Cosmological Bounce Relics: Black Holes, Gravitational Waves, and Dark Matter

arXiv:2602.17702v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: We propose a new mechanism for generating cosmological relics — black holes, gravitational waves (GWs), and possibly dark matter (DM) — in a bouncing Universe. Relics arise through two channels: (i) compact objects and GWs produced during pre-bounce collapse that remain super-horizon and re-enter after the bounce, and (ii) dark-matter halos formed during collapse that exit the horizon and collapse into black holes upon re-entry. Unlike inflationary primordial black holes, these relic black holes originate from nonlinear structure formation during collapse. We derive the particle horizon and horizon-crossing conditions in bouncing cosmology and show that perturbations or compact objects larger than 90 m survive the bounce. The resulting population of relic black holes and GWs spans a wide mass range, offering a unified origin for dark matter, gravitational-wave backgrounds, and the early growth of supermassive black holes and galaxies.