TITLE: “Effective Field Theory of Gravity: Gravitational Condensate Stars and Dynamical Dark Energy”
SPEAKER: Emil Mottola (University of New Mexico)
ABSTRACT: The problems presented both by black holes and cosmological dark energy indicate that the gravitational sector of the Standard Model is incomplete at macroscopic distance scales. In an effective field theory (EFT) approach to gravity, the conformal anomaly gives rise to a scalar degree of freedom that has large effects on black hole horizons, and implies the existence of a scalar ‘breather’ mode of gravitational waves. When coupled to a 4-form gauge field, it also allows the vacuum dark energy to change —in particular near the BH horizon, leading to a non-singular gravitational condensate star in place of a ‘black hole.’ I will discuss how this EFT can be tested by forthcoming observations.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 4th, 2026
TIME: 11:40 am
LOCATION: Theoretical Physics Seminar Room