Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: We perform time-domain evolutions of the ergoregion instability on a horizonless spinning ultracompact spacetime in scalar theories with potential-type and derivative self-interactions mimicking the nonlinear structure of the Einstein equations. We find that the instability saturates by triggering a weakly turbulent direct cascade, which transfers energy from the most unstable and large-scale modes to small scales. The cascade's nonlinear timescales of each mode are orders of magnitude shorter than the corresponding linear e-folding times. Through this mechanism, the counterrotating stable light ring is filled with a spectrum of higher-order azimuthal modes forming a ringlike shape. Thereby we demonstrate that turbulent processes are likely also important during the fully gravitational saturation of the instability, leaving imprints in the gravitational wave emission.
Source: Physical Review Letters
DOI: 10.1103/ytqg-v1j8
Author: Nils Siemonsen
Institution: Princeton University
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G1453181110, Track 4: Advanced CI Coordination Ecosystem: Monitoring and Measurement Services, G2299875479, G2888034965, G3185749182, G3562386289, Track 1: ACCESS Resource Allocations Marketplace and Platform Services (RAMPS), G4010157413, ACO: An Open CI Ecosystem to Advance Scientific Discovery (OpenCI), Track 3: COre National Ecosystem for CyberinfrasTructure (CONECT), G5367127336, G5464919783, G731264315, G7320297886, Track 2: Customized Multi-tier Assistance, Training, and Computational Help (MATCH) for End User ACCESS to CI, G878072758
OpenAlex ID: W4416394472