The orbiting LISA instrument is designed to detect gravitational waves in the millihertz band, produced by sources including galactic binaries and extreme mass ratio inspirals, among others. The detector consists of three spacecraft, each carrying a pair of free-falling test masses. A technology-demonstration mission, LISA Pathfinder, was launched in 2015, and observed several sudden changes in test mass acceleration, referred to as "glitches." Similar glitches in the full LISA mission have the potential to contaminate the Time-Delay Interferometry outputs that are the detector's primary data product. In this paper, we describe an optimization technique using maximum likelihood estimation for detecting and removing glitches with a known waveform.

To address the singularity problem in black hole physics, Penrose proposed the cosmic censorship conjecture . However, whether this conjecture holds in different types of black holes, especially for the Strong Cosmic Censorship Conjecture (SCCC), remains an issue worth further exploration. This study investigates the Yang-Mills field modified RN black hole, which provides new possibilities for exploring the Strong Cosmic Censorship Conjecture due to its unique nonlinear dynamical properties. In this work, the perturbation equations of two scalar fields for the Yang-Mills field modified RN black hole are derived. By combining the WKB method and the Prony method, the quasi-normal modes frequencies of the perturbations are analyzed. Additionally, constraints on the charge-to-mass ratio of the charged and massive scalar field are obtained using the Weak Gravity Conjecture (WGC), and it is shown that the Yang-Mills field modified RN black hole satisfies the SCCC conditions in the extreme state. The study reveals that the Yang-Mills field charge $q_{YM}$ significantly affects the damping effect and gravitational blueshift effect of the perturbations, causing the RN black hole in the extreme state to transition from violating the SCCC to satisfying it. Furthermore, when the charge-to-mass ratio $q/m$ of the charged and massive scalar field satisfies the WGC condition, the scalar field perturbations destabilize the Cauchy horizon of the Yang-Mills field modified RN black hole in the extreme state, thus confirming the applicability of the SCCC under extreme conditions. This study highlights the key role of nonlinear fields in singularity theory and gravitational dynamics, providing important support for the completeness of general relativity and offering new insights into the theoretical research of black holes in extreme states.

Alexei Alexandrovich Starobinsky was outstanding theoretical physicist who made fundamental contributions to gravitational theory and cosmology, based on geometrical ideas in physics, in the spirit of Einstein. One of his greatest achievements is the famous Starobinsky model of cosmological inflation in the early universe, proposed in 1979-1980. In this paper, the Starobinsky inflation model is systematically reviewed from the modern perspective. Its deformation to include production of primordial black holes is proposed, and possible quantum corrections in the context of superstring theory and the Swampland Program are discussed. Starobinsky inflation also leads to the universal reheating mechanism for particle production after inflation.

The so-called Geometric Trinity of Gravity includes General Relativity (GR), based on spacetime curvature; the Teleparallel Equivalent of GR (TEGR), which relies on spacetime torsion; and the Symmetric Teleparallel Equivalent of GR (STEGR), grounded in nonmetricity. Recent studies demonstrate that GR, TEGR, and STEGR are dynamically equivalent, raising questions about the fundamental structure of spacetime, the under-determination of these theories, and whether empirical distinctions among them are possible. The aim of this work is to show that they are equivalent in many features but not exactly in everything. In particular, their relationship with the Equivalence Principle (EP) is different. The EP is a deeply theory-laden assumption, which is assumed as fundamental in constructing GR, with significant implications for our understanding of spacetime. However, it introduces unresolved conceptual issues, including its impact on the nature of the metric and connection, its meaning at the quantum level, tensions with other fundamental interactions and new physics, and its role in dark matter and dark energy problems. In contrast, TEGR and STEGR recover the EP but do not rely on it as a foundational principle. The fact that GR, TEGR, and STEGR are equivalent in non-trivial predictions, but the EP is not necessary for TEGR and STEGR, suggests that it may not be a fundamental feature but an emergent one, potentially marking differences in the empirical content of the three theories. Thus, the developments within the Geometric Trinity framework challenge traditional assumptions about spacetime and may help to better understand some of the unresolved foundational difficulties related to the EP.

We study the measurements of a freely-falling Unruh-DeWitt particle detector near the horizon of a semi-classical Schwarzschild black hole. Our results show that the detector's response increases smoothly as it approaches and crosses the horizon in both the Hartle-Hawking and Unruh vacua. However, these measurements are dominated by the effects of switching the detector on and off, rather than by the detection of Hawking radiation particles. We demonstrate that a freely-falling Unruh-DeWitt detector cannot directly measure Hawking radiation near the horizon because the time required for thermalization is longer than the time spent near the horizon. We propose an operational definition of the effective temperature along an infalling trajectory based on measurements by a particle detector. Using this method, we find that the effective temperature measured by a freely-falling observer in the Hartle-Hawking vacuum increases smoothly from the Hawking temperature far from the horizon to twice the Hawking temperature at the horizon, and continues to rise into the interior of the black hole. This effective temperature closely matches an analytical prediction derived by embedding Schwarzschild spacetime into a higher-dimensional Minkowski space, suggesting that further exploration of higher-dimensional embeddings could provide new insights into the near-horizon behavior of black holes.

This study conducts a meticulous examination of the cosmological implications inherent in Rastall gravity and $f(R)$ gravity models, assessing their efficacy across distinct cosmic epochs, from early universe structure formation to late-time acceleration. In the initial stages, both models exhibit commendable compatibility with observed features of structure formation, aligning with the established $\Lambda$CDM model. The derived Jeans' wavenumbers for each model support their viability. However, as the cosmic timeline progresses into the late universe, a discernible disparity surfaces. Utilizing the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method, we reconstruct the deceleration parameter $(q)$ and identify Deceleration - Acceleration redshift transition values. For $f(R)$ gravity, our results align closely with previous studies, emphasizing its superior ability to elucidate the recent cosmic acceleration. In contrast, Rastall gravity exhibits distinct redshift transition values. Our rigorous analysis underscores the prowess of $f(R)$ gravity in capturing the observed cosmic acceleration, positioning it as a compelling alternative to the conventional $\Lambda$CDM model. The discernible shifts observed in the peaks of the CMB power spectrum and evolution of deceleration parameter (q) for both $f(R)$ gravity and Rastall gravity models in the Early and Late universe, in relation to the $\Lambda $CDM model, provide compelling evidence supporting the proposition that these alternative gravity models can account for the anisotropy of the universe without invoking the need for dark energy.

We use the Tolman metric to describe gravitational collapse of a sphere of a fluid without pressure in spacetime with the Hubble parameter $H$ related to the cosmological constant. We show that the largest radius of a galaxy formed from such a fluid with mass $M$ is given by $(GM/H^2)^{1/3}$.

In this paper, the optical appearance of static and spherically symmetric hairy black holes is studied under the standard Einstein-Maxwell theory considering the p-power Yang-Mills term. During the research process, the specific case of $p=1/2$ was mainly selected for discussion. To understand the impact of the hairy parameter on black holes, we have studied the event horizon radius $r_{h} $, the photon sphere radius $r_{ph}$ and the radius of the innermost stable circular orbit $r_{isco}$ of this hairy black hole. Then, we utilized the backward ray-tracing method to analyze the geodesics of photons around this black hole and discussed the influence of the hairy parameter on the photon geodesics. In addition, we also calculated the unique shadow and photon ring of the black hole irradiated by a static thin accretion disk with three toy model emission functions. The research results show that as the hairy parameter gradually increases, the event horizon radius $r_{h} $, the photon sphere radius $r_{ph}$, the radius of the innermost stable circular orbit $r_{isco}$ and the critical impact parameter $b_{ph}$ of the black hole all exhibit a decreasing trend. Meanwhile, it also causes the area of the black hole shadow and the photon ring to decrease accordingly. Consequently, in the case of the static and spherically symmetric standard Einstein Maxwell power-Yang-Mills hairy black hole, there is no degeneracy in the photon ring and the shadow. Theoretically, it can reflect different black hole solutions and thus verify the Yang-Mills hair.

We constrain the parameters that govern curvature-induced quantum gravity time-of-flight (TOF) effects. These TOF delays, which occur due to modified dispersion relations of particles in a vacuum, could be a phenomenological signature of quantum gravity. Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), short, high-energy events from distant galaxies, offer a unique opportunity to impose observational limits on TOF delays and, by extension, on the energy scales of quantum gravity. Using the standard Jacob-Piran relation, which assumes a locally-flat spacetime, the analysis of quantum gravity-induced TOF effects establishes a lower limit of approximately 10 Planck energies on the energy scale of these effects. However, curvature-induced quantum gravity effects may introduce additional contributions. From current GRB observations, we find that, at a 95% credibility level, in the symmetry-deformed scenario, curvature-induced TOF effects may only arise at energies above 0.04 Planck energy. If we consider only curvature-induced effects, this limit is an order of magnitude stronger. Observing more GRBs at different redshifts could improve the constraints on the curvature-induced QG phenomena. However, given the capabilities of current telescopes and the current understanding of GRBs, it is unlikely that these constraints will be significantly extended beyond the present level.

Hierarchical three-body systems offer a compelling framework to explore the subtle interplay between Newtonian and relativistic gravitational effects in astrophysical environments. In this work, we investigate post-Newtonian corrections to the periastron shift within such systems, focusing on the impact of orbital eccentricity and relativistic modifications to the center of mass. Modeling the secondary body's influence as a quadrupolar perturbation, we rigorously compare Newtonian, Schwarzschild, and post-Newtonian quadrupolar contributions to orbital precession. Our analysis demonstrates that Newtonian quadrupolar effects could be observable in the orbit of the S87 star around Sagittarius A* if an intermediate-mass black hole is present. Additionally, post-Newtonian quadrupolar corrections, though subtle, may notably influence the dynamics of small Solar System bodies in the presence of massive companions. These findings provide critical insights into detecting relativistic corrections in astrophysical systems with current high-precision instruments, such as GRAVITY. By bridging classical and relativistic dynamics, this study enhances our understanding of gravitational interactions in multi-body systems and paves the way for testing general relativity in the complex gravitational fields of galactic nuclei and planetary systems.

We study the imaging of a hairy black hole (HBH) in the Einstein-Klein-Gordon theory, where Einstein gravity is minimally coupled to a scalar potential $V(\phi)=-\Lambda \phi^4 + \mu \phi^2$ with $\Lambda$ and $\mu$ are constants. As a consequence, a nontrivial scalar field at the event horizon $\phi_H$ allows the HBH to evade the no-hair theorem, bifurcate from the Schwarzschild black hole by acquiring some new properties, which can affect the shadow of the HBH received by a distant observer. The framework of ray-tracing is adopted to investigate the optical appearance of the HBH, thus the trajectories of light rays around the HBH can be classified into three emissions: direct, lensed and photon ring. Employing three models of optically and geometrically thin accretion disk, we compare the differences between the Schwarzschild black hole and HBH with same horizon radius in a specific model, and find that the size of the shadow and accretion disk increases as $\phi_H$ increases, but the brightness of the rings remain nearly unaffected, this implies our HBH can potentially mimic the Schwarzschild black hole if we vary the horizon radius of the HBH. Finally, we also constraint the parameter $\Lambda$ from the observations of supermassive black holes in the galactic center of M87 and Sgr A$^{*}$, which could offer new insights for imaging of black holes and astrophysical observations.

The moment of inertia and tidal deformability of idealized stars with polytropic equations of state (EOSs) are numerically calculated under both Newtonian gravity and general relativity (GR). The results explicitly confirm that the relation between the moment of inertia and tidal deformability, parameterized by the star's mass, exhibits variations of 1% to 10% for different polytropic indices in Newtonian gravity and GR, respectively. This indicates a more robust I-Love universal relation in the Newtonian framework. The theoretically derived I-Love universal relation for polytropic stars is subsequently tested against observational data for the moment of inertia and tidal deformability of the 8 planets and some moons in our solar system. The analysis reveals that the theoretical I-Love universal relation aligns well with the observational data, suggesting that it can serve as an empirical relation. Consequently, it enables the estimation of either the moment of inertia or the tidal deformability of an exoplanet if one of these quantities, along with the mass of the exoplanet, is known.

The collective ground state for a spherical symmetric dust ball has been investigated recently in [R. Casadio, Phys. Lett. B 843 (2023) 138055]. In this study, we refine that model by obtaining a mass distribution that accounts for the superposition of wavefunctions across different layers. The refined mass distribution shows significant deviations from the approximation without quantum superpositions. Specifically, the new nearly parabolic distribution replaces the linear mass profile of the original work, featuring an overall downward concavity, which leads to a non-vanishing tension. Notably, the regularity of the metric and causal structure are preserved in the refined analysis.

Gravitational wave (GW) observations from extreme-mass-ratio inspirals (EMRIs) are powerful tools for testing general relativity (GR). However, systematic errors arising from waveform models could potentially lead to incorrect scientific conclusions. These errors can be divided into two main categories: fundamental bias (due to limitations in the validity of the Einstein field equations) and modeling error (due to inaccuracies in waveform templates). Using Bayesian inference, we investigate the impact of these systematic errors on tests of GR. Regarding fundamental bias, we find that at low signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), there is a risk of misidentifying a non-GR EMRI signal as a GR-EMRI one, and vice versa. However, this risk diminishes as the SNR increases to around 40 or higher. Additionally, modeling errors might reduce the SNR of detected EMRI signals and could be misinterpreted as deviations from GR, leading Bayesian inference to favor non-GR scenarios, especially at high SNR. We emphasize the importance of developing sufficiently accurate waveform templates based on alternative gravity theories for testing GR.

We develop a conformally invariant (CI) framework in $(1+3)$-dimensional de Sitter (dS) spacetime, that unifies the descriptions of graviton, ``partially massless'' graviton, and photon fields. This framework is grounded in a rigorous group-theoretical analysis in the Wigner sense and employs Dirac's six-cone formalism. Originally introduced by Dirac, the concept of conformal space and the six-cone formalism were used to derive the field equations for spinor and vector fields in $(1+3)$-dimensional Minkowski spacetime in a manifestly CI form. Our framework extends this approach to dS spacetime, unifying the treatment of massless and ``partially massless'' fields with integer spin $s>0$ under conformal symmetry. This unification enhances the understanding of fundamental aspects of gravitational theories in curved backgrounds.

Closed optical trajectories in Kerr spacetime are engineered to exhibit a marked lack of symmetry. The eccentricity manifests as a holonomy in gravitational Faraday rotation that can be made arbitrarily large by radial translation of the common location of source and receiver. All trajectories are non-equatorial and include a passage through the equatorial plane at the radial turning point, where the trajectory and pseudo-magnetic field are well-aligned. This, combined with path asymmetry, results in a large gravitational Faraday holonomy that lends itself to experimental measurement. Trajectories that start further away from the singularity pass more closely to the ergosphere, thus transiting a more distorted region of spacetime with concomitant amplification of gravitational Coriolis force.

Gravitational-wave memory effects are lasting changes in the strain and its time integrals. They can be computed in asymptotically flat spacetimes using the conservation and evolution equations in the Bondi-Sachs framework. Modified theories of gravity have additional degrees of freedom with their own asymptotic evolution equations; these additional fields can produce differences in the memory effects in these theories from those in general relativity. In this work, we study a scalar-tensor theory of gravity known as the Damour-Esposito-Far\`ese extension of Brans-Dicke theory. We use the Bondi-Sachs framework to compute the field equations in Bondi-Sachs form, the asymptotically flat solutions, and the leading gravitational-wave memory effects. Although Damour-Esposito-Far\`ese theory has additional nonlinearities not present in Brans-Dicke theory, these nonlinearities are subleading effects; thus, the two theories share many similarities in the leading (and some subleading) solutions to hypersurface equations, asymptotic symmetries, and types of memory effects. The conservation equations for the mass and angular momentum aspects differ between the two theories, primarily because of the differences in the evolution equation for the scalar field. This leads to differences in the time dependence of the gravitational-wave memory signals that are produced during the quasicircular inspiral of compact binaries. These differences, however, are of second-order in a small coupling parameter of these theories, which suggests that it would be challenging to use memory effects to distinguish between these two theories.

We construct new classes of the dynamical black hole solutions in five or higher dimensional Einstein-Maxwell theory, coupled to a dilaton field, in the presence of arbitrary cosmological constant. The dilaton field interacts non-trivially with the Maxwell field, as well as the cosmological constant, with two arbitrary coupling constants. The solutions are non-stationary, and almost conformally regular everywhere. To construct the solutions, we use the four-dimensional Bianchi type IX geometry, as the base space. We find three different classes of solutions, based on the values of the coupling constants. We notice that our solutions could be asymptotically de-Sitter, anti-de-Sitter or flat. We find the relevant quantities of the solutions, and discuss the properties of the solutions.

As an extension of our previous work [1] (arXiv:2409.02308), we study a complete family of type D black holes with Kerr-like rotation, NUT twist, acceleration, electric and magnetic charges, and any value of the cosmological constant $\Lambda$. We relate various metric forms of these spacetimes, namely those found by Plebanski-Demianski (PD), Griffiths-Podolsky (GP), and most recently Astorino (A). By explicit coordinate transformations and proper identification of the physical parameters we show that these representations are locally equivalent, and cover the entire class of type D solutions of the Einstein-Maxwell-$\Lambda$ equations, such that the (non-null) electromagnetic field is aligned with both the (double-degenerate) principal null directions of the Weyl tensor. In particular, we concentrate on the subclass which describes accelerating NUT black holes without the Kerr-like rotation.

The next-generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) is intended to be the premier centimeter-wavelength facility for astronomy and astrophysics, building on the substantial scientific legacies of the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) and the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA). The ngVLA would open a new window on the Universe through ultra-sensitive imaging of thermal line and continuum emission to milliarcsecond resolution, while delivering unprecedented broad-band continuum imaging and polarimetry of non-thermal emission. The ngVLA would provide a critical electromagnetic complement to a suite of particle detectors and gravitational-wave observatories, as well as space- and ground-based telescopes operating from infrared to gamma-ray wavelengths, hence enabling multi-messenger and multi-band astronomy and astrophysics. Current construction plans call for the ngVLA to leverage some of the physical infrastructure of both the VLA and the VLBA, potentially drawing on overlapping personnel and information infrastructure. Multiple options can be envisioned for a VLA+VLBA to ngVLA transition. In order to assess risks and benefits of possible transition plans, the ngVLA project established the VLA+VLBA to ngVLA Transition Advisory Group (TAG). The primary deliverable from the TAG is a ``VLA+VLBA to ngVLA Transition Option Concepts'' report (this report) that includes a prioritized list of transition options.

A no-go theorem for parity-violation in even $D$-dimensional spacetimes invariant under $ISO(d)$ and dilatations (as well as the implications for odd $D$) is derived. For the case of real massless scalar and gravitons (as well as any massless even integer spin-$s$ field) at $\mathcal{I}^+$, the reality of wavefunction coefficients in Fourier space to all orders in perturbation theory (any order in loops) coming from a local, unitary, IR- and UV-finite theory, which start from the initial \CRT-invariant Bunch-Davies state in the infinite past, is proven. From this it is inferred that a parity-odd correlator with any massless scalar fields and even integer spin-$s$ fields vanishes in the presence of any number of interactions of massless fields. The same is true for correlators with an even number of conformally-coupled and massless odd integer spin-$s$ external fields, which is used to derive the cosmological analogue of Furry's theorem. The fundamental implications of \CRT symmetry for theories with chemical potentials, such as Chern-Simons and Axion inflation, is also discussed. Given the recent interest in parity-violation coming from observational claims of parity-violation detection, these results provide clear constraints on parity-violating models of inflation and establish the measurement of any parity-odd correlator as an exceptionally sensitive probe of new physics beyond vanilla inflation.

Modern cosmology is built on the assumption that the Universe is homogeneous and isotropic on large scales - but this is challenged by results of the Ellis-Baldwin test that show an unexplained anomaly in the distribution of distant galaxies and quasars.

The enigma surrounding the existence of black holes has recently been substantiated through the groundbreaking work of experimental physicists \cite{genzel2024}. Exploring quantum systems under the gravitational influence of black holes has emerged as a pivotal area of research. Among the frontier works in quantum information processing is the utilization of quantum states as quantum channels. A fundamental quantum information protocol is teleportation, in which two parties, Alice and Bob, share entangled states. In this protocol, the sender, Alice, who holds an unknown qubit, utilizes local operations and classical communication (LOCC) to recreate the qubit at the recipient's (Bob's) end. Notably, during the execution of this protocol, Alice loses the unknown qubit on her side. The teleportation protocol, originally proposed by Bennett et al. \cite{bennett1993}, has been extensively studied with various states and under different physical setups. Researchers have explored both modifications to the protocol itself and the viability of various quantum states as teleportation channels. In this paper, we investigate whether bipartite mixed states derived from two inequivalent classes of tripartite pure states, subjected to the gravitational influence of two different black hole models, can still serve as efficient quantum channels for teleportation. We emphasize the teleportation fidelity of these states, a critical factor for determining their efficacy as quantum channels. Specifically, the fidelity must exceed the classical limit of $\frac{2}{3}$ to be considered effective \cite{pop1994}. We conjecture that, even under the gravitational influence of black holes, the quantum characteristics of the given states are preserved, enabling them to function effectively as quantum channels for teleportation.

In this paper, we investigate the phenomenology of fermionic systems in uniform gravitational fields within the framework of Very Special Relativity (VSR). We especially focus on the case of gravitational spectroscopy with ultracold neutrons, explored in experiments like \emph{q}\textsc{Bounce}. Calculating the leading ($c^0$) and next-to-leading ($c^{-1}$) order corrections to the non-relativistic Hamiltonian in an accelerated frame, we derive the fermionic perturbed energy spectrum. At leading order, we do not find new non-trivial modifications, apart from a mass shift, confirming both the equivalence between inertial and gravitational mass and particle-antiparticle sectors. The next-to-leading order, instead, introduces time-dependent anisotropic contributions depending on the preferred spatial direction from VSR, which can then be used to probe novel Lorentz-violating signatures. Using \emph{q}\textsc{Bounce} sensitivity as a benchmark, we suggest a first rough constraint for these effects. Finally, we propose alternative spin-flipping setups to better probe VSR signatures and foresee potential future research directions.

In this study, we perform a comprehensive analysis of the Hubble constant (\(H_0\)) and matter clustering (\(S_8\)) tensions within the framework of non-interacting and interacting Barrow Holographic Dark Energy (BHDE) models. Utilizing a combination of observational datasets, including the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO), cosmic chronometers (CC), Pantheon, and lensing data, we assess the degree of tension relative to the Planck 2018 results and recent measurements such as the Riess et al. 2022 (R22) value for \(H_0 = 73.04 \pm 1.04 \ \text{km s}^{-1} \text{Mpc}^{-1}\) in 68\% C.L and KiDS-1000 and DES-Y3 for \(S_8\). Our findings show that both BHDE models mitigate the \(H_0\) and \(S_8\) tensions compared to the standard \(\Lambda\) Cold Dark Matter (\(\Lambda\)CDM) model. The non-interacting BHDE model achieves a moderate reduction in the \(H_0\) tension, while the interacting BHDE model offers a better fit for both parameters, suggesting it is more effective in addressing the tensions. Additionally, the quantum-gravitational deformation parameter \(\Delta\), constrained using the CMB+All dataset, indicates significant quantum effects in both models. The interacting scenario provides tighter constraints on \(\Delta\) and total neutrino mass \(\sum m_{\nu}\), offering a more precise representation of these effects. This study highlights the potential of BHDE models as viable alternatives to the \(\Lambda\)CDM framework for resolving cosmological tensions.

The detection of gravitational waves has brought to light a population of binary black holes that merge within a Hubble time. Multiple formation channels can contribute to this population, making it difficult to definitively associate particular population features with underlying stellar physics. Black hole spins are considered an important discriminator between various channels, but they are less well-measured than masses, making conclusive astrophysical statements using spins difficult thus far. In this paper, we consider the distribution of the effective inspiral spin $\chi_{\rm eff}$ -- a quantity much better measured than individual component spins. We show that non-Gaussian features like skewness, asymmetry about zero, and multimodality can naturally arise in the $\chi_{\rm eff}$ distribution when multiple channels contribute to the population. Searching for such features, we find signs of skewness and asymmetry already in the current catalogs, but no statistically significant signs of bimodality. These features provide robust evidence for the presence of a subpopulation with spins preferentially aligned to the binary's orbital angular momentum; and we conservatively estimate the fraction of this subpopulation to be at least $12 \% - 17\%$ (at $90\%$ credibility). Our models do not find an excess of non-spinning systems and instead find that at least $\sim 20 \%$ of the binaries have some degree of negative $\chi_{\rm eff}$. The data also suggest that, if preferentially aligned mergers form a significant fraction of the population, they must have small spins.

In this study, we analyze the observational images of a Konoplya-Zhidenko rotating non-Kerr black hole, wherein a thin accretion disk, serving as the sole background light source, is situated on the equatorial plane of the black hole. The inner boundary of the thin accretion disk extends to the event horizon, and the accretion material in the disk exhibits two different motion behaviors, that is, it moves along the critical plunging orbit inside the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) and follows the Keplerian orbit outside the ISCO. The shadow image is captured on the imaging plane of a zero angular momentum observer utilizing advanced fisheye camera ray-tracing techniques. The results demonstrate that an image consistently reveals a dark region encircled by a narrow photon ring, which is called the inner shadow. At low observation inclination angles, the observation intensity is highly concentrated, with the lensed image of accretion disk being superimposed on the direct image. As observation inclination angle increases, the direct and lensed images gradually separate, becoming distinctly distinguishable and forming a hat-like structure. Furthermore, variations in the parameter space and observation angle will influence pertinent image characteristics, including image symmetry, the range or deformation degree of the inner shadow. We further examined the distinctive characteristics of images observed in both prograde and retrograde accretion disk scenarios. Subsequently, we also examined the redshift distribution on the disk. The findings indicate that while variations in relevant parameters do influence the redshift distribution, the primary factor is the change in observational inclination. The observer can detect both redshift and blueshift phenomena on the screen when viewed at a higher observation angle.

The stochastic gravitational wave background (SGWB) can be observed in the nanohertz band using a pulsar timing array (PTA). Here a computationally efficient state-space framework is developed for analysing SGWB data, in which the stochastic gravitational wave strain at Earth is tracked with a non-linear Kalman filter and separated simultaneously from intrinsic, achromatic pulsar spin wandering. The filter is combined with a nested sampler to estimate the parameters of the model, and to calculate a Bayes factor for selecting between models with and without a SGWB. The procedure extends previous state-space formulations of PTA data analysis applied to individually resolvable binary black hole sources. The performance of the new algorithm is tested on synthetic data from the first International PTA Mock Data Challenge. It is shown that the algorithm distinguishes a SGWB from pure noise for $A_{\rm gw} \geq 3 \times 10^{-14}$, where $A_{\rm gw}$ denotes the standard normalization factor for a power spectral density with power-law exponent $-13/3$. Additional, systematic validation tests are also performed with synthetic data generated independently by adjusting the injected parameters to cover astrophysically plausible ranges. Full posterior distributions are recovered and tested for accuracy. The state-space procedure is memory-light and evaluates the likelihood for a standard-sized PTA dataset in $\lesssim 10^{-1}$ s without optimization on a standard central processing unit.

We revisit the gravitational boundary action at null infinity of asymptotically flat spacetimes. We fix the corner ambiguities in the boundary action by using the constraint that (exponential of) the on-shell action leads to tree-level 5-point amplitude in eikonal approximation in a generic supertranslated vacuum. The subleading soft graviton theorem follows naturally from the on-shell action when the BMS group is extended to include superrotations. We also show that an infinite tower of soft theorems can be derived from the on-shell action if we consider a 'generalization' of the Geroch tensor by including a set of divergence-free symmetric traceless tensors on the sphere.

There is a possibility of interaction between dark energy and dark matter, and this interaction may also undergo a sign change during the evolution of the universe. In this paper, we utilize the latest observational data to constrain models of a sign-changeable interaction. The data we employ, in addition to the cosmic microwave background data, also encompass the first-year baryon acoustic oscillation data from DESI and the type Ia supernova data of the full 5-year observation from DES. To achieve high generality, we investigate four interacting dark energy (IDE) models with different forms of the interaction term $Q$: (i) IDE1 with $Q = \beta(a)H\rho_{\rm de}$; (ii) IDE2 with $Q = \beta(a)H\rho_{\rm c}$; (iii) IDE3 with $Q = \beta(a)H_0\rho_{\rm de}$; (iv) IDE4 with $Q = \beta(a)H_0\rho_{\rm c}$. From the analysis, we observe that $\beta(z) > 0$ at early times and $\beta(z) < 0$ at late times, with the coupling $\beta(z)$ crossing the non-interacting line $\beta(z) = 0$ during cosmic evolution at the 2$\sigma$ confidence level for the IDE1, IDE3, and IDE4 models. However, for the IDE2 model, $\beta(z)$ remains consistently negative and does not cross $\beta(z) = 0$ at the 2$\sigma$ confidence level. Our findings indicate that the energy transfer is from dark matter to dark energy when dark matter dominates the universe, and from dark energy to dark matter when dark energy dominates, for the IDE1 and IDE3 models. Furthermore, Bayesian evidence suggests that the IDE1 and IDE3 models are moderately preferred over the $\Lambda$CDM model. The overall outcomes of this study clearly indicate that, based on current observational data, the sign-changeable IDE models are quite compelling and merit further attention.

A recent proposal reinterprets the eikonal as the scattering generator, which computes scattering observables through an action as a symmetry generator. The aim of this study is to incorporate dissipative effects from radiation into this framework, where the eikonal is generalised to the radiation eikonal by including mediator field degrees of freedom. The proposed generalisation is tested through several post-Minkowskian scattering observables; scattering waveform, radiated momentum, and (time asymmetric) radiation loss in the impulse.

Context. The concomitant observation of gravitational wave and electromagnetic signals from a binary neutron star (BNS) merger in 2017 confirmed that these events can produce relativistic jets responsible for short Gamma-Ray Bursts (sGRBs). The complex interaction between the jet and the surrounding post-merger environment shapes the angular structure of the outflow, which is then imprinted in the prompt and afterglow sGRB emission. Aims. The outcome of relativistic (magneto)hydrodynamic simulations of jets piercing through post-merger environments is often used as input to compute afterglow signals to be compared with observations. However, for reliable comparisons, the jet propagation should be followed until nearly ballistic regimes, in which the jet acceleration is essentially over and the angular structure is no longer evolving. This condition is typically reached in 2D simulations, but not in 3D. Our goal is to extend a (specific) jet simulation in 3D up to a nearly ballistic phase, analysing the overall dynamical evolution from the jet breakout. Methods. Our work is based on a previous 3D magnetohydrodynamic jet simulation employing a realistic environment imported from a BNS merger simulation, extended here far beyond the evolution time originally covered. After approximately 3 seconds of the jet evolution on the original spherical grid, we remap the system into a uniform Cartesian grid and reach about 10 seconds without loss of resolution. Results. The specific jet considered here struggles to pierce the dense surroundings, resulting in a rather asymmetrical emerging outflow with relatively low Lorentz factor. The analysis of the energy conversion processes and corresponding acceleration shows that at the end of our simulation 98% of the energy is in kinetic form. Moreover, at that time the angular structure is frozen. We thus obtain suitable inputs for computing the afterglow emission. Our procedure is general and applicable to any jet simulation of the same kind.

We investigate the transonic accretion flow in the spacetime of a supermassive black hole (BH) coupled to an anisotropic dark matter fluid, as proposed by Cardoso {\it et al}. We essentially compare the accretion properties of the Cardoso BH with those of an isolated Schwarzschild BH. The Cardoso BH is described by the halo mass ($M_{\rm H}$) and its characteristic length scale ($a_0$). Various classes of accretion solution topologies (e.g., O, A, and I-types), including the shock solutions, are obtained by solving the dynamical equations of the flow in a fully general relativistic framework. We find that the accretion solutions are substantially influenced by the halo parameters ($M_{\rm H}, a_0$) when the dark matter distribution is concentrated near the BH horizon. In this context, we also observe that various shock properties, such as the shock radius, flow density compression, and temperature compression across the shock fronts, are potentially affected by the dark halo. Interestingly, the existing shock parameter space, defined by the flow angular momentum and energy, is largely reduced for higher halo compactness compared to that of the Schwarzschild BH. Furthermore, different observational signatures of the accretion disc, like the spectral energy distribution (SED), slope of the SED, and bolometric luminosity, are found to exhibit strong deviations from the known results in the usual Schwarzschild BH model. These unique features offer a possible valuable tool for characterizing the presence or absence of a dark matter halo around a galactic BH.

This study investigates the conditions under which gravitational waves (GWs) are emitted during the merger of hot white dwarfs (WDs) in a binary system. Traditionally, these systems consist of two low-mass stars or a more massive WD paired with a less massive companion. In addition, recent work has investigated the possibility that double white dwarf (DWD) mergers are possibly the leading formation channel of massive, rapidly rotating, high-field magnetic WDs , particularly SDSS J221141.80 + 113604.4 (hereafter J2211+1136) and ZTF J190132.9 + 145808.7 (hereafter J1901 + 14588). Motivated by these findings and the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) prospects, this study aims to calculate the tidal Love number, the dimensionless tidal deformability, as well as the frequency and amplitude of GWs of hot WDs. The results indicate that the tidal deformability is more pronounced in stars with higher central temperatures and lower masses, which would lead to reduced emission of GWs. In contrast, more massive stars exhibit less deformability, making them prime candidates for generating stronger GWs. Additionally, the analysis of frequency and amplitude reveals that the frequencies of high-mass binaries are smaller and evolve more rapidly, reaching a limit that aligns with the operational detection capabilities of LISA during its initial phase.

The Hubble crisis is the discrepancy in the values of the Hubble constant inferred from diverse observations in the late and early Universe, being of the order 5$\sigma$. Instead of resolution, the conflict is getting larger with further late-time observations. A fundamental constant should be and remain constant throughout the cosmological history and thus at all redshifts. The fact that it turns out to be a function of redshift in the $\Lambda$CDM model points out that either there is a problem with the current cosmological model, indicating unknown new physics, or there are unknown systematics in some of the observations. In this work, we investigate the redshift dependence of the Hubble constant in the $\gamma\delta$CDM cosmological model, which is a new cosmological model based on $f(R)$ gravity in an anisotropic background. Through data analysis with the Pantheon+ type Ia supernovae, the cosmic chronometers Hubble, and both the old and the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) baryon acoustic oscillation data, we establish that the Hubble constant in our model does not evolve with redshift. We also confirm that our model fits the aforementioned data better than the $\Lambda$CDM model by checking various information criteria. The value of the Hubble constant obtained in the $\gamma\delta$CDM model is in the 1$\sigma$ bound of the late Universe observations.