Gravitation is the dominant influence in most astrophysical interactions. Weak-field interactions have been extensively studied, but the strong-field regime remains largely unexplored. Gravitational waves (GWs) are an excellent means of accessing strong-field regions. We investigate what we can learn about both astrophysics and gravitation from strong-field tests and, in particular, GWs; we focus upon extreme-mass-ratio (EMR) systems where a small body orbits a much more massive one. EMR bursts, a particular class of GW signals, could be used to determine the properties of massive black holes (MBHs). They could be detectable with a space-borne interferometer from many nearby galaxies, as well as the Galactic centre. Bursts could provide insightful constraints on the MBHs' parameters. These could elucidate the formation history of the MBHs and, by association, their host galaxies. The Galactic centre is the most promising source. Its event rate is determined by the stellar distribution surrounding the MBH; the rate is not high, but we still expect to gain useful astronomical information from bursts. Strong-field tests may reveal deviations from general relativity (GR). We calculate modifications that could be observed assuming metric f(R)-gravity as an effective alternative theory. Gravitational radiation is modified, as are planetary precession rates. Both give a means of testing GR. However, existing laboratory measurements already place tighter constraints on f(R)-gravity, unless there exists a screening effect, such as the chameleon mechanism, which suppresses modifications on small scales. To make precision measurements of astrophysical systems or place exacting bounds on deviations from GR, we must have accurate GW templates. Transient resonances are currently not included in the prescription for generating EMR inspiral waveforms. Their effects can be estimated from asymptotic expansions of the evolving orbital parameters. The quantitative impact on parameter estimation has yet to be calculated, but it appears that it shall be necessary to incorporate resonances when creating inspiral waveforms.

Ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) are extragalactic, non-nuclear, point-like X-ray sources whose luminosity supersedes that of the Eddington limit of an accreting stellar mass black hole (L&gt; 10 ^ 39 erg / s). Most of them are powered by black holes and neutron stars undergoing genuine super-Eddington accretion, with a small handful of candidates being consistent with sub-Eddington accretion on an intermediate mass black hole. In this thesis, we explore the populations of ULXs in the sky surveys of ESA's X-ray satellite, XMM-Newton, and the MPE's newly launched X-ray telescope, eROSITA. We do so by correlating them with the HECATE list of galaxiesto build two X-ray non-nuclear catalogs, and comparing the yields with very expensive surveys and previous works. To build a catalog, we useother reference lists of contaminant objects, such as the Gaia data releases, the SIMBAD database or the SDSS survey to look for contaminating objects of diverse nature, such as foreground stars or background quasars, in order to make sure that our resulting ULX samples are as clean as possiblewith catalog data only. Our results include the attestation that the XMM-Newton ninth data release provides an improvement in quantity and quality with respect to older data releases used in previous works, and that the eROSITA survey is currently in a very preliminary stage. The two new catalogs contain 12,952 and 3,720 non-nuclear X-ray sources, out of which 914 and 132 are ULX candidates with an expected ~ 25% fraction of undetected contaminants. This constitutes a very significant contribution to the already known 300 ULX candidates. Since the sky coverage and depth of the XMM-Newton and eROSITA surveys are vastly different, only 19 of the ULX candidates are shared between the catalogs. ULX candidates are preferentially found in star-forming galaxies, but a subset of very bright objects (L&gt; 5x10 ^ 40 erg / s) try to be more common in elliptical galaxies, in contradiction to what has been established in the literature. / <p>This thesis was written under the joint supervision of Erin O'Sullivan at Uppsala University and Axel Schwope at the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics in Potsdam. The presentation was held online due to the COVID-19 circumstances.</p> / Master Thesis

Going beyond previous statements, a way is presented which allows statements about smallest possible black holes. It turns out that they exist (theoretically) and that they represent a new stable elementary particle (called G-boson in this work), which shows connections to dark matter and makes dark energy necessary to explain astronomical observations, independent of its existence required in macroquantum theory. This results in logical sequences in the Big Bang, which make it appear in a somewhat different context than previously known.:Table of Contents 1. Abstract 2. Introduction 3. Preliminary consideration on the basis of Planck units 4. The boundary force 5. Boundary force and black holes, the G-boson 6. Properties of the G-boson 7. Origin of the G-bosons, the dark matter and energy 8. What does this mean for the big bang? 9. Astronomical findings 10. Summary

The work of this dissertation will study various aspects of the dynamics of compact objects using numerical simulations.We consider BH dynamics within two modified or alternative theories of gravity. Within a family of Einstein-Maxwell-Dilaton-Axion theories, we find that the GW waveforms from binary black hole (BBH) mergers differ from the standard GW waveform prediction of GR for especially large axion values. For more astrophysically realistic (i.e. smaller) values, the differences become negligible and undetectable. Weestablish the existence of a well-posed initial value problem for a second alternative theory fo gravity (quadratic gravity) and demonstrate in spherical symmetry that a linear instability is effectively removed on consideration of the full nonlinear theory.We describe the key components and development of a code for studying BBH mergers for which the mass ratio of the binaries is not close to one. Such intermediate mass ratio inspirals (IMRIs) are much more difficult to simulate and present greater demands on resolution, distributed computing, accuracy and efficiency. To this end, we present a highly-scalable framework that combines a parallel octree-refined adaptive mesh with a wavelet adaptive multiresolution approach. We give results for IMRIs with mass ratios up to 100:1. We study the ejecta from BNS in Newtonian gravity. Using smoothed particle hydrodynamics we develop and present the highly scalable FleCSPH code to simulate such mergers. As part of the ejecta analysis, we consider these mergers and their aftermath as prime candidates for heavy element creation and calculate r-process nucleosynthesis within the post-merger ejecta. Lastly we consider a non-standard, yet increasingly explored, interaction between a BH and a NS that serves as a toy model for primordial black holes (PBH) and their possible role as dark matter candidates. We present results from a study of such systems in which a small BH forms at the center of a NS. Evolving the spherically symmetric system in full GR, we follow the complete dynamics as the small BH consumes the NS from within. Using numerical simulations, we examine the time scale for the NS to collapse into the PBH and show that essentially nothing remains behind. As a result, and in contradiction to other claims in the literature, we conclude that thisis an unlikely site for ejecta and nucleosynthesis, at least in spherical symmetry.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第23707号 / 理博第4797号 / 新制||理||1687(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院理学研究科物理学・宇宙物理学専攻 / (主査)准教授 上田 佳宏, 教授 嶺重 慎, 准教授 岩室 史英 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

Primordial black holes (PBHs) are expected to form in the very early universe, and therefore, we could use them to probe pre­BBN times. Astrophysical observations permit the placement of bounds on the abundance of PBHs. Combining these bounds with predictions of PBH formation and the resulting PBH abundances, we explore the possibility to constrain an epoch of early matter domination (MD). For this analysis, we incorporate the recently obtained and most stringent bounds on PBHs from 21 cm observations. We assume density perturbations described by a near­power­law form of the curvature power spectrum consistent with the Planck 2018 results and derive the corresponding PBH mass function using recent results from the literature. To place constraints on an early matter­dominated (MD) epoch, we compare this with up­to­ date bounds on PBHs, adding those from 21 cm astronomy, using a formalism to apply monochromatic constraints to extended mass functions. We find that 21 cm bounds on PBHs may probe early MD if it lasts for a duration of at least ∼ 12 e­folds and ends at a reheating temperature T_min &lt; T_reh ≲ 105.5 GeV, where Tmin depends on the duration of the MD, the spectral index ns, and αs. For optimistic assumptions, our derived limits on the spectral index ns extend into the Planck 2018 67% upper confidence region of n_s = 0.9649 ± 0.0042, nearly reaching its median n_s = 0.9649, if we neglect the running αs. Our bounds on the running α_s show that early MD is incompatible with positive running α_s ≳ 0. / Primordiala svarta hål förutsäges ha skapats i det mycket tidiga universum. Ur detta förstår vi att dessa svarta hål ger oss en länk till universums tillstånd under deras skapelse och att vi genom studiet av primordiala svarta hål kan skymta detta tillstånd. Restriktioner på mängden primordiala svarta hål i universum kan beräknas utifrån astrofysiska observationer. Jämförelse av dessa restriktioner med teoretiska förutsägelser av vilka mängder av primordiala svarta hål som skapats vid olika tillstånd medger att vissa tillstånd utesluts. I detta arbete undersöker vi just detta samband och avser etablera huruvida de starkaste restriktionerna på primordiala svarta hål, speciellt från 21 cm observationer av universum, kan utesluta ett kosmologiskt scenario med tidig materiadominans. För att göra detta antar vi att störningar i den annars homogena energidensiteten kan beskrivas med hjälp av ett nästan­storleksoberoende potenssamband vars form ges av resultat från Planck kollaborationen 2018. Givet denna potenslag beräknar vi en form för de primordiala svarta hålens massdistribution medelst resultat från den vetenskapliga litteraturen. Vi jämför sedan dessa förutsägelser med de senaste mängdrestriktionerna på primordiala svarta hål, inkluderat dem från 21 cm observationer, för att erhålla nya begränsningar på tidig materiadominans. Vi tar i beaktande att massdistributionen av primordiala svarta hål inte är monokromatisk, utan utbredd. Resultatet av denna analys är att tidig materiadominans är inom räckhåll för att uteslutas medelst studier av primordiala svarta hål om perioden av materiadominans är längre än ∼ 12 e­folds och att den slutar vid återuppvärmningstemperaturen T_min &lt; T_reh ≲ 10^5.5 GeV, där Tmin beror på hur länge den tidiga materiadominansen varar, på det spektrala indexet ns och det spektrala indexets derivata αs. För optimistiska antaganden äventyrar dessa restriktioner på materiadominans resultat från Planck kollaborationen 2018 i det att det övre konfidensintervallet på det spektrala indexet n_s = 0.9649 ± 0.0042 är exkluderat, och att förändringen av detta index, α_s, inte kan vara positiv då vi låter storleksordningen minska.

We study the dynamics of free test particles in a field of Schwarzschild black hole surrounded by an external exact thin axisymmetric solutions of Einstein's equations. Specifically, we use the Bach-Weyl ring and two member of the inverted Morgan-Morgan family of solutions as the additional sources. The fractal basin boundary and other meth- ods are used to detect and quantify chaos in time-like geodesic motion of the particles, primarily by computing box-counting dimension of said basin boundary. Our results mainly consist of the dependence of the chaoticity of these systems on mass and radius of the additional source as well as conserved energy and angular momentum of the test particles. We compare our results to literature and expand on them. 1

Axions are one of the best-motivated particles beyond the standard model of particle physics and a promising candidate for dark matter. Through the superradiant instability, axions can extract a significant amount of rotational energy from spinning black holes resulting in dense axion clouds. These axion clouds can imprint themselves on the spin of the black hole and even emit detectable gravitational waves, making them very potent tools in the search for axions. The considerable number of axions present in these clouds can also compensate for the weak coupling between the axion and the standard model particles. However, the interaction between the cloud and the astrophysical plasma that the black hole accretes is often assumed to be negligible. In this thesis, we examine this assumption by studying the interaction between the astrophysical plasma and the axion cloud to determine if it can cause any significant effects.  We find no new gravitational signatures and can conclude that the interaction is not effective enough to halt the evolution of the cloud. Therefore, the main focus of this work is the emitted low-frequency photons that the axions convert into through the interaction. We find that the emission from systems with typical accretion rates can reach up to 10^14 W and is most efficient around fast-spinning stellar black holes that accrete spherically without an accretion disk. However, we conclude that most of this emission will quickly be reabsorbed into the plasma and not cause any detectable signals.  We also study resonant conversion of axions, which can occur when the plasma frequency is comparable to the axion mass. We find that the low accretion rates that enable this are reachable around isolated stellar-mass black holes that travel rapidly through low-density regions of space. In these systems, the luminosity can reach 10^25 W, and possibly even higher if we include stimulation effects. We can, therefore, conclude that a population of fast-traveling isolated black holes can pose a new tool in the search for axions. / Axioner är en av de bäst motiverade partiklarna bortom standardmodellen för partikelfysik och en lovande kandidat för mörk materia. Genom superstrålning kan axioner extrahera en signifikant mängd rotationsenergi från svarta hål vilket kan resultera i täta axionmoln. Dessa axionmoln kan ge avtryck genom deras påverkan på spinnet hos svarta hål och till och med avge detekterbara gravitationsvågor. Detta gör axionmoln till kraftfulla verktyg i sökandet efter axioner. Den stora mängd axioner som dessa moln består av kan också kompensera för den svaga växelverkan mellan axionerna och partiklarna från standardmodellen. Växelverkan mellan molnet och den astrofysikaliska plasmat som det svarta hålet ackumulerar från omgivningen antas ändå ofta vara försumbar. I denna rapport undersöker vi detta antagande genom att studera växelverkan mellan den astrofysikaliska plasmat och axionmolnet för att avgöra om den kan orsaka några observerbara effekter. Vi finner inga nya gravitationella effekter och kan dra slutsatsen att växelverkan inte är tillräckligt effektiv för att påverka utvecklingen av axionmolnet. Därför är huvudfokus i detta arbete utstrålningen av de fotoner som resulterar från växelverkan. Vi finner att emissionen från system med typiska ackretionshastigheter kan nå upp till 10^14 W och är mest effektiv kring svarta hål med låg massa och högt spinn som ackumulerar sfäriskt utan att bilda en ackretionsskiva. Vi drar dock slutsatsen att det mesta av denna emission snabbt kommer att återabsorberas i plasmat och inte orsaka några detekterbara signaler. Vi studerar även konvertering av axioner via resonans, vilket kan inträffa när plasmafrekvensen är jämförbar med massan hos axionerna. Vi finner att de låga ackretionshastigheterna som möjliggör detta kan nås runt isolerade svarta hål som färdas snabbt genom delar av rymden med låg omgivande densitet. I dessa system kan luminositieten nå 10^25 W, och möjligen ännu högre om vi inkluderar stimuleringseffekter. Vi kan därför dra slutsatsen att en population av isolerade svarta hål med hög hastighet kan potentiellt användas i sökandet efter axioner.

No description available.

Astrophysical phenomena such as self-annihilation of primordial black holes (PBHs), gamma ray bursts (GRBs), and supernovae are expected to produce single dispersed pulses detectable in the low end of the radio spectrum. Analysis of these pulses could provide valuable information about the sources, and the surrounding and intervening medium. The Eight-meter-wavelength Transient Array (ETA) is a radio telescope dedicated to the search for these pulses in an 18 MHz bandwidth centered at 38 MHz. ETA consists of 10 dual-polarized active dipoles providing an all-sky field of view. This thesis describes the results of a search campaign using ETA, namely, a Crab giant pulse (CGP) search. CGPs are already known to exist, and thus provide an excellent diagnostic for system performance. We found 11 CGP candidates in 14 hours of data. Although there has not been a single compelling detection (signal-to-noise ratio > 6), our analysis shows that at least a few of these candidates may be CGPs. We also explain the analysis preparation for PBH and GRB searches. Additionally, we describe the instrument and a software "toolchain" developed for the analysis of data that includes calibration, radio frequency interference (RFI) mitigation, and incoherent dedispersion. A dispersed pulse simulation code was developed and used to test the toolchain. Finally, improvements are suggested. / Master of Science