Radial oscillations of scalar hair in black hole bombs

Abstract Recent research has revealed a novel nonlinear mechanism, distinct from the linear superradiant instability, which triggers the black hole bomb phenomenon. Introducing a massive complex scalar field with nonlinear self-interactions drives the Reissner–Nordström black hole to shed substantial energy, thereby triggering a black hole bomb. Radial oscillations in the scalar hair profile are observed during this process. In this paper, we further reveal that physical quantities associated with scalar hair exhibit identical oscillation patterns during the evolution of the black hole-scalar field system. Moreover, the oscillation frequency exhibits a linear dependence on the gauge coupling constant of the scalar field with other parameters fixed. Meanwhile, the horizon radius of hairy black holes and the mass within the horizon increase monotonically with the gauge coupling constant. We have also identified a critical initial charge value that distinguishes hairy solutions that trigger black hole bombs from those that do not.