The continuum spectrum of nonrelativistic multi-frequency Proca stars

Abstract

Multi-frequency Proca stars are excited selfgravitating solutions of the $s=1$ Schrödinger-Poisson system that generalize the conventional stationary states of a massive vector field. Unlike stationary states, which are characterized by a single oscillation frequency, multi-frequency configurations exhibit a quasi-periodic dynamics involving two or three distinct frequencies. In this paper, we present a systematic study of the spectrum of spherical multi-frequency Proca stars and show that, at fixed particle number, they form continuous families interpolating between discrete stationary states of constant linear polarization. Furthermore, we analyze their stability and demonstrate that a subset of these multi-frequency configurations are linearly stable against general perturbations. In particular, we show that a necessary, although not sufficient, condition for stability is the presence of a non-negligible nodeless component, and that radial stability alone is not sufficient to guarantee full linear stability. Finally, we briefly discuss the potential implications of multi-frequency states for proving the particle spin in ultralight dark matter models.