Appendix 5
Astroscotomes
Formation mechanism
They arise where mass concentrated within a bounded volume reaches a threshold compactness—i.e., a mass-to-volume relation at which the surrounding spatial geometry restructures and light trajectories no longer have open directions outward. An opacity barrier forms, beyond which the escape speed at the boundary equals the maximum attainable speed for the electromagnetic sector, and external interaction (except gravitational) becomes non-detectable.
Internal picture
Matter that ends up beneath this barrier does not vanish, does not lose mass, and does not turn into a singularity: it continues to exist in other phases, and may undergo deep decomposition into more elementary charge carriers. Mass and density remain finite, but become causally isolated from the rest of space. This transition corresponds to a natural phase reconfiguration of matter and space: the system retains all mass and energy, but changes its coupling regime with the surrounding Universe, completes the natural evolution of gravitational compaction, and forms a stable, causally hidden [21], yet physically finite configuration—an astroscotoma.
Intuitive density range. Broadly, the spectrum may run from nuclear-scale densities for low-mass objects (stellar regime) to “diffuse” states for supermassive ones, where the mean internal density can be below that of water and even air. This is not a “hard wall,” but an integral characteristic of the volume hidden behind the barrier.
Note 21
An astroscotoma need not be perfectly opaque or strictly “silent”: I do not exclude emissions that are inaccessible to electromagnetic methods. First, radiation produced deep below the barrier undergoes extreme gravitational redshifting and geometric suppression, becoming an effectively negligible flux for an external observer. Second, under deep decomposition of matter the transport channel may rely on carriers more elementary than the standard photon (in the language of our microphysics: more fundamental carriers of charge and/or metric perturbations), which makes the electromagnetic “microscope” too coarse an instrument. Observationally, this means: the absence of an EM signal does not prove the absence of internal dynamics—it only marks the limits of the communication channel being used to probe the object.
Observational regime
The primary luminosity is produced outside the opacity barrier—in and above the region of the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO), where the disk and corona radiate.
The geometry of photon paths produces a characteristic shadow or silhouette against the emitting plasma and appears in radio-interferometric images of the near-horizon region with pronounced gravitational lensing.
Collimated relativistic jets are observed, associated with accretion and rotation.
During mergers, gravitational waves are detected with a characteristic subsequent damped phase (ringdown).
Crossing the opacity boundary remains observationally silent (signals from inside are causally inaccessible in the electromagnetic channel), and for an external observer the astroscotoma manifests only through gravity and accretion.
There is no reflective hard surface outside the barrier—therefore there is no persistent “surface” glow or surface bursts.
Proximity to the barrier sharply narrows the photon escape cone, enhances redshifting, and stretches observed timescales.
Non-photonic or ultra-weak emission channels are not excluded; the absence of an electromagnetic signal may indicate the limit of the accessible communication channel, not the absence of internal dynamics.
Galactic-central (GC-type, “old”)
They originate in early epochs in the cores of local density inhomogeneities—the future nodes of large-scale structure. Rare mass excesses are retained and serve as “seeds” which, as the region evolves, grow via accretion and mergers to the threshold compactness; this is how supermassive objects form in galactic centers. Thereafter comes slow co-growth with the galaxy: gas fueling, capture of stars and compact bodies, and episodic nuclear mergers.
Internal picture (minimum assumptions). Densities are finite and rise toward the center; phase transitions are possible up to deep decomposition of Standard-Model particles. Singularities are not required.
Astrophysical (AF-type, “wandering,” “new”)
They arise at later stages from collapsing stellar cores and subsequent mergers of compact objects; the mass range runs from stellar to intermediate.
Local gravitational collapse upon exhaustion of pressure support, possible fast-spin states at early stages, followed by further accretion from the interstellar/intergalactic medium and mergers. Such objects migrate, interacting with their environment via gravity and accretion.
Astroscotomes
Appendix 5