Cosmological bounce relics: Black holes, gravitational waves, and dark matter
Phys. Rev. D 113, 043544 – Published 24 February, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/pr4p-6m49
Abstract
We propose a new mechanism for generating cosmological relics—black holes, gravitational waves (GWs), and possibly dark matter (DM)—in a bouncing Universe. Relics arise through two channels: (i) compact objects and GWs produced during prebounce collapse that remain superhorizon and re-enter after the bounce, and (ii) dark matter halos formed during collapse that exit the horizon and collapse into black holes upon re-entry. Unlike inflationary primordial black holes, these relic black holes originate from nonlinear structure formation during collapse. We derive the particle-horizon and horizon-crossing conditions in bouncing cosmology and show that perturbations or compact objects larger than survive the bounce. The resulting population of relic black holes and GWs spans a wide mass range, offering a unified origin for dark matter, gravitational-wave backgrounds, and the early growth of supermassive black holes and galaxies.
