Unique Gravitational-Wave Signals from Negative-Mass Binaries

TL;DR

This paper proposes a framework to detect negative-mass binaries through unique gravitational wave signatures like anti-chirps, which are not observed in current data, thus constraining negative mass scenarios.

Contribution

It introduces a unified, observationally testable approach to identify negative-mass binaries via their distinctive dynamical behaviors and gravitational wave signatures.

Findings

Negative mass binaries exhibit anti-chirps, dispersal, and runaway motion.

Current gravitational wave observations do not show these signatures.

The framework provides a robust way to exclude negative masses independently of modified gravity.

Abstract

Negative masses have long been explored, but their observational viability remains unclear. In this work, we develop a unified, observationally testable framework to constrain negative masses using both coupling level and dynamical probes. We establish that while dipole radiation bounds require universality of gravitational charge, the intrinsic dynamics of negative mass binaries generically lead to anomalous behaviors such as anti-chirps, dispersal and runaway motion. These signatures are absent in current gravitational wave observations, providing a robust exclusion channel independent of modified gravity assumptions.