Tidal deformation of an accreting compact object

Abstract

Tidal deformation of a compact object serves as a sensitive probe of the strong-gravity regime and nature of the compact object. It captures how a compact object responds to the external perturbing field of a companion. In realistic astrophysical settings, compact objects are typically immersed in matter-rich environments, which can significantly alter the response. In this work, we investigate the static deformability of Schwarzschild-like exotic compact objects (ECOs) embedded in a quasi-stationary, self-gravitating thin accretion disk. By modelling the external spacetime with a relativistic thin-disk solution, we isolate environmental contributions to the scalar and spin-1 response while maintaining analytical control. We show that, for perfectly reflecting ECOs, the characteristic logarithmic dependence of the scalar and spin-1 response on compactness, set by near-horizon physics, remains intact even in the presence of accretion. The disk primarily amplifies the overall magnitude of the response significantly. These findings highlight that environmental effects can seriously impact tidal signatures, while still permitting, under suitable conditions, the distinguishability of horizonless compact objects from black holes in gravitational-wave observations.