Quasinormal Modes of a Massive Scalar Field in 4D Einstein--Gauss--Bonnet Black Hole Spacetimes

Abstract

We analyze quasinormal modes, grey-body factors, and absorption cross-sections of a massive scalar field in four-dimensional Einstein--Gauss--Bonnet black-hole spacetimes within a stability-constrained coupling window. High-order WKB-Pad\'e spectra show that increasing field mass typically reduces damping and drives the system toward long-lived, quasi-resonant behavior. The scattering sector follows the same potential-barrier physics: larger effective barriers suppress transmission and low-frequency absorption, while the Gauss--Bonnet coupling has a comparatively mild impact over the stable range. These results provide a compact baseline for massive-field spectroscopy in higher-curvature black-hole backgrounds.