Backreaction of perturbations around a stable light ring

Abstract Light rings (LRs) — closed circular orbits of null geodesics — are key features of both black holes and horizonless ultracompact objects. While unstable LRs are relevant for the observation of black hole images, stable LRs have been suspected to trigger instabilities, namely in exotic compact objects that could mimic black holes. The underlying mechanism behind this instability remains poorly understood, but a key missing piece is how the backreaction of a perturbation around the stable LR modifies the surrounding spacetime. In this work, some progress in this direction is provided by examining a conceptually simple, yet instructive, toy model: continuum-shell stars, supported solely by tangential pressures. Using both analytical and numerical methods, we show how perturbations around the stable LR deepen the geodesic potential and shifts its location inward, potentially amplifying any instability associated with the LR. By then extending the analysis to more general stars with nonzero radial pressure, we find that the same phenomenon can be expected to persist under reasonable assumptions.