Periodic Orbits and Gravitational Radiation from Extreme Mass-Ratio Inspirals as Probes of Black Hole Quantum Hair

TL;DR

This paper explores how quantum hair modifies the orbital dynamics and gravitational-wave signals of extreme mass-ratio inspirals, offering potential observational signatures to probe quantum aspects of black holes.

Contribution

It demonstrates that quantum hair affects key orbital parameters and gravitational-wave phases, providing a new avenue to test quantum gravity effects via gravitational-wave astronomy.

Findings

Quantum hair shifts the MBO and ISCO radii and angular momenta.

Quantum corrections enhance zoom-whirl orbital behavior.

Quantum hair causes observable phase dephasing in gravitational waves.

Abstract

The classical no-hair theorem states that stationary black holes in general relativity can be completely described by only a small set of global parameters. Within this framework, no additional geometric structures are expected to persist outside the event horizon. However, quantum vacuum polarization may introduce small modifications to the near-horizon geometry, effectively giving rise to what is known as quantum hair. Such corrections may provide a possible window into the microscopic structure and thermodynamic properties of black holes. In this work, we examine how the quantum hair parameter {\gamma} influences the periodic orbital dynamics of test bodies in extreme mass-ratio inspirals (EMRIs) and their associated gravitational-wave emission. We find that {\gamma} significantly modifies the characteristic radii and angular momenta of two important circular orbits, namely the marginally bound orbit (MBO) and the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO), leading to a shift in the allowed region of the energy-angular momentum (E-L) phase space. Based on the rational number q classification, we further show that quantum corrections tend to enhance the zoom-whirl orbital behavior.Gravitational-wave calculations using the Numerical Kludge approach indicate that quantum hair alters the effective spacetime potential, produces small drifts in the fundamental orbital frequencies, and consequently leads to observable phase dephasing in longduration signals. These results provide a dynamical signature for distinguishing quantum-corrected black holes from classical Schwarzschild ones and offer theoretical motivation for testing quantum gravity effects with future space-based gravitational-wave observatories.