Relativistický seminář
Ústavu teoretické fyziky


Seminář se koná v úterý ve 13:10 v posluchárně ÚTF MFF UK
v 10. patře katedrové budovy v Tróji, V Holešovičkách 2, Praha 8


18. listopadu 2025
Inspirals into Black Holes Surrounded by Matter: Modified Teukolsky Equation
Dr. Lukáš Polcar
ITP, Charles University
(seminář v angličtině)

Extreme Mass Ratio Inspirals (EMRIs) are among the key gravitational-wave sources expected to be observed by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). Accurately modeling their waveforms requires accounting for various astrophysical effects, including the influence of surrounding matter, since black holes are rarely isolated. The presence of matter can break spacetime symmetries, making standard techniques inapplicable. However, by treating both the inspiraling body and the surrounding matter as independent perturbations, we can formulate the problem using a modified Teukolsky equation. In this presentation, we demonstrate how this equation can be solved in the spacetime of a Schwarzschild black hole surrounded by a ring, approximated by its leading multipoles. This calculation represents a first step toward the relativistic modeling of EMRIs in general spacetime backgrounds.

25. listopadu 2025
Physical implications of horizon formation in finite asymptotic time
Dr. Sebastian Georg Murk
MFF UK
(seminář v angličtině)

Due to spectacular advances in observational astronomy, strong evidence for the existence of dark massive compact objects has accumulated over the last few decades, thus gradually shifting our perception of black holes from purely mathematical entities to potentially real physical objects. However, event horizons are not physically observable, and therefore the question of whether the observed astrophysical black holes candidates are genuine black holes is still open. To alleviate the pathologies associated with event horizons, I will present dynamical black hole solutions built from the assumption that a regular quasilocal (e.g., apparent or trapping) horizon forms in finite asymptotic time (i.e., according to the clock of a distant observer). Taking this as the only requirement within the semiclassical framework, the spherically symmetric Einstein field equations admit only two distinct families of real-valued dynamical solutions, namely evaporating black holes and accreting white holes. Both of them violate the null energy condition near the outer horizon. I will derive their properties and present the physical implications.

9. prosince 2025
Constraining gravitational wave polarisations with LISA
Paola Carolina Moreira Delgado, Ph.D.
Department of Cosmology and Gravitational Physics, Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences
(seminář v angličtině)

In standard General Relativity, gravitational waves have only two tensor polarisations. However, many alternative theories of gravity predict the existence of additional scalar or vector modes. In this talk, I will present the capability of LISA to constrain extra gravitational-wave polarisations emitted by supermassive black hole binaries. By employing the parametrized post-Einsteinian (ppE) framework, we quantify deviations from GR and map the polarisation parameters to specific modified gravity theories, allowing us to place constraints on fundamental theory parameters or their combinations.

19. prosince 2025
Předvánoční seminář (Pátek 19.12. 14:00, T2)
Aretakis instability for non-compact horizons
Dr. Maciej Kolanowski
UC, Santa Barbara
(seminář v angličtině)

It is known that linearized perturbations of extremal black holes result in growing curvature on the horizon. However, nonlinear perturbations typically do not evolve to extremal black holes and do not have growing curvature at late times. We show that a large class of nonlinear perturbations of an extremal planar anti-de Sitter black hole does have horizon curvature that grows unbounded in time. The late time behavior of the nonlinear evolution is found to be captured by a linearized analysis. We argue that the generic nonlinear perturbation behaves similarly.


David Kubizňák                                                                                                  Oldřich Semerák