Scalar Perturbations and Induced Gravitational Waves from First-Order Phase Transitions in Lattice Simulations
Abstract
Cosmological first-order phase transitions can generate curvature perturbations through inhomogeneous quantum tunneling, as studied previously on superhorizon scales. In this work, we for the first time conduct three-dimensional lattice simulations that incorporate scalar metric perturbations and radiation perturbations, covering a range from bubble wall scales to super-horizon scales. We obtain the precise scalar perturbation power spectrum and the probability density function of energy density perturbations. Furthermore, we simulate the gravitational-wave energy spectra generated by each source during the first-order phase transition, including the scalar field itself, scalar metric perturbations, and the energy density and velocity perturbations of radiation. For gravitational waves, the contribution from other sources can exceed 1/3 of that from the scalar field at superhorizon scales. Additionally, we compare the effects of different values of the transition strength and rate on the results. This paper provides more accurate numerical results for research aimed at detecting or constraining first-order phase transitions via gravitational waves and curvature perturbations.
Related
- Effects of Poisson Isocurvature Perturbations on Induced Gravitational Waves
- Audible curvaton: modulated phase transition as the origin of large-scale curvature perturbations and gravitational wave anisotropies
- Primordial Black Hole and Gravitational Wave by Peaked Cosmic Perturbations from Axion Curvaton
- Gravitational Waves from Dimension-6 Assisted Peccei - Quinn Phase Transitions
- The pseudospectrum for gravitational perturbations in Kerr spacetimes
BibTeX
@misc{li2026scalar,
title = {{Scalar Perturbations and Induced Gravitational Waves from First-Order Phase Transitions in Lattice Simulations}},
author = {Yuan-Jie Li and Jing Liu and Zhuan Ning and Xiang-Xi Zeng and Zong-Kuan Guo},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.09325},
eprint = {2610.09325},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.09325},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Scalar Perturbations and Induced Gravitational Waves from First-Order Phase Transitions in Lattice Simulations
AU - Yuan-Jie Li
AU - Jing Liu
AU - Zhuan Ning
AU - Xiang-Xi Zeng
AU - Zong-Kuan Guo
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/12
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.09325
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.09325
AB - Cosmological first-order phase transitions can generate curvature perturbations through inhomogeneous quantum tunneling, as studied previously on superhorizon scales. In this work, we for the first time conduct three-dimensional lattice simulations that incorporate scalar metric perturbations and radiation perturbations, covering a range from bubble wall scales to super-horizon scales. We obtain the precise scalar perturbation power spectrum and the probability density function of energy density perturbations. Furthermore, we simulate the gravitational-wave energy spectra generated by each source during the first-order phase transition, including the scalar field itself, scalar metric perturbations, and the energy density and velocity perturbations of radiation. For gravitational waves, the contribution from other sources can exceed 1/3 of that from the scalar field at superhorizon scales. Additionally, we compare the effects of different values of the transition strength and rate on the results. This paper provides more accurate numerical results for research aimed at detecting or constraining first-order phase transitions via gravitational waves and curvature perturbations.
ER -