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Valeria Ferrari

Publications and source records attributed to Valeria Ferrari.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2017

Constraining Black Holes with Light Boson Hair and Boson Stars using Epicyclic Frequencies and QPOs

Light bosonic fields are ubiquitous in extensions of the Standard Model. Even when minimally coupled to gravity, these fields might evade the assumptions of the black-hole no-hair theorems and give rise to spinning black holes which can be drastically different from the Kerr metric. Furthermore, they allow for self-gravitating compact solitons, known as (scalar or Proca) boson stars. The quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) observed in the X-ray flux emitted by accreting compact objects carry information about the strong-field region, thus providing a powerful tool to constrain deviations from Kerr's geometry and to search for exotic compact objects. By using the relativistic precession model as a proxy to interpret the QPOs in terms of geodesic frequencies, we investigate how the QPO frequencies could be used to test the no-hair theorem and the existence of light bosonic fields near accreting compact objects. We show that a detection of two QPO triplets with current sensitivity can already constrain these models, and that the future eXTP mission or a LOFT-like mission can set very stringent constraints on black holes with bosonic hair and on (scalar or Proca) boson stars. The peculiar geodesic structure of compact scalar/Proca boson stars implies that these objects can easily be ruled out as alternative models for X-ray source GRO J1655-40.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2017

Oxygen reduction mechanisms in nanostructured La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 cathodes for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

In this work we outline the mechanisms contributing to the oxygen reduction reaction in nanostructured cathodes of La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 (LSM) for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC). These cathodes, developed from LSM nanostructured tubes, can be used at lower temperatures compared to microstructured ones, and this is a crucial fact to avoid the degradation of the fuel cell components. This reduction of the operating temperatures stems mainly from two factors: i) the appearance of significant oxide ion diffusion through the cathode material in which the nanostructure plays a key role and ii) an optimized gas phase diffusion of oxygen through the porous structure of the cathode, which becomes negligible. A detailed analysis of our Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy supported by first principles calculations point towards an improved overall cathodic performance driven by a fast transport of oxide ions through the cathode surface.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2016

Black holes in Einstein-Gauß-Bonnet-dilaton theory

Generalizations of the Schwarzschild and Kerr black holes are discussed in an astrophysically viable generalized theory of gravity, which includes higher curvature corrections in the form of the Gauss-Bonnet term, coupled to a dilaton. The angular momentum of these black holes can slightly exceed the Kerr bound. The location and the orbital frequency of particles in their innermost stable circular orbits can deviate significantly from the respective Kerr values. Study of the quasinormal modes of the static black holes gives strong evidence that they are mode stable against polar and axial perturbations. Future gravitational wave observations should improve the current bound on the Gauss-Bonnet coupling constant, based on observations of the low-mass x-ray binary A 0620-00.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2016

Constraining modified theories of gravity with gravitational wave stochastic background

The direct discovery of gravitational waves has finally opened a new observational window on our Universe, suggesting that the population of coalescing binary black holes is larger than previously expected. These sources produce an unresolved background of gravitational waves, potentially observables by ground-based interferometers. In this paper we investigate how modified theories of gravity, modeled using the ppE formalism, affect the expected signal, and analyze the detectability of the resulting stochastic background by current and future ground-based interferometers. We find the constraints that AdLIGO would be able to set on modified theories, showing that they may significantly improve the current bounds obtained from astrophysical observations of binary pulsars.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2015

Tidal Love numbers of a slowly spinning neutron star

By extending our recent framework to describe the tidal deformations of a spinning compact object, we compute for the first time the tidal Love numbers of a spinning neutron star to linear order in the angular momentum. The spin of the object introduces couplings between electric and magnetic distortions and new classes of spin-induced ("rotational") tidal Love numbers emerge. We focus on stationary tidal fields, which induce axisymmetric perturbations. We present the perturbation equations for both electric-led and magnetic-led rotational Love numbers for generic multipoles and explicitly solve them for various tabulated equations of state and for a tidal field with an electric (even parity) and magnetic (odd parity) component with $\ell=2,3,4$. For a binary system close to the merger, various components of the tidal field become relevant. In this case we find that an octupolar magnetic tidal field can significantly modify the mass quadrupole moment of a neutron star. Preliminary estimates, assuming a spin parameter $χ\approx0.05$, show modifications $\gtrsim10\%$ relative to the static case, at an orbital distance of five stellar radii. Furthermore, the rotational Love numbers as functions of the moment of inertia are much more sensitive to the equation of state than in the static case, where approximate universal relations at the percent level exist. For a neutron-star binary approaching the merger, we estimate that the approximate universality of the induced mass quadrupole moment deteriorates from $1\%$ in the static case to roughly $6\%$ when $χ\approx0.05$. Our results suggest that spin-tidal couplings can introduce important corrections to the gravitational waveforms of spinning neutron-star binaries approaching the merger.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2015

Tidal deformations of a spinning compact object

The deformability of a compact object induced by a perturbing tidal field is encoded in the tidal Love numbers, which depend sensibly on the object's internal structure. These numbers are known only for static, spherically-symmetric objects. As a first step to compute the tidal Love numbers of a spinning compact star, here we extend powerful perturbative techniques to compute the exterior geometry of a spinning object distorted by an axisymmetric tidal field to second order in the angular momentum. The spin of the object introduces couplings between electric and magnetic deformations and new classes of induced Love numbers emerge. For example, a spinning object immersed in a quadrupolar, electric tidal field can acquire some induced mass, spin, quadrupole, octupole and hexadecapole moments to second order in the spin. The deformations are encoded in a set of inhomogeneous differential equations which, remarkably, can be solved analytically in vacuum. We discuss certain subtleties in defining the multipole moments of the central object, which are due to the difficulty in separating the tidal field from the linear response of the object in the solution. By extending the standard procedure to identify the linear response in the static case, we prove analytically that the Love numbers of a Kerr black hole remain zero to second order in the spin. As a by-product, we provide the explicit form for a slowly-rotating, tidally-deformed Kerr black hole to quadratic order in the spin, and discuss its geodesic and geometrical properties.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2015

Testing Gravity with Quasi Periodic Oscillations from accreting Black Holes: the Case of Einstein-Dilaton-Gauss-Bonnet Theory

Quasi-Periodic Oscillations (QPOs) observed in the X-ray flux emitted by accreting black holes, are associated to phenomena occurring near the horizon. Future very large area X-ray instruments will be able to measure QPO frequencies with very high precision, thus probing this strong-field region. By using the relativistic precession model, we show the way in which QPO frequencies could be used to test general relativity against those alternative theories of gravity which predict deviations from the classical theory in the strong-field regime. We consider one of the best motivated strong-curvature corrections to general relativity, namely the Einstein-Dilaton-Gauss-Bonnet theory, and show that a detection of QPOs with the expected sensitivity of the proposed ESA M-class mission LOFT would set the most stringent constraints on the parameter space of this theory.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2014

Rotating proto-neutron stars: spin evolution, maximum mass and I-Love-Q relations

Shortly after its birth in a gravitational collapse, a proto-neutron star enters in a phase of quasi-stationary evolution characterized by large gradients of the thermodynamical variables and intense neutrino emission. In few tens of seconds the gradients smooth out while the star contracts and cools down, until it becomes a neutron star. In this paper we study this phase of the proto-neutron star life including rotation, and employing finite temperature equations of state. We model the evolution of the rotation rate, and determine the relevant quantities characterizing the star. Our results show that an isolated neutron star cannot reach, at the end of the evolution, the maximum values of mass and rotation rate allowed by the zero-temperature equation of state. Moreover, a mature neutron star evolved in isolation cannot rotate too rapidly, even if it is born from a proto-neutron star rotating at the mass-shedding limit. We also show that the I-Love-Q relations are violated in the first second of life, but they are satisfied as soon as the entropy gradients smooth out.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2014

Coincidence searches of gravitational waves and short gamma-ray bursts

Black-hole neutron-star coalescing binaries have been invoked as one of the most suitable scenario to explain the emission of short gamma-ray bursts. Indeed, if the black-hole which forms after the merger, is surrounded by a massive disk, neutrino annihilation processes may produce high-energy and collimated electromagnetic radiation. In this paper, we devise a new procedure, to be used in the search for gravitational waves from black-hole-neutron-star binaries, to assign a probability that a detected gravitational signal is associated to the formation of an accreting disk, massive enough to power gamma-ray bursts. This method is based on two recently proposed semi-analytic fits, one reproducing the mass of the remnant disk surrounding the black hole as a function of some binary parameters, the second relating the neutron star compactness, with its tidal deformability. Our approach can be used in low-latency data analysis to restrict the parameter space searching for gravitational signals associated with short gamma-ray bursts, and to gain information on the dynamics of the coalescing system and on the neutron star equation of state.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2014

Low latency search for Gravitational waves from BH-NS binaries in coincidence with Short Gamma Ray Bursts

We propose a procedure to be used in the search for gravitational waves from black hole-neutron star coalescing binaries, in coincidence with short gamma-ray bursts. It is based on two recently proposed semi-analytic fits, one reproducing the mass of the remnant disk surrounding the black hole which forms after the merging as a function of some binary parameters, the second relating the neutron star compactness, i.e. the ratio of mass and radius, with its tidal deformability. Using a Fisher matrix analysis and the two fits, we assign a probability that the emitted gravitational signal is associated to the formation of an accreting disk massive enough to supply the energy needed to power a short gamma ray burst. This information can be used in low-latency data analysis to restrict the parameter space searching for gravitational wave signals in coincidence with short gamma-ray bursts, and to gain information on the dynamics of the coalescing system and on the internal structure of the components. In addition, when the binary parameters will be measured with high accuracy, it will be possible to use this information to trigger the search for off-axis gamma-ray bursts afterglows.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2013

Constraining the equation of state of nuclear matter with gravitational wave observations: Tidal deformability and tidal disruption

We study how to extract information on the neutron star equation of state from the gravitational wave signal emitted during the coalescence of a binary system composed of two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole. We use post-Newtonian templates which include the tidal deformability parameter and, when tidal disruption occurs before merger, a frequency cut-off. Assuming that this signal is detected by Advanced LIGO/Virgo or ET, we evaluate the uncertainties on these parameters using different data analysis strategies based on the Fisher matrix approach, and on recently obtained analytical fits of the relevant quantities. We find that the tidal deformability is more effective than the stellar compactness to discriminate among different possible equations of state.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2013

Equation-of-state-independent relations in neutron stars

Neutron stars are extremely relativistic objects which abound in our universe and yet are poorly understood, due to the high uncertainty on how matter behaves in the extreme conditions which prevail in the stellar core. It has recently been pointed out that the moment of inertia I, the Love number lambda and the spin-induced quadrupole moment Q of an isolated neutron star, are related through functions which are practically independent of the equation of state. These surprising universal I-lambda-Q relations pave the way for a better understanding of neutron stars, most notably via gravitational-wave emission. Gravitational-wave observations will probe highly-dynamical binaries and it is important to understand whether the universality of the I-lambda-Q relations survives strong-field and finite-size effects. We apply a Post-Newtonian-Affine approach to model tidal deformations in compact binaries and show that the I-lambda relation depends on the inspiral frequency, but is insensitive to the equation of state. We provide a fit for the universal relation, which is valid up to a gravitational wave frequency of ~900 Hz and accurate to within a few percent. Our results strengthen the universality of I-lambda-Q relations, and are relevant for gravitational-wave observations with advanced ground-based interferometers. We also discuss the possibility of using the Love-compactness relation to measure the neutron-star radius with an uncertainty of about 10% or smaller from gravitational-wave observations.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2013

MG13 proceedings: On the validity of the adiabatic approximation in compact binary inspirals

We use the post-Newtonian-Affine model to assess the validity of the adiabatic approximation in modeling tidal effects in the phase evolution of compact binary systems. We compute the dynamical evolution of the tidal tensor, which we estimate at the 2 PN order, and of the quadrupole tensor, finding that their ratio, i.e. the tidal deformability, increases in the last phases of the inspiral. We derive the gravitational wave phase corrections due to this phenomenon and quantify how they affect gravitational wave detectability.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2012

NR/HEP: roadmap for the future

Physics in curved spacetime describes a multitude of phenomena, ranging from astrophysics to high energy physics. The last few years have witnessed further progress on several fronts, including the accurate numerical evolution of the gravitational field equations, which now allows highly nonlinear phenomena to be tamed. Numerical relativity simulations, originally developed to understand strong field astrophysical processes, could prove extremely useful to understand high-energy physics processes like trans-Planckian scattering and gauge-gravity dualities. We present a concise and comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art and important open problems in the field(s), along with guidelines for the next years. This writeup is a summary of the "NR/HEP Workshop" held in Madeira, Portugal from August 31st to September 3rd 2011.

hep-th↗
arXiv2011

Gravitational waves from perturbed stars

Non radial oscillations of neutron stars are associated with the emission of gravitational waves. The characteristic frequencies of these oscillations can be computed using the theory of stellar perturbations, and they are shown to carry detailed information on the internal structure of the emitting source. Moreover, they appear to be encoded in various radiative processes, as for instance in the tail of the giant flares of Soft Gamma Repeaters. Thus, their determination is central to the theory of stellar perturbation. A viable approach to the problem consists in formulating this theory as a problem of resonant scattering of gravitational waves incident on the potential barrier generated by the spacetime curvature. This approach discloses some unexpected correspondences between the theory of stellar perturbations and the theory of quantum mechanics, and allows us to predict new relativistic effects.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2010

Stochastic background of gravitational waves emitted by magnetars

Two classes of high energy sources in our galaxy are believed to host magnetars, neutron stars whose emission results from the dissipation of their magnetic field. The extremely high magnetic field of magnetars distorts their shape, and causes the emission of a conspicuous gravitational waves signal if rotation is fast and takes place around a different axis than the symmetry axis of the magnetic distortion. Based on a numerical model of the cosmic star formation history, we derive the cosmological background of gravitational waves produced by magnetars, when they are very young and fast spinning. We adopt different models for the configuration and strength of the internal magnetic field (which determines the distortion) as well as different values of the external dipole field strength (which governs the spin evolution of magnetars over a wide range of parameters). We find that the expected gravitational wave background differs considerably from one model to another. The strongest signals are generated for magnetars with very intense toroidal internal fields ($\sim 10^{16}$ G range) and external dipole fields of $\sim 10^{14}$, as envisaged in models aimed at explaining the properties of the Dec 2004 giant flare from SGR 1806-20. Such signals should be easily detectable with third generation ground based interferometers such as the Einstein Telescope.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2010

Stochastic backgrounds of gravitational waves from extragalactic sources

Astrophysical sources emit gravitational waves in a large variety of processes occurred since the beginning of star and galaxy formation. These waves permeate our high redshift Universe, and form a background which is the result of the superposition of different components, each associated to a specific astrophysical process. Each component has different spectral properties and features that it is important to investigate in view of a possible, future detection. In this contribution, we will review recent theoretical predictions for backgrounds produced by extragalactic sources and discuss their detectability with current and future gravitational wave observatories.

astro-ph.CO↗