Export citation

Export citation

Choose format for download:

Download Citation

    Hidden symmetries for tidal Love numbers: Generalities and applications to analog black holes

    Valerio De Luca1,*, Brandon Khek2,†, Justin Khoury2,‡, and Mark Trodden2,§

    • 1William H. Miller III Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218, USA
    • 2Center for Particle Cosmology, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, 209 South 33rd Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA

    • *Contact author: vdeluca2@jh.edu
    • Contact author: bnkhek@sas.upenn.edu
    • Contact author: jkhoury@upenn.edu
    • §Contact author: trodden@upenn.edu

    Phys. Rev. D 113, 044006 – Published 3 February, 2026

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/5bdk-xclx

    Abstract

    Tidal Love numbers characterize the conservative, static response of compact objects to external tidal fields. Remarkably, these quantities vanish identically for asymptotically flat black holes in four-dimensional general relativity. This behavior has been attributed to hidden symmetries—both geometric and algebraic—governing perturbations in these space-times. Interestingly, a similar vanishing of selected multipolar Love numbers arises in the context of supersonic acoustic flows. These systems share several key features with black holes in general relativity, such as the presence of an effective acoustic horizon and a wave equation describing linear excitations. In this work, we explore a symmetry-based connection between the two frameworks and demonstrate that the ladder symmetries observed in acoustic black holes can be traced to structural properties of the underlying wave equation, mirroring those found in general relativistic black hole space-times.

    Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

    Authorization Required

    We need you to provide your credentials before accessing this content.

    References (Subscription Required)

    Outline

    Information

    Sign In to Your Journals Account

    Filter

    Filter

    Article Lookup

    Enter a citation