Long-term 3+1 simulations of primordial black hole formation during radiation domination

We develop an efficient three-dimensional numerical-relativity framework for primordial black-hole (PBH) formation from superhorizon curvature perturbations in a radiation-dominated Universe. We implement flux-conservative relativistic hydrodynamics in the adaptive-mesh-refinement code \textsc{GRChombo} and introduce a cosmologically scaled Gamma-driver that allows the cosmic-time step to grow in proportion to the scale factor. For a representative long-term simulation, the scaled driver preserves the apparent-horizon mass evolution and constraint behavior while reducing the number of coarse-level advances by a factor of approximately $94$ relative to the standard driver. We also construct a conformal-time version of the moving-puncture gauge as an independent check. Applying the framework to a spherical Gaussian curvature profile, we find a collapse threshold $0.79578 < μ_c < 0.79580$ and a critical exponent $γ\simeq 0.3559$, consistent with previous spherically symmetric results. We further fit the late-time PBH mass growth to the Zel'dovich--Novikov accretion law, demonstrating that the code can follow both near-critical collapse and long-term post-formation evolution in three dimensions. The framework provides a foundation for future studies of PBH formation beyond spherical symmetry.

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Publication Details

Journal
Physical review. D/Physical review. D.
Published
2026-11-06
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1103/qxhc-twhp
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Cosmology and Gravitation Theories
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.83

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article

Long-term 3+1 simulations of primordial black hole formation during radiation domination

Chul‐Moon Yoo, Zhuan Ning, Rong-Gen Cai, Shao-Jiang Wang
1 citations
Physical review. D/Physical review. D.
Cosmology and Gravitation Theories
0.83
article

Long-term 3+1 simulations of primordial black hole formation during radiation domination

Chul‐Moon Yoo, Zhuan Ning, Rong-Gen Cai, Shao-Jiang Wang
article en
1 citations

Abstract

We develop an efficient three-dimensional numerical-relativity framework for primordial black-hole (PBH) formation from superhorizon curvature perturbations in a radiation-dominated Universe. We implement flux-conservative relativistic hydrodynamics in the adaptive-mesh-refinement code \textsc{GRChombo} and introduce a cosmologically scaled Gamma-driver that allows the cosmic-time step to grow in proportion to the scale factor. For a representative long-term simulation, the scaled driver preserves the apparent-horizon mass evolution and constraint behavior while reducing the number of coarse-level advances by a factor of approximately $94$ relative to the standard driver. We also construct a conformal-time version of the moving-puncture gauge as an independent check. Applying the framework to a spherical Gaussian curvature profile, we find a collapse threshold $0.79578 < μ_c < 0.79580$ and a critical exponent $γ\simeq 0.3559$, consistent with previous spherically symmetric results. We further fit the late-time PBH mass growth to the Zel'dovich--Novikov accretion law, demonstrating that the code can follow both near-critical collapse and long-term post-formation evolution in three dimensions. The framework provides a foundation for future studies of PBH formation beyond spherical symmetry.

Physical review. D/Physical review. D.
National Natural Science Foundation of China, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, National Key Research and Development Program of China
Openalex Percentile: Top 18%
Cosmology and Gravitation Theories
0.83
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Long-term 3+1 simulations of primordial black hole formation during radiation domination — Chul‐Moon Yoo, Zhuan Ning, et al. · Physical review. D/Physical review. D. (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS