Contributor info: Dr Marc Geiller

Marc Geiller

SciPost Phys. 18, 023 (2025) · published 20 January 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

We study the subleading structure of asymptotically-flat spacetimes and its relationship to the $w_{1+∞}$ loop algebra of higher spin charges. We do so using both the Bondi–Sachs and the Newman–Penrose formalism, via a dictionary built from a preferred choice of tetrad. This enables us to access properties of the so-called higher Bondi aspects, such as their evolution equations, their transformation laws under asymptotic symmetries, and their relationship to the Newman–Penrose and the higher spin charges. By studying the recursive Einstein evolution equations defining these higher spin charges, we derive the general form of their transformation behavior under BMSW symmetries. This leads to an immediate proof that the spin 0,1 and spin $s$ brackets reproduce upon linearization the structure expected from the $w_{1+∞}$ algebra. We then define renormalized higher spin charges which are conserved in the radiative vacuum at quadratic order, and show that they satisfy for all spins the $w_{1+∞}$ algebra at linear order in the radiative data.

Jorrit Bosma, Marc Geiller, Sucheta Majumdar, Blagoje Oblak

SciPost Phys. 16, 092 (2024) · published 3 April 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

We study the null asymptotic structure of Einstein-Maxwell theory in three-dimensional (3D) spacetimes. Although devoid of bulk gravitational degrees of freedom, the system admits a massless photon and can therefore accommodate electromagnetic radiation. We derive fall-off conditions for the Maxwell field that contain both Coulombic and radiative modes with non-vanishing news. The latter produces non-integrability and fluxes in the asymptotic surface charges, and gives rise to a non-trivial 3D Bondi mass loss formula. The resulting solution space is thus analogous to a dimensional reduction of 4D pure gravity, with the role of gravitational radiation played by its electromagnetic cousin. We use this simplified setup to investigate choices of charge brackets in detail, and compute in particular the recently introduced Koszul bracket. When the latter is applied to Wald-Zoupas charges, which are conserved in the absence of news, it leads to the field-dependent central extension found earlier in [Class. Quantum Gravity 32, 245001 (2015)]. We also consider (Anti-)de Sitter asymptotics to further exhibit the analogy between this model and 4D gravity with leaky boundary conditions.

Marc Geiller, Céline Zwikel

SciPost Phys. 16, 076 (2024) · published 18 March 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

In the companion paper [SciPost Phys. 13, 108 (2022)] we have studied the solution space at null infinity for gravity in the partial Bondi gauge. This partial gauge enables to recover as particular cases and among other choices the Bondi-Sachs and Newman-Unti gauges, and to approach the question of the most general boundary conditions and asymptotic charges in gravity. Here we compute and study the asymptotic charges and their algebra in this partial Bondi gauge, by focusing on the flat case with a varying boundary metric $\delta q_{AB}≠0$. In addition to the super-translations, super-rotations, and Weyl transformations, we find two extra asymptotic symmetries associated with non-vanishing charges labelled by free functions in the solution space. These new symmetries arise from a weaker definition of the radial coordinate and switch on traces in the transverse metric. We also exhibit complete gauge fixing conditions in which these extra asymptotic symmetries and charges survive. As a byproduct of this calculation we obtain the charges in Newman-Unti gauge, in which one of these extra asymptotic charges is already non-vanishing. We also apply the formula for the charges in the partial Bondi gauge to the computation of the charges for the Kerr spacetime in Bondi coordinates.

Marc Geiller, Céline Zwikel

SciPost Phys. 13, 108 (2022) · published 15 November 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

We present a detailed analysis of gravity in a partial Bondi gauge, where only the three conditions $g_{rr}=0=g_{rA}$ are fixed. We relax in particular the so-called determinant condition on the transverse metric, which is only assumed to admit a polyhomogeneous radial expansion. This is sufficient in order to build the solution space, which here includes a cosmological constant, time-dependent sources in the boundary metric, logarithmic branches, and an extra trace mode at subleading order in the transverse metric. The evolution equations are studied using the Newman--Penrose formalism in terms of covariant functionals identified from the Weyl scalars, and we build the explicit dictionary between this formalism and the tensorial Einstein equations. This provides in particular a new derivation of the (A)dS mass loss formula. We then study the holographic renormalisation of the symplectic potential, and the transformation laws under residual asymptotic symmetries. The advantage of the partial Bondi gauge is that it allows to contrast and treat in a unified manner the Bondi–Sachs and Newman--Unti gauges, which can each be reached upon imposing a further specific gauge condition. The differential determinant condition leads to the $\Lambda$-BMSW gauge, while a differential condition on $g_{ur}$ leads to a generalized Newman--Unti gauge. This latter gives access to a new asymptotic symmetry which acts on the asymptotic shear and further extends the $\Lambda$-BMSW group by an extra abelian radial translation. This generalizes results which we have recently obtained in three dimensions.

Marc Geiller, Etera R. Livine, Francesco Sartini

SciPost Phys. 10, 022 (2021) · published 29 January 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

We reveal an $\mathfrak{iso}(2,1)$ Poincar\'e algebra of conserved charges associated with the dynamics of the interior of black holes. The action of these Noether charges integrates to a symmetry of the gravitational system under the Poincar\'e group ISO$(2,1)$, which allows to describe the evolution of the geometry inside the black hole in terms of geodesics and horocycles of AdS${}_2$. At the Lagrangian level, this symmetry corresponds to M\"obius transformations of the proper time together with translations. Remarkably, this is a physical symmetry changing the state of the system, which also naturally forms a subgroup of the much larger $\textrm{BMS}_{3}=\textrm{Diff}(S^1)\ltimes\textrm{Vect}(S^1)$ group, where $S^1$ is the compactified time axis. It is intriguing to discover this structure for the black hole interior, and this hints at a fundamental role of BMS symmetry for black hole physics. The existence of this symmetry provides a powerful criterion to discriminate between different regularization and quantization schemes. Following loop quantum cosmology, we identify a regularized set of variables and Hamiltonian for the black hole interior, which allows to resolve the singularity in a black-to-white hole transition while preserving the Poincar\'e symmetry on phase space. This unravels new aspects of symmetry for black holes, and opens the way towards a rigorous group quantization of the interior.