Ignacio F. Ranea-Sandoval

Gravitational instabilities in Kerr spacetimes

In this paper we consider the possible existence of unstable axisymmetric modes in Kerr spacetimes, resulting from exponentially growing solutions of the Teukolsky equation. We describe a transformation that casts the radial equation that results upon separation of variables in the Teukolsky equation, in the form of a Schrodinger equation, and combine the properties of the solutions of this equations with some recent results on the asymptotic behaviour of spin weighted spheroidal harmonics to prove the existence of an infinite family of unstable modes. Thus we prove that the stationary region beyond a Kerr black hole inner horizon is unstable under gravitational linear perturbations. We also prove that Kerr spacetime with angular momentum larger than its square mass, which has a naked singularity, is unstable.

MAGNETARS AS HIGHLY MAGNETIZED QUARK STARS: AN ANALYTICAL TREATMENT

We present an analytical model of a magnetar as a high-density magnetized quark bag. The effect of strong magnetic fields (B > 5 × 1016 G) in the equation of state is considered. An analytic expression for the mass-radius relationship is found from the energy variational principle in general relativity. Our results are compared with observational evidence of possible quark and/or hybrid stars.

Constant-sound-speed parametrization for Nambu–Jona-Lasinio models of quark matter in hybrid stars

The discovery of pulsars as heavy as 2 solar masses has led astrophysicists to rethink the core compositions of neutron stars, ruling out many models for the nuclear equations of state (EoS). We explore the hybrid stars that occur when hadronic matter is treated in a relativistic mean-field approximation and quark matter is modeled by three-flavor local and non-local Nambu Jona-Lasinio (NJL) models with repulsive vector interactions. The NJL models typically yield equations of state that feature a first order transition to quark matter. Assuming that the quark-hadron surface tension is high enough to disfavour mixed phases, and restricting to EoSes that allow stars to reach 2 solar masses, we find that the appearance of the quark matter core either destabilizes the star immediately (this is typical for non-local NJL models) or leads to a very short hybrid star branch in the mass-radius relation (this is typical for local NJL models). Using the Constant-Sound-Speed parametrization we can see that the reason for the near-absence of hybrid stars is that the transition pressure is fairly high and the transition is strongly first order.

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 > M > 0) Kerr and super-extremal (|Q| > M > 0) Reissner-Nordstrom 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 < M) is linearly unstable.

A simple mechanism for the anti-glitch observed in AXP 1E 2259+586

Fil: Garcia, Federico. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico la Plata. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomia (i); Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronomicas y Geofisicas; Argentina

Hybrid Stars in the Framework of NJL Models

We compute models for the equation of state (EoS) of the matter in the cores of hybrid stars. Hadronic matter is treated in the non-linear relativistic mean-field approximation, and quark matter is modeled by three-flavor local and non-local Nambu−Jona-Lasinio (NJL) models with repulsive vector interactions. The transition from hadronic to quark matter is constructed by considering either a soft phase transition (Gibbs construction) or a sharp phase transition (Maxwell construction). We find that high-mass neutron stars with masses up to 2.1 − 2.4M⊙ may contain a mixed phase with hadrons and quarks in their cores, if global charge conservation is imposed via the Gibbs conditions. However, if the Maxwell conditions is considered, the appearance of a pure quark matter core either destabilizes the star immediately (commonly for non-local NJL models) or leads to a very short hybrid star branch in the mass-radius relation (generally for local NJL models).

Magnetised accretion discs in Kerr spacetimes

We study the effect caused by external magnetic fields on the observed thermal spectra and iron line profiles of thin accretion discs formed around Kerr black holes and naked singularities. We aim to provide a tool that can be used to estimate the presence of magnetic fields in the neighbourhood of a compact object and to probe the cosmic censorship conjecture in these particular astrophysical environments. We developed a numerical scheme able to calculate thermal spectra of magnetised Page-Thorne accretion discs formed around rotating black holes and naked singularities as seen by an arbitrary distant observer. We incorporated two different magnetic field configurations: uniform and dipolar, using a perturbative scheme in the coupling constant between matter and magnetic field strength. Under the same assumptions, we obtained observed synthetic line profiles of the 6.4 keV fluorescent iron line. We show that an external magnetic field produces potentially observable modifications on the thermal energy spectrum and the fluorescent iron line profile. Thermal energy spectra of naked singularities are harder and brighter than those from black holes, and in addition, peak and cut-off energies are affected by the external magnetic field. Moreover, iron line profiles of slowly rotating black holes suffer more changes by a uniform magnetic field, while nearly extremal black holes and naked singularities are more altered in the dipolar case. Based on our calculations, we discard the possibility of modelling the archetypal black-hole candidate in Cygnus X-1 as a naked singularity. Comparison of our models with observational data can be used to probe the cosmic censorship conjecture and to estimate the existence and global geometry of magnetic fields around compact objects by fitting the thermal energy spectra and iron line profiles of X-ray binaries.

INSTABILITIES IN KERR SPACETIMES

We present a generalization of previous results regarding the stability under gravitational perturbations of nakedly singular super extreme Kerr spacetime and Kerr black hole interior beyond the Cauchy horizon. To do so we study solutions to the radial and angular Teukolskys equations with different spin weights, particulary s = ±1 representing electromagnetic perturbations, s = ±1/2 representing a perturbation by a Dirac field and s = 0 representing perturbations by a scalar field. By analizing the properties of radial and angular eigenvalues we prove the existence of an infinite family of unstable modes.

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.

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 nonaxial resonant modes do not exist neither in the Lanczos dust cylinder, the extreme (2 + 1) dimensional Banados–Taitelboim–Zanelli (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 r2 < 0 region of the extreme (2 + 1) dimensional BTZ spacetime, two solutions that possess closed timelike curves. Similarities with previous results obtained for the Kerr spacetime are explored.