paper

The sound of the event horizon

arXiv:2312.16249 · doi:10.1142/S0218271823420142

Abstract

During the ringdown phase of a gravitational signal emitted by a black hole, the least damped quasinormal frequency dominates. If modifications to Einstein's theory induce noticeable deformations of the black-hole geometry only near the event horizon, the fundamental mode remains largely unaffected. However, even a small change near the event horizon can significantly impact the first few overtones, providing a means to probe the geometry of the event horizon. Overtones are stable against small deformations of spacetime at a distance from the black hole, allowing the event horizon to be distinguished from the surrounding environment. In contrast to echoes, overtones make a much larger energy contribution. These findings open up new avenues for future observations.

Honorable mention of the Gravity Research Foundation 2023 Awards for Essays on Gravitation

References in corpus (5)

Cited by in corpus (12)