Good tachyons, bad bradyons: Role reversal in Einstein-nonlinear-electrodynamics models

In relativistic mechanics, the 4-velocity and the 4-momentum need not be parallel. This allows their norm to have a different sign. This possibility occurs in nonlinear electrodynamics (NED) models minimally coupled to Einstein's theory. Surprisingly, for a large class of NED models with a Maxw...

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Main Authors: Marco A.A. de Paula, Haroldo C.D. Lima Junior, Pedro V.P. Cunha, Carlos A.R. Herdeiro, Luís C.B. Crispino
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Physics Letters B
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0370269325002746
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author Marco A.A. de Paula
Haroldo C.D. Lima Junior
Pedro V.P. Cunha
Carlos A.R. Herdeiro
Luís C.B. Crispino
author_facet Marco A.A. de Paula
Haroldo C.D. Lima Junior
Pedro V.P. Cunha
Carlos A.R. Herdeiro
Luís C.B. Crispino
author_sort Marco A.A. de Paula
collection DOAJ
description In relativistic mechanics, the 4-velocity and the 4-momentum need not be parallel. This allows their norm to have a different sign. This possibility occurs in nonlinear electrodynamics (NED) models minimally coupled to Einstein's theory. Surprisingly, for a large class of NED models with a Maxwell limit, for weak fields, the causal (acausal) photons, as determined by their 4-velocity, have a spacelike (timelike) 4-momentum, leading to good tachyons and bad bradyons. Departing from weak fields, this possibility is determined solely by the concavity of the NED Lagrangian, which is consistent with the Dominant Energy Condition analysis. As a corollary, some popular regular black hole solutions sourced by NED, such as the Bardeen and Hayward solutions, are acausal.
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series Physics Letters B
spelling doaj-art-1594334f877941eeb5bcd384f27892312025-08-20T02:55:33ZengElsevierPhysics Letters B0370-26932025-07-0186613951310.1016/j.physletb.2025.139513Good tachyons, bad bradyons: Role reversal in Einstein-nonlinear-electrodynamics modelsMarco A.A. de Paula0Haroldo C.D. Lima Junior1Pedro V.P. Cunha2Carlos A.R. Herdeiro3Luís C.B. Crispino4Programa de Pós-Graduação em Física, Universidade Federal do Pará, 66075-110, Belém, Pará, Brazil; Corresponding author.Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Campus Universitário do Bacanga, 65080-805, São Luís, Maranhão, BrazilDepartamento de Matemática da Universidade de Aveiro and Centre for Research and Development in Mathematics and Applications (CIDMA), Campus de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, PortugalDepartamento de Matemática da Universidade de Aveiro and Centre for Research and Development in Mathematics and Applications (CIDMA), Campus de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, PortugalPrograma de Pós-Graduação em Física, Universidade Federal do Pará, 66075-110, Belém, Pará, BrazilIn relativistic mechanics, the 4-velocity and the 4-momentum need not be parallel. This allows their norm to have a different sign. This possibility occurs in nonlinear electrodynamics (NED) models minimally coupled to Einstein's theory. Surprisingly, for a large class of NED models with a Maxwell limit, for weak fields, the causal (acausal) photons, as determined by their 4-velocity, have a spacelike (timelike) 4-momentum, leading to good tachyons and bad bradyons. Departing from weak fields, this possibility is determined solely by the concavity of the NED Lagrangian, which is consistent with the Dominant Energy Condition analysis. As a corollary, some popular regular black hole solutions sourced by NED, such as the Bardeen and Hayward solutions, are acausal.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0370269325002746
spellingShingle Marco A.A. de Paula
Haroldo C.D. Lima Junior
Pedro V.P. Cunha
Carlos A.R. Herdeiro
Luís C.B. Crispino
Good tachyons, bad bradyons: Role reversal in Einstein-nonlinear-electrodynamics models
Physics Letters B
title Good tachyons, bad bradyons: Role reversal in Einstein-nonlinear-electrodynamics models
title_full Good tachyons, bad bradyons: Role reversal in Einstein-nonlinear-electrodynamics models
title_fullStr Good tachyons, bad bradyons: Role reversal in Einstein-nonlinear-electrodynamics models
title_full_unstemmed Good tachyons, bad bradyons: Role reversal in Einstein-nonlinear-electrodynamics models
title_short Good tachyons, bad bradyons: Role reversal in Einstein-nonlinear-electrodynamics models
title_sort good tachyons bad bradyons role reversal in einstein nonlinear electrodynamics models
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0370269325002746
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