How well do we know the primordial black hole abundance: The crucial role of nonlinearities when approaching the horizon
Valerio De Luca, Alex Kehagias, Antonio Riotto
Abstract
Recent pulsar timing array data suggest the presence of stochastic gravitational waves, implying a significant amplitude in curvature perturbations and thus a large abundance of primordial black holes (PBH). The latter is at odds with the observed constraints on the PBH abundance. The authors scrutinize in detail the standard calculation and approximations in determining the PBH abundance and point out several uncertainties, concluding that the PBH abundance is likely much smaller than what is the current consensus.
Topics & Concepts
Primordial black holeAbundance (ecology)PhysicsAstrophysicsCurvatureOddsGravitational waveHorizonPulsarStatistical physicsAstronomyBiologyEcologyMathematicsBinary black holeStatisticsGeometryLogistic regressionPulsars and Gravitational Waves ResearchCosmology and Gravitation TheoriesGeophysics and Gravity Measurements