Pleba\'nski-Demia\'nski solution of general relativity and its expressions quadratic and cubic in curvature: analogies to electromagnetism

Analogies between gravitation and electromagnetism have been known since the 1950s. Here, we examine a fairly general type D solution---the exact seven parameter solution of Pleba\'nski--Demia\'nski (PD)---to demonstrate these analogies for a physically meaningful spacetime: The two quadratic curvature invariants $\bf{B}^2-\bf{E}^2$ and $\bf{E}\cdot\bf{B}$ are evaluated analytically. In the asymptotically flat case, the leading terms of $\bf{E}$ and $\bf{B}$ can be interpreted as gravitoelectric mass and gravitoelectric current of the PD solution, respectively, if there are no gravitomagnetic monopoles present. Furthermore, the square of the Bel--Robinson tensor reads $(\mathbf{B}^2+\mathbf{E}^2)^2$ for the PD solution, reminiscent of the square of the energy density in electrodynamics. By analogy to the energy-momentum 3-form of the electromagnetic field, we provide an alternative way to derive the recently introduced Bel--Robinson 3-form, from which the Bel--Robinson tensor can be calculated. We also determine the Kummer tensor, a tensor cubic in curvature, for a general type D solution for the first time, and calculate the pieces of its irreducible decomposition. The calculations are carried out in two coordinate systems: in the original polynomial PD coordinates, and in a modified Boyer--Lindquist-like version introduced by Griffiths and Podolsk\'y (GP) allowing for a more straightforward physical interpretation of the free parameters.Comment: 52 pages, 11 listings of computer algebra code; typos removed, and journal reference adde

Regular black hole from a confined spin connection in Poincare gauge gravity

Within the asymptotic safety program, it is possible to construct renormalization group (RG) improved spacetimes by replacing the gravitational coupling $G$ by its running counterpart $G(k)$, and subsequently identifying the RG scale $k$ with a physical distance scale. This procedure has been used to construct a regular Schwarzschild geometry, but it fails in the presence of a cosmological constant. This can only be avoided if the dimensionless cosmological constant has a trivial ultraviolet fixed point, but so far no such scenario has been encountered in quantum general relativity (with or without matter). In this Letter we provide a possible solution to this problem. In Poincare gauge gravity an effective cosmological constant arises naturally, and if the non-Abelian Lorentz spin connection is asymptotically free, it generates a trivial ultraviolet fixed point for this cosmological constant. We thereby tentatively propose a nonsingular black hole consistent with the principles of asymptotic safety, embedded in Poincare gauge gravity.Comment: 7 page

Quantum scattering on a delta potential in ghost-free theory

We discuss the quantum-mechanical scattering of a massless scalar field on a $\delta$-potential in a ghost-free theory and obtain analytic solutions for the scattering coefficients. Due to the non-locality of the ghost-free theory the transmission coefficient tends to unity for frequencies much larger than the inverse scale of non-locality, even for infinitely strong potentials. At the same time there exists a critical strength of the $\delta$-potential barrier below which there is always a frequency that is totally reflected. These scattering properties in ghost-free theories are quite generic and distinguish them from local field theories. Moreover, we study quasi-normal states that are present for the $\delta$-potential well. In the limit of vanishing non-locality, we recover the standard results of local field theory.Comment: v2: 7 pages, 2 figures, matches published version; v1: 6 pages, 2 figure

Non-locality and gravitoelectromagnetic duality

The weak-field Schwarzschild and NUT solutions of general relativity are gravitoelectromagnetically dual to each other, except on the positive $z$-axis. The presence of non-locality weakens this duality and violates it within a smeared region around the positive $z$-axis, whose typical transverse size is given by the scale of non-locality. We restore an exact non-local gravitoelectromagnetic duality everywhere via a manifestly dual modification of the linearized non-local field equations. In the limit of vanishing non-locality we recover the well-known results from weak-field general relativity.Comment: 8 pages, comments welcome