Scalar Resonances in Axially Symmetric Spacetimes

We study properties of resonant solutions to the scalar wave equation in several axially symmetric spacetimes. We prove that non-axial resonant modes do not exist neither in the Lanczos dust cylinder, the $(2+1)$ extreme BTZ spacetime nor in a class of simple rotating wormhole solutions. Moreover, we find unstable solutions to the wave equation in the Lanczos dust cylinder and in the $r^2 <0$ region of the extreme $(2+1)$ BTZ spacetime, two solutions that possess closed timelike curves. Similarities with previous results obtained for the Kerr spacetime are explored.Comment: International Journal of Modern Physics D, in pres

An internal mechanism for the anti-glitch observed in AXP 1E 2259+586

Magnetars are fascinating objects that are thought to be neutron stars powered by their strong internal magnetic fields. Clear evidence of a sudden spin-down was detected in the Anomalous X-ray Pulsar AXP 1E 2259+586, an object cataloged as a magnetar. This event received the name "anti-glitch". In this work we present a simple internal mechanism which could account for the observed sudden spin-down of the star.Comment: Presented in the "Compact Stars in the QCD Phase Diagram IV" conference. September 26-30, 2014, Prerow, German

Magnetised Accretion Discs in Kerr Spacetimes II: Hot Spots

Context. Quasi-periodic variability has been observed in a number of X-ray binaries harboring black hole candidates. In general relativity, black holes are uniquely described by the Kerr metric and, according to the cosmic censorship conjecture, curvature singularities always have to be clothed by an event horizon. Aims. In this paper, we study the effect of an external magnetic field on the observed light curves of orbiting hot spots in thin accretion discs around Kerr black holes and naked singularities. Methods. We employ a ray-tracing algorithm to calculate the light curves and power spectra of such hot spots as seen by a distant observer for uniform and dipolar magnetic field configurations assuming a weak coupling between the magnetic field and the disc matter. Results. We show that the presence of an external dipolar magnetic field leads to potentially observable modifications of these signals for both Kerr black holes and naked singularities, while an external uniform magnetic field has practically no effect. In particular, we demonstrate that the emission from a hot spot orbiting near the innermost stable circular orbit of a naked singularity in a dipolar magnetic field can be significantly harder than the emission of the same hot spot in the absence of such a magnetic field. Conclusions. The comparison of our model with observational data may allow us study the geometry of magnetic fields around compact objects and to test the cosmic censorship conjecture in conjunction with other observables such as thermal continuum spectra and iron line profiles.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Astronomy and Astrophysic

Slow stable hybrid stars: a new class of compact stars that fulfills all current observational constraints

We study hybrid stars considering the effects on stellar stability of the hadron-quark conversion speed at the sharp interface. The equation of state is constructed by combining a model-agnostic hadronic description with a constant speed of sound model for quark matter. We show that current LIGO/Virgo, NICER, low-density nuclear and high-density perturbative QCD constraints can be satisfied in two scenarios with low and high transition pressures. If the conversion speed is slow, a new class of hybrid objects is possible and very stiff hadronic equations of state cannot be discarded.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Three approaches for the classification of protoneutron star oscillation modes

The future detection of gravitational waves (GWs) from a galactic core-collapse supernova will provide information on the physics inside protoneutron stars (PNS). In this work, we apply three different classification methods for the PNS non-radial oscillation modes: Cowling classification, Generalized Cowling Nomenclature (GCN), and a Classification Based on Modal Properties (CBMP). Using PNS models from $3$D simulations of core-collapse supernovae, we find that in the early stages of the PNS evolution, typically before $0.4$ seconds after the bounce, the Cowling classification is inconsistent, but the GCN and the CBMP provide complementary information that helps to understand the evolution of the modes. In the GCN, we note several avoided crossings as the mode frequencies evolve at early times, while the CBMP tracks the modes across the avoided crossings. We verify that the strongest emission of GWs by the PNS corresponds to the $f$-mode in the GCN, indicating that the mode trapping region alternates between the core and the envelope at each avoided crossing. At later times, approximately $0.4$ seconds after the bounce, the three classification methods present a similar description of the mode spectrum. We use our results to test universal relations for the PNS modes according to their classification and find that the behaviour of the universal relations for $f$- and $p$-modes is remarkably simple in the CBMP.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures. Matches the version accepted on MNRA

Properties of Magnetized Quark-Hybrid Stars

The structure of a magnetized quark-hybrid stars (QHS) is modeled using a standard relativistic mean-field equation of state (EoS) for the description of hadronic matter. For quark matter we consider a bag model EoS which is modified perturbatively to account for the presence of a uniform magnetic field. The mass-radius (M-R) relationship, gravitational redshift and rotational Kepler periods of such stars are compared with those of standard neutron stars (NS).Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, prepared for the 2nd International Symposium on Strong Electromagnetic Fields and Neutron Stars (SMFNS2011), Varadero, Cuba, 5-7 May 201

Instabilities of naked singularities and black hole interiors in general relativity

Metrics representing black holes in General Relativity may exhibit naked singularities for certain values of their parameters. This is the case for super-extremal (J2 \u3e M \u3e 0) Kerr and super-extremal (|Q| \u3e M \u3e 0) Reissner-Nördstrom spacetimes, and also for the negative mass Schwarzschild spacetime. We review our recent work where we show that these nakedly singular spacetimes are unstable under linear gravitational perturbations, a result that supports the cosmic censorship conjecture, and also that the inner stationary region beyond the inner horizon of a Kerr black hole (J2 \u3c M) is linearly unstable. © 2009 World Scientific Publishing Company