Gaussian curvature and Lyapunov exponent as probes of black hole phase transitions

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Zhang, Shi-Hao, Zhao, Zi-Qiang, Li, Zi-Yuan, Zhang, Jing-Fei, Zhang, Xin
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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_version_ 1866912964025516032
author Zhang, Shi-Hao
Zhao, Zi-Qiang
Li, Zi-Yuan
Zhang, Jing-Fei
Zhang, Xin
author_facet Zhang, Shi-Hao
Zhao, Zi-Qiang
Li, Zi-Yuan
Zhang, Jing-Fei
Zhang, Xin
contents First-order phase transitions of black holes have been extensively studied within thermodynamic frameworks, yet the corresponding evolution of spacetime geometric properties remains unclear. This paper establishes a purely differential geometric framework to probe such phase transitions by analyzing the curvature of unstable null orbits. Using the geodesic curvature of the optical metric to locate the light ring, we demonstrate that the corresponding Gaussian curvature $K$ serves as a direct geometric signature of the phase transition. During a first-order phase transition, the curve $K$ versus temperature $T$ exhibits a multivalued structure within the spinodal region, precisely mirroring the swallowtail behavior of the free energy. Numerical analysis of Hayward-Letelier-AdS black holes confirms the effectiveness of this geometric signature. Our work demonstrates that the intrinsic geometric quantities of spacetime encode the information of black hole phase transitions. These quantities serve simultaneously as geometric probes and order parameters for black hole phase transitions. This result provides a purely geometric foundation for understanding the correspondence between thermodynamics and spacetime curvature in the null case.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_05103
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Gaussian curvature and Lyapunov exponent as probes of black hole phase transitions
Zhang, Shi-Hao
Zhao, Zi-Qiang
Li, Zi-Yuan
Zhang, Jing-Fei
Zhang, Xin
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Theory
First-order phase transitions of black holes have been extensively studied within thermodynamic frameworks, yet the corresponding evolution of spacetime geometric properties remains unclear. This paper establishes a purely differential geometric framework to probe such phase transitions by analyzing the curvature of unstable null orbits. Using the geodesic curvature of the optical metric to locate the light ring, we demonstrate that the corresponding Gaussian curvature $K$ serves as a direct geometric signature of the phase transition. During a first-order phase transition, the curve $K$ versus temperature $T$ exhibits a multivalued structure within the spinodal region, precisely mirroring the swallowtail behavior of the free energy. Numerical analysis of Hayward-Letelier-AdS black holes confirms the effectiveness of this geometric signature. Our work demonstrates that the intrinsic geometric quantities of spacetime encode the information of black hole phase transitions. These quantities serve simultaneously as geometric probes and order parameters for black hole phase transitions. This result provides a purely geometric foundation for understanding the correspondence between thermodynamics and spacetime curvature in the null case.
title Gaussian curvature and Lyapunov exponent as probes of black hole phase transitions
topic General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Theory
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.05103