Carlos Herdeiro

University of Aveiro | UA · Department of Mathematics

Is it a goose, a duck or a swan?"—asked the alien. "I do not know; and toknowwe have to lookcloser."—said the earthling. "But even from here we can see it has webbed feet... so it is not a chicken." Graphical Abstract

We study the bifurcation phenomena between spherical and axisymmetric bosonic stars. By numerically solving for the zero-modes of spherical bosonic stars under specific axially symmetric perturbations, we discover that excited state spherical bosonic stars bifurcate into two types of axisymmetric bosonic stars under $\ell=2$ perturbations, with mat...

Exact solutions describing multiple, electrically charged black holes (BHs) in a model of non-linear electrodynamics (NLE) minimally coupled to Einstein's gravity are presented. The NLE model is ModMax theory, that has attracted much attention due to its duality and conformal invariance, features shared with standard (linear) electrodynamics. In th...

In relativistic mechanics, the 4-velocity and the 4-momentum need not be parallel. This allows their norm to have a different sign. This possibility occurs in nonlinear electrodynamics (NED) models minimally coupled to Einstein's theory. Surprisingly, for a large class of NED models with a Maxwell limit, for weak fields, the causal (acausal) photon...

A bstract What does a black hole look like? In 1 + 3 spacetime dimensions, the optical appearance of a black hole is a bidimensional region in the observer’s sky often called the black hole shadow, as supported by the EHT observations. In higher dimensions this question is more subtle and observational setup dependent. Previous studies considered t...

We study stationary clouds of a gauged, complex scalar field on a magnetically (and possibly electrically as well) charged Kerr-Newman black hole (BH). The existence of a magnetic charge $Q_m$ promotes a north-south $\textit{asymmetry}$ of the scalar clouds. This breakdown of the clouds' $\mathbb{Z}_2$-symmetry carries through to the spacetime $\te...

The gravitational physics landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by our ability to study strong-field regions, in particular black holes. Black Holes Inside and Out gathered world experts to discuss the status of the field and prospects ahead. We hope that the ideas and perspectives are a source of inspiration. Structure: Black Hole Evaporation - 50...

Recently, a scalar counterpart of the Schwarzschild-Melvin Universe was reported [arXiv:2410.02851]. We show this solution is a special case of a Schwarzschild black hole/mass in a scalar multipolar Universe, that can be constructed algebraically combining known vacuum solutions. This builds on the generalized Weyl construction for scalar-vacuum, t...

What does a black hole look like? In 1+3 spacetime dimensions, the optical appearance of a black hole is a bidimensional region in the observer's sky often called the black hole shadow, as supported by the EHT observations. In higher dimensions this question is more subtle and observational setup dependent. Previous studies considered the shadows o...

Problem: Therapeutic planning strategies have been developed to enhance the effectiveness of cancer drugs. Nevertheless, their performance is highly limited by the inefficient biological representativeness of predictive tumor growth models, which hinders their translation to clinical practice. Objective: This study proposes a disruptive approach to...

We study the dynamical stability of Proca-Higgs stars, in spherical symmetry. These are solutions of the Einstein-Proca-Higgs model, which features a Higgs-like field coupled to a Proca field, both of which minimally coupled to the gravitational field. The corresponding stars can be regarded as Proca stars with self-interactions, while avoiding the...

The Einstein field equations, or generalizations thereof, are difficult to solve analytically. On the other hand, numerical solutions of the same equations have become increasingly common, in particular concerning compact objects. Whereas analytic approximations to each individual solution within a numerical family have been proposed, proxies for w...

Some of the extensions to general relativity and to the Standard Model of particle physics predict families of hypothetical compact objects, collectively known as exotic compact objects (ECOs). This category can be defined to encompass non-Kerr black holes both within and beyond general relativity, as well as horizonless compact objects such as bos...

Recently, spherical and static flat space solitons (balls) and self-gravitating, everywhere regular, asymptotically flat solitons (stars) were constructed in an Einstein-Proca-Higgs model [1], where a complex vector field gains mass by coupling to a real scalar field with a Higgs-type potential. The Proca-Higgs model serves as a UV completion of a...

We present several high-accuracy surrogate models for gravitational-wave signals from equal-mass head-on mergers of Proca stars, computed through the Newman-Penrose scalar ψ4. We also discuss the current state of the model extensions to mergers of Proca stars with different masses, and the particular challenges that these present. The models are di...

Ultracompact objects (UCOs) are horizonless compact objects that present light rings (LRs): circular photon orbits. As a result, they could be black hole mimickers. Some years ago, Cunha et al. established a theorem stating that, under general assumptions, UCOs formed from smooth, quasi-Minkowski initial data, must have at least a pair of LRs, one...

We study radial perturbations of spherically symmetric spin-0 and spin-1 bosonic stars, computing numerically the squared frequency of the fundamental mode. We find that not all critical points — where the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner mass attains an extremum — correspond to zero modes. Thus, radial stability does not always change at such critical points...

Current gravitational wave (GW) detections rely on the existence of libraries of theoretical waveforms. Consequently, finding new physics with GWs requires libraries of nonstandard models, which are computationally demanding. We discuss how deep learning frameworks can be used to generate new waveforms “learned” from a simulation dataset obtained,...

For gauged scalar fields minimally coupled to Einstein-Maxwell theory, the Mayo-Bekenstein no-hair theorem can be circumvented when including appropriate scalar self-interactions, allowing static, electrically charged black holes to be endowed with (Abelian) gauged scalar hair. Here we show these spherically symmetric solutions can be extended to i...

Bosonic stars represent a hypothetical exotic type of compact stellar objects that could be observed from the gravitational signal of coalescing binaries in current and future gravitational wave detectors. There are two main families of bosonic stars, which depend on the nature that governs the particles that build them: Einstein-Klein-Gordon and P...

Recently, spherical and static flat space solitons (balls) and self-gravitating, everywhere regular, asymptotically flat solitons (stars) were constructed in an Einstein-Proca-Higgs model [1], where a complex vector field gains mass by coupling to a real scalar field with a Higgs-type potential. The Proca-Higgs model serves as a UV completion of a...

We investigate the static boson star solutions in the so-called Einstein-Friedberg-Lee-Sirlin (E-FLS) theory, performing a complete analysis of the solution space in this model. We study the phenomenological aspects of E-FLS stars, for instance, by investigating the timelike and null geodesics with an emphasis on the analysis of circular timelike o...

Control algorithms have been proposed based on knowledge related to nature-inspired mechanisms, including those based on the behavior of living beings. This paper presents a review focused on major breakthroughs carried out in the scope of applied control inspired by the gravitational attraction between bodies. A control approach focused on Artific...

The Einstein field equations, or generalizations thereof, are difficult to solve analytically. On the other hand, numerical solutions of the same equations have become increasingly common, in particular concerning compact objects. Whereas analytic approximations to each individual solution within a numerical family have been proposed, proxies for w...

We consider a model with two real Maxwell fields (or equivalently, a complex Maxwell field) minimally coupled to Einsteins gravity with a negative cosmological constant in four spacetime dimensions. Assuming a specific harmonic dependence of the vector fields, we show the existence of asymptotically anti-de Sitter (AdS) self-gravitating boson-star-...

We analyse the lensing images by dynamically robust rotating (mini-)Proca stars surrounded by thin accretion disks. Due to their peculiar geodesic structure we show that these images exhibit striking similarities with the ones of BHs, for appropriately chosen disk intensity profile, when imposing a GRMHD-motivated emission cut off. Additionally, an...

Using the Ernst formalism, a novel solution of vacuum general relativity was recently obtained [Phys. Rev. D 106, 064014 (2022)], describing a Schwarzschild black hole (BH) immersed in a nonasymptotically flat rotating background, dubbed swirling universe, with the peculiar property that north and south hemispheres spin in opposite directions. We i...

Control algorithms have been proposed based on knowledge related to nature-inspired mechanisms, including those based on the behavior of living beings. This paper presents a review focused on major breakthroughs carried out in the scope of applied control inspired by the gravitational attraction between bodies. A control approach focused on Artific...

It has been established that black hole (BH) spacetimes obeying some general set of assumptions always possess, at least, one light ring (LR) per rotation sense [Cunha and Herdeiro, Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 181101 (2020)]. This theorem was originally established for asymptotically flat, stationary, axial symmetric, 1+3-dimensional circular spacetimes...

A bstract We construct a new family of rotating black holes with scalar hair and a regular horizon of spherical topology, within five dimensional ( d = 5) Einstein’s gravity minimally coupled to a complex, massive scalar field doublet. These solutions represent generalizations of the Kaluza-Klein monopole found by Gross, Perry and Sorkin, with a tw...

Detection and parameter inference of gravitational-wave signals from compact mergers rely on the comparison of the incoming detector strain data d(t) to waveform templates for the gravitational-wave strain h(t) that ultimately rely on the resolution of Einstein’s equations via numerical relativity simulations. These, however, commonly output a quan...

We present the first systematic search for exotic compact mergers in Advanced LIGO and Virgo events. We compare the short gravitational-wave signals GW190521, GW190426_190642, GW200220_061928, and the trigger 200114_020818 (or S200114f) to a new catalog of 759 numerical simulations of head-on mergers of horizonless exotic compact objects known as P...

We study extreme mass ratio inspirals (EMRIs) due to an infalling Light Compact Object (LCO) onto a generic class of stationary and axi-symmetric massive compact objects (MCO — with or without a horizon). Using the quadrupole hybrid formalism we obtain a master formula for the evolution of the radius of the LCO and find qualitatively different beha...

To what extent are all astrophysical, dark, compact objects both black holes (BHs) and described by the Kerr geometry? We embark on the exercise of defying the universality of this remarkable idea, often called the “Kerr hypothesis”. After establishing its rationale and timeliness, we define a minimal set of reasonability criteria for alternative m...

General relativity minimally coupled to a massive, free, complex scalar field, is shown to allow asymptotically flat solutions, nonsingular on and outside the event horizon, describing two spinning black holes (2sBHs) in equilibrium, with coaxial, aligned angular momenta. The 2sBHs configurations bifurcate from solutions describing dipolar spinning...

We construct and dynamically evolve dipolar self-interacting scalar boson stars in a model with sextic (+ quartic) self-interactions. The domain of existence of such dipolar Q-stars has a similar structure to that of the fundamental monopolar stars of the same model. For the latter it is structured in a Newtonian plus a relativistic branch, wherein...

We present a numerical study of relativistic Bondi-Hoyle-Lyttleton (BHL) accretion onto an asymptotically flat black hole with synchronized hair. The hair is sourced by an ultralight, complex scalar field, minimally coupled to Einstein's gravity. Our simulations consider a supersonic flow parametrized by the asymptotic values of the fluid quantitie...

In linear perturbation theory, a static perturber in the vicinity of a Schwarzschild black hole (BH) enhances [suppresses] the Gauss-Bonnet (GB) curvature invariant, $\mathcal{R}_{\rm GB}$, in the high [low] tide regions. By analysing exact solutions of the vacuum Einstein field equations describing one or two BHs immersed in a multipolar gravitati...

We construct and dynamically evolve dipolar, self-interacting scalar boson stars in a model with sextic (+ quartic) self-interactions. The domain of existence of such dipolar $Q$-stars has a similar structure to that of the fundamental monopolar stars of the same model. For the latter it is structured in a Newtonian plus a relativistic branch, wher...

General Relativity minimally coupled to a massive, free, complex scalar field, is shown to allow asymptotically flat solutions, non-singular on and outside the event horizon, describing two spinning black holes (2sBHs) in equilibrium, with co-axial, aligned angular momenta. The 2sBHs configurations bifurcate from solutions describing dipolar spinni...

We consider a Proca-Higgs model wherein a complex vector field gains mass via spontaneous symmetry breaking, by coupling to a real scalar field with a Higgs-type potential. This vector version of the scalar Friedberg-Lee-Sirlin model, can be considered as a UV completion of a complex Proca model with self-interactions. We study the flat spacetime a...

We analyze the quasinormal modes (QNMs) of a recently obtained solution of a Schwarzschild black hole (BH) with corrections motivated by Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG). This spacetime is regular everywhere and presents the global structure of a black bounce, whose radius depends on a LQG parameter. We focus on the investigation of massless scalar field...

We study extreme mass ratio inspirals (EMRIs) due to an infalling Light Compact Object (LCO) onto a generic class of stationary and axi-symmetric massive compact objects (MCO - with or without a horizon). Using the quadrupole hybrid formalism we obtain a master formula for the evolution of the radius of the LCO and find qualitatively different beha...

We study the time evolution of spherical, excited—with n radial nodes—scalar boson stars in general relativity minimally coupled to a complex massive scalar field with quartic self-interactions. We report that these stars, with up to n=10, can be made dynamically stable, up to timescales of t∼104cμ, where μ is the inverse Compton wavelength of the...

We show that, unlike vacuum general relativity, Einstein-scalar theories allow balanced static, neutral, asymptotically flat, double-black hole solutions, for scalar field models minimally coupled to gravity, with appropriate self-interactions. These are scalar hairy versions of the double-Schwarzschild (or Bach-Weyl) solution, but regular on and o...

We analyze the quasinormal modes (QNMs) of a recently obtained solution of a Schwarzschild black hole (BH) with corrections motivated by Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG). This spacetime is regular everywhere and presents the global structure of a wormhole, with a minimal surface whose radius depends on a LQG parameter. We focus on the investigation of ma...

We study the time evolution of spherical, excited -- with $n$ radial nodes -- scalar boson stars in General Relativity minimally coupled to a complex massive scalar field with quartic self-interactions. We report that these stars, with up to $n=10$, can be made dynamically stable, up to timescales of $t\sim\frac{10^{4}}{c\mu}$, where $\mu$ is the i...

Ultracompact objects with light rings (LRs) but without an event horizon could mimic black holes (BHs) in their strong gravity phenomenology. But are such objects dynamically viable? Stationary and axisymmetric ultracompact objects that can form from smooth, quasi-Minkowski initial data must have at least one stable LR, which has been argued to tri...

We investigate the gravitational lensing by spinning Proca stars and the shadows and lensing by Kerr black holes (BHs) with synchronised Proca hair, discussing both theoretical aspects and observational constraints from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) M87* and Sgr A* data. On the theoretical side, this family of BHs interpolates between Kerr-like...

We show that, unlike vacuum General Relativity, Einstein-scalar theories allow balanced static, neutral, asymptotically flat, double-black hole solutions, for scalar field models minimally coupled to gravity, with appropriate self-interactions. These are scalar hairy versions of the double-Schwarzschild (or Bach-Weyl) solution, but regular on and o...

We consider a Proca-Higgs model wherein a complex vector field gains mass via spontaneous symmetry breaking, by coupling to a real scalar field with a Higgs-type potential. This vector version of the scalar Friedberg-Lee-Sirlin model, can be considered as a UV completion of a complex Proca model with self-interactions. We study the flat spacetime a...

We construct and explore the solution space of two nonspinning, miniboson stars in equilibrium, in fully nonlinear general relativity (GR), minimally coupled to a free, massive, complex scalar field. The equilibrium is due to the balance between the (long range) gravitational attraction and the (short-range) scalar mediated repulsion, the latter en...

We present a systematic study of the dynamics and gravitational-wave emission of head-on collisions of spinning vector boson stars, known as Proca stars. To this aim we build a catalog of about 800 numerical-relativity simulations of such systems. We find that the wavelike nature of bosonic stars has a large impact on the gravitational-wave emissio...

The local thermodynamic stability of a black hole (BH) in the canonical ensemble is defined by the positivity of the specific heat at constant global charges. Schwarzschild BHs in thermodynamic equilibrium with an energy reservoir are always unstable against small fluctuations of energy, whereas sufficiently near-extremal Reissner-Nordström/Kerr BH...

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) has the potential to reveal wonders about the fundamental theory of nature at play in the extreme gravity regime, where the gravitational interaction is both strong and dynamical. In this white paper, the Fundamental Physics Working Group of the LISA Consortium summarizes the current topics in fundament...

A bstract A mechanism for circumventing the Mayo-Bekenstein no-hair theorem allows endowing four dimensional ( D = 4) asymptotically flat, spherical, electro-vacuum black holes with a minimally coupled U (1)-gauged scalar field profile: Q -hair. The scalar field must be massive, self-interacting and obey a resonance condition at the threshold of (c...

The motion of particles on spherical 1 + 3 dimensional spacetimes can, under some assumptions, be described by the curves on a 2-dimensional manifold, the optical and Jacobi manifolds for null and timelike curves, respectively. In this paper we resort to auxiliary 2-dimensional metrics to study circular geodesics of generic static, spherically symm...

We construct and explore the solution space of two non-spinning, mini-boson stars in equilibrium, in fully non-linear General Relativity (GR), minimally coupled to a free, massive, complex scalar field. The equilibrium is due to the balance between the (long range) gravitational attraction and the (short-range) scalar mediated repulsion, the latter...

Because the Klein–Gordon and Proca equations involve [Formula: see text], they describe quantum fields. Their solutions, however, may be treated as classical if their typical action obeys [Formula: see text]. This is possible due to their bosonic nature, allowing states with many particles. We show, by generic arguments, that the typical action for...

We investigate the gravitational lensing by spinning Proca stars and the shadows and lensing by Kerr black holes (BHs) with synchronised Proca hair, discussing both theoretical aspects and observational constraints from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) M87* and Sgr A* data. On the theoretical side, this family of BHs interpolates between Kerr-like...

We present a systematic study of the dynamics and gravitational-wave emission of head-on collisions of spinning vector boson stars, known as Proca stars. To this aim we build a catalogue of about 800 numerical-relativity simulations of such systems. We find that the wave-like nature of bosonic stars has a large impact on the gravitational-wave emis...

Derrick-type virial identities, obtained via dilatation (scaling) arguments, have a variety of applications in field theories. We deconstruct such virial identities in relativistic gravity showing how they can be recast as self-evident integrals of appropriate combinations of the equations of motion. In spherical symmetry, the appropriate combinati...

The motion of particles on spherical $1 + 3$ dimensional spacetimes can, under some assumptions, be described by the curves on a 2-dimensional manifold, the optical and Jacobi manifolds for null and timelike curves, respectively. In this paper we resort to auxiliary 2-dimensional metrics to study circular geodesics of generic static, spherically sy...

Ultracompact objects with light-rings (LRs) but without an event horizon could mimic black holes (BHs) in their strong gravity phenomenology. But are such objects dynamically viable? Stationary and axisymmetric ultracompact objects that can form from smooth, quasi-Minkowski initial data must have at least one stable LR, which has been argued to tri...

A mechanism for circumventing the Mayo-Bekenstein no-hair theorem allows endowing four dimensional $(D=4)$ asymptotically flat, spherical, electro-vacuum black holes with a minimally coupled $U(1)$-gauged scalar field profile: $Q$-$hair$. The scalar field must be massive, self-interacting and obey a {\it resonance condition} at the threshold of (ch...

The local thermodynamic stability of a black hole (BH) in the canonical ensemble is defined by the positivity of the specific heat at constant global charges. Schwarzschild BHs in thermodynamic equilibrium with an energy reservoir are always unstable against small fluctuations of energy, whereas sufficiently near-extremal Reissner-Nordstr\"{o}m/Ker...

We examine the constraining power of current gravitational-wave data on scalar-tensor-Gauss-Bonnet theories that allow for the spontaneous scalarization of black holes. In the fiducial model that we consider, a slowly rotating black hole must scalarize if its size is comparable to the new length scale λ that the theory introduces, although rapidly...

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) has the potential to reveal wonders about the fundamental theory of nature at play in the extreme gravity regime, where the gravitational interaction is both strong and dynamical. In this white paper, the Fundamental Physics Working Group of the LISA Consortium summarizes the current topics in fundament...

We present the first systematic search for exotic compact mergers in Advanced LIGO and Virgo events. We compare the short gravitational-wave signals GW190521, GW200220 and GW190426, and the trigger S200114f to a new catalogue of 759 numerical simulations of head-on mergers of horizonless exotic compact objects known as Proca stars, interpreted as s...

Derrick-type virial identities, obtained via dilatation (scaling) arguments, have a variety of applications in field theories. We deconstruct such virial identities in relativistic gravity showing how they can be recast as self-evident integrals of appropriate combinations of the equations of motion. In spherical symmetry, the appropriate combinati...

In the presence of certain non-minimal couplings between a scalar field and the Gauss-Bonnet curvature invariant, Kerr black holes can scalarize, as long as they are spinning fast enough. This provides a distinctive violation of the Kerr hypothesis, occurring only for some high spin range. In this paper we assess if strong magnetic fields, that may...

Current detection and parameter inference of gravitational-wave signals relies on the comparison of the incoming detector strain data $d(t)$ to waveform templates for the gravitational-wave strain $h(t)$ that ultimately rely on the resolution of Einstein's equations via numerical relativity simulations. These, however, commonly output a quantity kn...

Fully nonlinear numerical evolutions of the Einstein-(multi)-Klein-Gordon equations are performed to study head-on collisions of ℓ-boson stars. Despite being spherically symmetric, ℓ-boson stars have a (hidden) frame of reference, used in defining their individual multipolar fields. To assess the impact of their relative orientation, we perform sim...

Because the Klein-Gordon and Proca equations involve $\hbar$, they describe quantum fields. Their solutions, however, may be treated as classical if their typical action obeys $S^{\rm typical}\gg \hbar$. This is possible due to their bosonic nature, allowing states with many particles. We show, by generic arguments, that the typical action for such...

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) has the potential to reveal wonders about the fundamental theory of nature at play in the extreme gravity regime, where the gravitational interaction is both strong and dynamical. In this white paper, the Fundamental Physics Working Group of the LISA Consortium summarizes the current topics in fundament...

We examine the constraining power of current gravitational-wave data on scalar-tensor-Gauss-Bonnet theories that allow for the spontaneous scalarization of black holes. In the fiducial model that we consider, a slowly rotating black hole must scalarize if its size is comparable to the new length scale $\lambda$ that the theory introduces, although...

To what extent are all astrophysical, dark, compact objects both black holes (BHs) and described by the Kerr geometry? We embark on the exercise of defying the universality of this remarkable idea, often called the "Kerr hypothesis". After establishing its rationale and timeliness, we define a minimal set of reasonability criteria for alternative m...

The light rings (LRs) topological charge (TC) of a spacetime measures the number of stable LRs minus the number of unstable LRs. It is invariant under smooth spacetime deformations obeying fixed boundary conditions. Asymptotically flat equilibrium black holes (BHs) have, generically, TC=−1. In Einstein-Maxwell theory, however, the Schwarzschild-Mel...

In the presence of certain non-minimal couplings between a scalar field and the Gauss-Bonnet curvature invariant, Kerr black holes can scalarize, as long as they are spinning fast enough. This provides a distinctive violation of the Kerr hypothesis, occurring only for some high spin range. In this paper we assess if strong magnetic fields, that may...

We study the time evolution of spherical, excited (i.e. nodeful) boson star models. We consider a model including quartic self-interactions, controlled by a coupling Λ. Performing non-linear simulations of the Einstein-(complex)-Klein-Gordon system, using as initial data equilibrium boson stars solutions of that system, we assess the impact of Λ in...

For a stationary, axisymmetric, asymptotically flat, ultracompact [i.e., containing light rings (LRs)] object, with a Z2 north-south symmetry fixing an equatorial plane, we establish that the structure of timelike circular orbits (TCOs) in the vicinity of the equatorial LRs, for either rotation direction, depends exclusively on the radial stability...

Current gravitational wave (GW) detections rely on the existence of libraries of theoretical waveforms. Consequently, finding new physics with GWs requires libraries of non-standard models, which are computationally demanding. We discuss how deep learning frameworks can be used to generate new waveforms "learned" from a simulation dataset obtained,...