Under the assumption that a dynamical scalar field is responsible for the current acceleration of the Universe, we explore the possibility of probing its physics in black hole merger processes with gravitational wave interferometers. Remaining agnostic about the microscopic physics, we use an effective field theory approach to describe the scalar dynamics. We investigate the case in which some of the higher-derivative operators, that are highly suppressed on cosmological scales, instead become important on typical distances for black holes. If a coupling to the Gauss-Bonnet operator is one of them, a nontrivial background profile for the scalar field can be sourced in the surroundings of the black hole, resulting in a potentially large amount of "hair." In turn, this can induce sizeable modifications to the spacetime geometry or a mixing between the scalar and the gravitational perturbations. Both effects will ultimately translate into a modification of the quasinormal mode spectrum in a way that is also sensitive to other operators besides the one sourcing the scalar background. The presence of deviations from the predictions of general relativity in the observed spectrum can therefore serve as a window onto dark energy physics.

Black hole ringdown as a probe for dark energy

Noller, Johannes;Santoni, Luca;Trincherini, Enrico;Trombetta, Leonardo G.
2020

Abstract

Under the assumption that a dynamical scalar field is responsible for the current acceleration of the Universe, we explore the possibility of probing its physics in black hole merger processes with gravitational wave interferometers. Remaining agnostic about the microscopic physics, we use an effective field theory approach to describe the scalar dynamics. We investigate the case in which some of the higher-derivative operators, that are highly suppressed on cosmological scales, instead become important on typical distances for black holes. If a coupling to the Gauss-Bonnet operator is one of them, a nontrivial background profile for the scalar field can be sourced in the surroundings of the black hole, resulting in a potentially large amount of "hair." In turn, this can induce sizeable modifications to the spacetime geometry or a mixing between the scalar and the gravitational perturbations. Both effects will ultimately translate into a modification of the quasinormal mode spectrum in a way that is also sensitive to other operators besides the one sourcing the scalar background. The presence of deviations from the predictions of general relativity in the observed spectrum can therefore serve as a window onto dark energy physics.
2020
Settore FIS/02 - Fisica Teorica, Modelli e Metodi Matematici
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
articolo Black hole ringdown.pdf

accesso aperto

Descrizione: Articolo principale - link al sito dell'editore: https://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.101.084049
Tipologia: Published version
Licenza: Creative Commons
Dimensione 419.58 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
419.58 kB Adobe PDF

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11384/84834
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 15
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 11
social impact