Scalar-gravitational quasinormal modes and echoes in a five dimensional thick brane

Abstract

The scalar perturbations of thick braneworld models provide critical insights into their matter-geometry relationship, distinct from tensor modes. This work systematically investigates quasinormal modes and gravitational echoes from scalar perturbations in a thick brane model exhibiting internal structure and brane splitting. Using the WKB method, direct integration, and Bernstein spectral techniques, we compute quasinormal frequencies across different parameter regimes, addressing both single and double-barrier effective potentials. Time-domain evolution of wave packets reveals clear echo signals for split brane configurations ($s > 1, \delta > 1$), produced by successive reflections between sub-branes. A key finding is the position-dependence of echo modes within the extra dimension: observers located on a sub-brane detect clean periodic signals, whereas those situated between sub-branes observe more complex, modulated waveforms. This effect offers a distinct signature of the brane's internal structure. The observed echoes, along with consistent frequency- and time-domain results, advance the understanding of thick brane dynamics and open an observational window into warped extra dimensions. Moreover, the similarity between the effective potential in thick brane scenarios and those of black holes and wormholes offers valuable perspectives for studying echo-related phenomena in these gravitational systems.