Numerical Investigations of Stable Dynamics in the Presence of Ghosts

Abstract

We explore the nonlinear dynamics of classical field theories containing ghost degrees of freedom, focusing on two coupled scalar fields with opposite kinetic terms in (1+1) and (2+1) dimensional Minkowski spacetime. Using a spacetime finite element formulation, we perform a systematic numerical study across a broad class of initial data. We find that ghost-normal systems can exhibit long-lived, dynamically bounded evolution over extended time intervals, with stability strongly controlled by spectral content and amplitude. Ultraviolet-dominated and small-amplitude configurations remain stable significantly longer than infrared-dominated or large-amplitude data, indicating that instability is mediated by nonlinear spectral energy transfer rather than instantaneous runaway. Nonlinear self-interactions play a dual role: while they can accelerate energy exchange between sectors, certain potentials, including a lifted $\phi^6$ interaction supporting oscillon-like structures, generate transient metastable regimes that partially suppress ghost-induced growth. Our results demonstrate that the dynamical consequences of ghost modes in classical field theory depend sensitively on dispersion, nonlinearity, and phase structure, revealing a richer metastability landscape than commonly assumed.