Black hole superradiance constrains the coupling strength in interacting dark energy-dark matter models through modifications to the effective mass of ultralight bosons in two scenarios.
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Exploring the String Axiverse with Precision Black Hole Physics
Canonical reference. 78% of citing Pith papers cite this work as background.
abstract
It has recently been suggested that the presence of a plenitude of light axions, an Axiverse, is evidence for the extra dimensions of string theory. We discuss the observational consequences of these axions on astrophysical black holes through the Penrose superradiance process. When an axion Compton wavelength is comparable to the size of a black hole, the axion binds to the black hole "nucleus" forming a gravitational atom in the sky. The occupation number of superradiant atomic levels, fed by the energy and angular momentum of the black hole, grows exponentially. The black hole spins down and an axion Bose-Einstein condensate cloud forms around it. When the attractive axion self-interactions become stronger than the gravitational binding energy, the axion cloud collapses, a phenomenon known in condensed matter physics as "Bosenova". The existence of axions is first diagnosed by gaps in the mass vs spin plot of astrophysical black holes. For young black holes the allowed values of spin are quantized, giving rise to "Regge trajectories" inside the gap region. The axion cloud can also be observed directly either through precision mapping of the near horizon geometry or through gravitational waves coming from the Bosenova explosion, as well as axion transitions and annihilations in the gravitational atom. Our estimates suggest that these signals are detectable in upcoming experiments, such as Advanced LIGO, AGIS, and LISA. Current black hole spin measurements imply an upper bound on the QCD axion decay constant of 2 x 10^17 GeV, while Advanced LIGO can detect signals from a QCD axion cloud with a decay constant as low as the GUT scale. We finally discuss the possibility of observing the gamma-rays associated with the Bosenova explosion and, perhaps, the radio waves from axion-to-photon conversion for the QCD axion.
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representative citing papers
Matrix matching yields improved quasi-bound spectra (fine structure + decay widths) for a massive Dirac field on RN, and branch-cut analysis plus simulations reveal an intermediate oscillatory power law followed by a QBS-driven t^{-5/6} exp(-η t^{1/3}) far-late-time regime.
Gravitational-wave radiation from tidally driven Bohr crossings of black-hole axion clouds is controlled by outgoing two-level coherence, finite only for intermediate Landau-Zener sweep rates.
O(100–10^5) light string axions enhance PBH spin-up during Hawking evaporation, boosting superradiant dark-matter cloud efficiency and expanding the micro-boson-star parameter space while contributing negligibly to ΔN_eff.
Numerical computation of absorption cross sections for massive Proca fields on Schwarzschild black holes, revealing mass-induced longitudinal modes and breaking of even-odd parity degeneracy in transmission spectra.
Superradiant axion clouds around black holes can undergo gravitational superfluorescence via a seeded coherent quadrupolar transition, leading to a detectable delayed gravitational-wave pulse.
The equilibrium radius of self-gravitating dark fermion stars is determined by the fermion mass once the total mass is given, with the Bohm potential supplying outward pressure for heavier species and inward tension for lighter ones.
Collective nucleon scattering in neutron-star matter suppresses the effective absorption of ultralight bosons at the long wavelengths relevant for superradiance, weakening the link between stellar cooling bounds and superradiant instability rates.
A novel quantity derived from GW signals encodes the density profile of dark dense environments around black holes, allowing characterization of the condensate type and DM properties via multi-wavelength observations.
Hierarchical Bayesian analysis of GWTC-5 binary black hole spins finds no evidence for superradiant axions and excludes masses 1.7e-14 to 3.3e-12 eV at 95% CL.
Radio telescopes outperform other experiments at detecting high-frequency gravitational waves from primordial black hole mergers and boson clouds through conversion to radio signals in magnetic fields.
Axions cause singularities on the horizons of extremal rotating charged black holes for almost all axion mass and coupling values.
QCD axions constrain F-theory base threefolds to have rigid or flux-rigidified divisors, yielding typical axion masses around 10^{-9} eV and decay constants near 10^{15} GeV in allowed regions.
Reanalysis of CAPP-12T axion data sets 90% CL limits on HFGW strain down to 3.9e-21 at 5.311 GHz and excludes certain 10^{-6} solar mass black holes within 0.01 AU via superradiance interpretation.
Bound states of a massive scalar field around topological stars form strictly normal modes, producing a hydrogen-like spectrum when the Compton wavelength exceeds the star size and localized states otherwise.
Models apsidal precession and dynamical friction from extended matter to extend GRAVITY constraints on boson clouds around Sgr A* and assess impacts on S-star orbits.
Ultralight boson clouds around primordial black holes emit high-frequency gravitational wave transients via superradiance and binary-driven transitions, but the signals fall below current detector sensitivity at plausible distances.
Majoron dark matter is viable for sub-MeV masses in high-scale seesaw models with thermal leptogenesis, produced via misalignment and cosmic strings in pre- and post-inflationary scenarios and constrained by CMB, X-ray, and gravitational wave observations.
Black-hole superradiance extracts energy via the ergoregion and can trigger instabilities with applications to dark matter, beyond-Standard-Model physics, and laboratory analogs.
The Einstein Telescope will enable gravitational-wave observations up to cosmological distances, opening avenues for discoveries in astrophysics, cosmology, and fundamental physics.
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citing papers explorer
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Constraining interacting dark energy models with black hole superradiance
Black hole superradiance constrains the coupling strength in interacting dark energy-dark matter models through modifications to the effective mass of ultralight bosons in two scenarios.
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Quasi-bound states and late-time evolution of a massive fermion around a Reissner-Nordstr\"{o}m black hole
Matrix matching yields improved quasi-bound spectra (fine structure + decay widths) for a massive Dirac field on RN, and branch-cut analysis plus simulations reveal an intermediate oscillatory power law followed by a QBS-driven t^{-5/6} exp(-η t^{1/3}) far-late-time regime.
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Finite Coherence in Gravitational Waves from Tidally Excited Axion Clouds
Gravitational-wave radiation from tidally driven Bohr crossings of black-hole axion clouds is controlled by outgoing two-level coherence, finite only for intermediate Landau-Zener sweep rates.
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String Axiverse Enhancement of Superradiant Dark Matter Production
O(100–10^5) light string axions enhance PBH spin-up during Hawking evaporation, boosting superradiant dark-matter cloud efficiency and expanding the micro-boson-star parameter space while contributing negligibly to ΔN_eff.
-
Absorption cross section of a Schwarzschild black hole for a massive vector field
Numerical computation of absorption cross sections for massive Proca fields on Schwarzschild black holes, revealing mass-induced longitudinal modes and breaking of even-odd parity degeneracy in transmission spectra.
-
Gravitational superfluorescence from superradiant axion clouds
Superradiant axion clouds around black holes can undergo gravitational superfluorescence via a seeded coherent quadrupolar transition, leading to a detectable delayed gravitational-wave pulse.
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Self-gravitating quantum stars with a globally relevant Bohm potential
The equilibrium radius of self-gravitating dark fermion stars is determined by the fermion mass once the total mass is given, with the Bohm potential supplying outward pressure for heavier species and inward tension for lighter ones.
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Stellar Superradiance and Low-Energy Absorption in Dense Nuclear Media
Collective nucleon scattering in neutron-star matter suppresses the effective absorption of ultralight bosons at the long wavelengths relevant for superradiance, weakening the link between stellar cooling bounds and superradiant instability rates.
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Extracting Properties of Dark Dense Environments around Black Holes from Gravitational Waves
A novel quantity derived from GW signals encodes the density profile of dark dense environments around black holes, allowing characterization of the condensate type and DM properties via multi-wavelength observations.
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No Evidence for Superradiant Axions in LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA GWTC-5 Binary Black Hole Spins
Hierarchical Bayesian analysis of GWTC-5 binary black hole spins finds no evidence for superradiant axions and excludes masses 1.7e-14 to 3.3e-12 eV at 95% CL.
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Radio Emission from High-Frequency Gravitational Wave Point Sources
Radio telescopes outperform other experiments at detecting high-frequency gravitational waves from primordial black hole mergers and boson clouds through conversion to radio signals in magnetic fields.
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Axions Create Singularities on Extremal Horizons
Axions cause singularities on the horizons of extremal rotating charged black holes for almost all axion mass and coupling values.
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Constraining F-theory Model Building with QCD Axions
QCD axions constrain F-theory base threefolds to have rigid or flux-rigidified divisors, yielding typical axion masses around 10^{-9} eV and decay constants near 10^{15} GeV in allowed regions.
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Search for high-frequency gravitational waves via re-analysis of cavity axion data
Reanalysis of CAPP-12T axion data sets 90% CL limits on HFGW strain down to 3.9e-21 at 5.311 GHz and excludes certain 10^{-6} solar mass black holes within 0.01 AU via superradiance interpretation.
-
Gravitational Atoms from Topological Stars
Bound states of a massive scalar field around topological stars form strictly normal modes, producing a hydrogen-like spectrum when the Compton wavelength exceeds the star size and localized states otherwise.
-
Probing dense environments around Sgr A* with S-stars dynamics
Models apsidal precession and dynamical friction from extended matter to extend GRAVITY constraints on boson clouds around Sgr A* and assess impacts on S-star orbits.
-
High-frequency gravitational wave transients from superradiance
Ultralight boson clouds around primordial black holes emit high-frequency gravitational wave transients via superradiance and binary-driven transitions, but the signals fall below current detector sensitivity at plausible distances.
-
Majoron Dark Matter, High-Scale Seesaw, and Leptogenesis
Majoron dark matter is viable for sub-MeV masses in high-scale seesaw models with thermal leptogenesis, produced via misalignment and cosmic strings in pre- and post-inflationary scenarios and constrained by CMB, X-ray, and gravitational wave observations.
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Superradiance -- the 2020 Edition
Black-hole superradiance extracts energy via the ergoregion and can trigger instabilities with applications to dark matter, beyond-Standard-Model physics, and laboratory analogs.
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Science Case for the Einstein Telescope
The Einstein Telescope will enable gravitational-wave observations up to cosmological distances, opening avenues for discoveries in astrophysics, cosmology, and fundamental physics.
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Axions as Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and Dark Radiation
A mini-review of axion phenomenology showing how light bosons can account for dark matter, drive cosmic acceleration, or contribute to relativistic backgrounds in the early and late Universe.
- Relativistic frequency shifts in gravitational waves from axion clouds
- Black hole spectroscopy: from theory to experiment