sensitivity to primordial non-Gaussianity on scales much smaller than those probed by the cosmic microwave background and large-scale structure. We investigate the phenomenology of parity violation in the early Universe through the chirality imprinted in the stochastic gravitational-wave background, demonstrating that a parity-odd primordial trispectrum can generate a detectable scale-dependent helicity. On the observational side, we point out that the standard gravitational-wave angular auto-correlation analysis is significantly limited by astrophysical shot noise. We show that cross-correlating the gravitational wave signal with independent large-scale structure tracers enhances the signal-to-noise ratio and allows us to isolate the astrophysical and cosmological components in the background. These results can be achieved only thanks to the enhanced sensitivity of SKAO, extensive sky coverage, and high angular resolution, which together make such targets observationally feasible.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2026

Non-Gaussianity of Tensor Induced Density Perturbations

We investigate the non-Gaussianity of second-order matter density perturbations induced by primordial gravitational waves (GWs). These tensor-induced scalar modes arise from local fluctuations in the GWs energy density, which is quadratic in tensor perturbations. The resulting second-order density contrast follows a chi-squared distribution, naturally exhibiting significant non-Gaussianity. We compute the bispectrum of these tensor-induced scalar modes and analyze its dependence on various primordial GWs power spectra, including scale-invariant, blue-tilted, Gaussian-bump, and monochromatic sources. We find that the bispectrum shape is inherently sensitive to the underlying GWs spectrum by construction. In particular, Gaussian-bump and monochromatic sources produce a strong signal peaking in the equilateral configuration, similar to the effect of scalar-induced tensor modes. Our findings reveal a new way to probe primordial GWs via galaxy surveys and highlight a unique feature of tensor-induced density perturbations, otherwise mimicking linear ones on sub-horizon scales.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2026

Tracing Primordial Gravitational Waves via non-Gaussian Signatures of Halo Bias

Primordial gravitational waves (PGWs) generate scalar density perturbations at second order. Since the induced density contrast is quadratic in the tensor field, it is intrinsically non-Gaussian. We study the imprint of this tensor-induced non-Gaussianity (NG) on the large-scale clustering of dark matter halos through its correction to halo bias. Focusing on inflationary scenarios with a peaked primordial tensor spectrum, we derive the leading scale-dependent contribution sourced by the bispectrum of the induced density field. While yielding a percent-level bias correction for massive low-redshift halos, this effect can reach an $\mathcal{O}(1)$ modulation for rare, high-redshift halos at $z=7$. Notably, the resulting signature exhibits a distinct scale dependence that is not captured by standard primordial non-Gaussianity (PNG) templates. Our results establish halo bias as a novel probe of PGWs through their imprint on the large-scale structure, providing a complementary window into the inflationary epoch.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2026

Gravitational-wave lensing beyond rays: a disordered-system approach

We develop a framework to describe gravitational wave propagation through a stochastic distribution of weak gravitational lenses beyond the geometric optics limit. We model the lens distribution as a static random background field and formulate the problem in the language of quenched disorder, treating the disorder averaged density matrix as the fundamental object from which observables are computed. Using the Schwinger Keldysh formalism, we construct a path-integral representation of the averaged density matrix and derive its explicit form perturbatively for a suitable class of couplings. The result naturally separates into a quadratic exponential term, which governs the suppression of phase sensitive contributions in the averaged description, and a purely oscillatory contribution, which modifies coherent propagation through a disorder-induced correction to the propagation kernel. This provides a unified description of interference, diffraction, and statistical fluctuations of the lens distribution within a single framework. We also identify the physical scales controlling the onset of coherence loss and illustrate the formalism in the case of Gaussian wave packets. More generally, the derivation applies to any system described by the same class of actions, making the framework relevant beyond gravitational wave lensing to wave propagation in disordered media.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2026

Quantum production of gravitational waves after inflation

A variety of mechanisms in the early Universe lead to the generation of gravitational waves (GWs). We introduce here a novel source of GWs generated by vacuum fluctuations after inflation. Given that gravitons are minimally coupled particles, their quantum creation takes place during inflation, but is absent in an unperturbed Universe during the radiation-dominated epoch, since they behave as conformally coupled particles. However, the presence of inhomogeneities breaks the conformal flatness of the metric, allowing scalar metric perturbations to induce the quantum production of gravitons. We compute the resulting GW spectrum from this mechanism for different models of the primordial scalar power spectrum. We find that this GW signal peaks around the GHz frequency range, distinguishing it from other astrophysical and cosmological backgrounds and underscoring the need for detectors sensitive to these high frequencies.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Towards the Reconstruction of a Unified Dark Matter Halo: a Phenomenological Approach

We investigate static, spherically symmetric halo configurations within Unified Dark Matter (UDM) scalar-field models, developing a systematic mapping between standard cold dark matter (CDM) density profiles and their UDM counterparts. Exploiting the equivalence-class structure of UDM models, we show that, in principle, different Lagrangian realisations can share the same weak-field rotation curve while exhibiting distinct field properties. We reconstruct the effective energy density, radial and tangential pressures from a phenomenological circular velocity profile, ensuring the absence of ghosts and instabilities and the preservation of the Null Energy Condition (NEC). Applying our procedure to several commonly used CDM halo profiles -- including Persic, Salucci \& Stel, NFW, and Burkert models -- we demonstrate that their phenomenological success can be retained within a relativistic UDM framework, reproducing the observed flatness of rotation curves without introducing separate dark matter and dark energy components.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2026

Inflation without an Inflaton III: non-Gaussian signatures

We investigate primordial non-Gaussianity in the Inflation without an Inflaton (IWI) framework, where scalar perturbations are generated at second order by primordial gravitational waves in Einstein gravity on an exact de Sitter (dS) background. Since scalar modes are produced nonlinearly from tensor modes, non-Gaussianity is an intrinsic prediction of the mechanism. We compute the corresponding scalar bispectrum, derive the relevant contribution to the three-point function of the scalar potential, and evaluate its shape numerically. We find that, unlike the scalar power spectrum, the bispectrum depends logarithmically on the ultraviolet cutoff set by the end of inflation, indicating a structural difference between the two- and three-point statistics in this scenario. Its shape is enhanced toward squeezed configurations, but its amplitude becomes strongly suppressed once the scalar power spectrum is normalized to the observed value. The resulting non-Gaussianity at CMB scales is therefore negligibly small, well below present observational sensitivity.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2026

Adiabatic or Non-Adiabatic? Unraveling the Nature of Initial Conditions in the Cosmological Gravitational Wave Background

The non-thermal nature of the cosmological gravitational wave background (CGWB) makes it difficult to define the initial condition for the graviton distribution, which determines the initial contribution to the CGWB anisotropies. Specifically, unlike Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) photons, primordial gravitational waves (GWs) are not necessarily subject to adiabatic initial conditions. For the CGWB generated by quantum fluctuations of the metric during inflation the initial conditions are not adiabatic. The violation of adiabaticity arises from the presence of independent tensor perturbations during inflation, which behave as two extra fields that affect the standard single-clock argument. The non-adiabatic initial contribution enhances the total CGWB angular power spectrum compared to the standard adiabatic case. Given the high degree of correlation between the CGWB and Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) anisotropies, we present the constrained realization maps of the CGWB built using the high-resolution CMB Planck maps for different initial conditions.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2026

Probing Cosmic Expansion and Early Universe with Einstein Telescope

Over the next two decades, gravitational-wave (GW) observations are expected to evolve from a discovery-driven endeavour into a precision tool for astrophysics, cosmology, and fundamental physics. Current second-generation ground-based detectors have established the existence of compact-binary mergers and enabled GW multi-messenger astronomy, but they remain limited in sensitivity, redshift reach, frequency coverage, and duty cycle. These limitations prevent them from addressing many fundamental open questions in cosmology. By the 2040s, wide-field electromagnetic surveys will have mapped the luminous Universe with unprecedented depth and accuracy. Nevertheless, key problems including the nature of dark matter, the physical origin of cosmic acceleration, the properties of gravity on cosmological scales, and the physical conditions of the earliest moments after the Big Bang will remain only partially constrained by electromagnetic observations alone. Progress on these fronts requires access to physical processes and epochs that do not emit light. Gravitational waves provide a unique and complementary observational channel: they propagate over cosmological distances largely unaffected by intervening matter, probe extreme astrophysical environments, and respond directly to the geometry of spacetime. In this context, next-generation GW observatories such as the Einstein Telescope (ET) will be transformative for European astronomy. Operating at sensitivities and frequencies beyond existing detectors, ET will observe binary black holes and neutron stars out to previously inaccessible redshifts, enable continuous high signal-to-noise monitoring of compact sources, and detect gravitational-wave backgrounds of astrophysical and cosmological origin. Together with space-based detectors, ET will play a central role in advancing our understanding of cosmic evolution and fundamental physics.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2025

Inflation without an Inflaton II: observational predictions

We present a complete computation of the scalar power spectrum in the \emph{inflation without inflaton} (IWI) framework, where the inflationary expansion is driven solely by a de~Sitter (dS) background and scalar fluctuations arise as second-order effects sourced by tensor perturbations. By explicitly deriving and numerically integrating the full second-order kernel of the Einstein equations, we obtain a scale-invariant scalar spectrum without invoking a fundamental scalar field. In this framework, the amplitude of the scalar fluctuations is directly linked to the scale of inflation. More precisely, we show that matching the observed level of scalar fluctuations, $Δ_ϕ^2(k_\ast)\approx 10^{-9}$ at Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) scales, fixes the inflationary energy scale $H_{\rm inf}$ as a function of the number of observed e-folds $N_{\rm obs}$. For $N_{\rm obs}\simeq 30 - 60$, we find $H_{\rm inf} \simeq 5\times 10^{13}\,\mathrm{GeV} - 2\times 10^{10}\,\mathrm{GeV}$, corresponding to a tensor-to-scalar ratio $r \simeq 0.01 - 5\times 10^{-9}$. In particular, requiring consistency with instantaneous reheating, we predict a number of e-folds of order~$\mathcal{O}(50)$ and an inflationary scale $H_{\rm inf} \simeq 10^{11}\,\mathrm{GeV}$. We also incorporate in our framework the quantum break-time of the dS state and show that it imposes an upper bound on the number of particle species. Specifically, using laboratory constraints on the number of species limits the duration of inflation to $N_{\rm obs}\lesssim 126$ e-folds. These results establish the IWI scenario as a predictive and falsifiable alternative to standard inflaton-driven models, linking the observed amplitude of primordial fluctuations directly to the quantum nature and finite lifetime of dS space.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2025

Exploring gravitational impulse via quantum Boltzmann equation

We investigate the gravitational impulse by using the generalized formulation of the quantum Boltzmann equation (QBE), wherein the initial states are taken as wave packets rather than plane waves. The QBE operates within an open quantum system framework. Using this approach, we can analyze the two-body gravitational scattering by considering one body as part of the environment and the other as the system. Through this procedure, we obtain the system's impulse up to the second order for two massive objects. Similarly, we apply the forward scattering of the QBE to the gravitational impulse of a photon due to a massive object, during which we consider the photon as the system and the massive object as the environment. In this methodology, we use the QBE to compute the time evolution of the momentum operator associated with the system. While the forward scattering term vanishes when considering point particles, we demonstrate its persistence when using wave packets to describe both massive particles and the photon field. The results reported here are entirely consistent with the previous approaches.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Non-linear effects on the Cosmological Gravitational Wave Background anisotropies

The Cosmological Gravitational Wave Background (CGWB) anisotropies contain valuable information about the physics of the early universe. Given that General Relativity is intrinsically nonlinear, it is important to look beyond first-order contributions in cosmological perturbations. In this work, we present a non-perturbative approach for the computation of CGWB anisotropies at large scales, providing the extension of the initial conditions and the Sachs-Wolfe effect for the CGWB, which encodes the full non-linearity of the scalar metric perturbations. We also derive the non-perturbative expression for three-point correlation of the gravitational wave energy density perturbation in the case of an inflationary CGWB with a scale-invariant power spectrum and negligible primordial non-Gaussianity. We show that, under such conditions, the gravitational wave energy density perturbations are lognormally distributed, leading to an interesting effect such as intermittency.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2025

Scalar-Induced Gravitational Waves in Modified Gravity

Scalar-Induced Gravitational Waves (SIGWs), second-order tensor modes sourced by first-order scalar fluctuations in General Relativity (GR), are expected to contribute to the Stochastic Gravitational Wave Background (SGWB) potentially detectable by current and future gravitational wave interferometers. In the framework of GR, this SGWB represents an unavoidable contribution to the gravitational wave spectrum. In this paper, we go beyond GR and we investigate the behavior of SIGWs in f(R) gravity. We explore how the SIGW spectrum is influenced across a broad range of frequencies, from the nano-Hz regime, where the Pulsar Timing Array (PTA) operates, through the milli-Hz band probed by the space-based LISA detector, up to the kilo-Hz frequency range, where the ground-based LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA network is currently operational. Our results indicate that the beyond-GR correction leaves an observational imprint, mainly in the low-frequency part of the spectrum, giving the possibility to use SIGW to constrain GR on scales on which we have limited information.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

Inflation without an Inflaton

We propose a novel scenario in which scalar perturbations, that seed the large scale structure of the Universe, are generated without relying on a scalar field (the inflaton). In this framework, inflation is driven by a de Sitter space-time (dS), where tensor metric fluctuations (i.e., gravitational waves) naturally arise from quantum vacuum oscillations, and scalar fluctuations are generated via second-order tensor effects. We compute the power spectrum of such scalar fluctuations and show it to be consistent with near scale-invariance. We derive the necessary conditions under which scalar perturbations become significant and much larger than the tensor modes, and we identify a natural mechanism to end inflation via a transition to a radiation-dominated phase. Our proposed mechanism could remove the need for a model-dependent scenario: the choice of a scalar field, as the inflaton, to drive inflation.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

The universal multiplicity function: counting halos and voids

We present a novel combination of the excursion-set approach with the peak theory formalism in Lagrangian space and provide accurate predictions for halo and void statistics over a wide range of scales. The set-up is based on an effective moving barrier. Besides deriving the corresponding numerical multiplicity function, we introduce a new analytical formula reaching the percent level agreement with the exact numerical solution obtained via Monte Carlo realizations down to small scales, $\sim 10^{12} h^{-1}\mathrm{M_\odot}$. In the void case, we derive the dependence of the effective moving barrier on the void formation threshold, $δ_{\rm v}$, by comparison against the Lagrangian void size function measured in the Dark Energy and Massive Neutrinos Universe simulations. We discuss the mapping from Lagrangian to Eulerian space for both halos and voids; adopting the spherical symmetry approximation, we obtain a strong agreement at intermediate and large scales. Finally, using the effective moving barrier, we derive Lagrangian void density profiles accurately matching measurements from cosmological simulations, a major achievement towards using void profiles for precision cosmology with the next generation of galaxy surveys.

astro-ph.CO↗