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Global causality constraints in rotating scalar-tensor spacetimes

Bum-Hoon Lee1,2,3,*, Nils A. Nilsson4,5,†, and Somyadip Thakur2,‡

  • *Contact author: bhl@sogang.ac.kr
  • †Contact author: nilsson@ibs.re.kr
  • ‡Contact author: somyadip@sogang.ac.kr
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Phys. Rev. D 114, 084027 – Published 8 October, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/3wgy-tzpl

Abstract

Modified gravity is often formulated as an effective field theory (EFT), where higher-order corrections parametrize departures from general relativity (GR). We argue that such corrections should be constrained by the global causal structure of curved spacetime, in addition to the usual flat-space requirements such as positivity and unitarity. We propose that within the domain of validity of the EFT, the onset of closed timelike curves should not happen in a parametrically more accessible region than in the corresponding GR background. We test this diagnostic in the quadratic k-essence sector of scalar-tensor gravity. For stationary and axisymmetric spacetimes, the invariant test for closed axial orbits is the sign of the azimuthal component of the metric gφφ. We supplement this test by requiring a local time function in the space of Killing vectors. We apply these conditions to quadratic k-essence on Kerr-(A)dS backgrounds, with and without scalar charge. The zero-charge branch is exact Kerr-(A)dS, and we treat the charged branch perturbatively in scalar charge and in Hartle-Thorne slow rotation. Expanding for small spin χ=a/(GM)≪1, frame dragging begins at O(χ), while the quadrupolar backreaction relevant for circular closed timelike curves enters at second order in both rotation and charge. We find that, in the truncation used here, any occurrence of gφφ<0 also lies outside EFT control. A higher-order calculation or a fully nonlinear treatment is therefore needed. Finally, we discuss how quasinormal modes and black-hole echoes could probe such causal structure.

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Information

Phys. Rev. D 114, 084027– Published 8 October, 2026
  • Received 27 February 2026
  • Revised 7 July 2026
  • Accepted 31 August 2026
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