Transient Inter-Universal Membrane Contact During High-Energy Black Hole Mergers: A Quantum Gravitational Mechanism for Excess Mass Loss

Abstract

We propose a speculative mechanism wherein the extreme energy density during high-mass black hole mergers can induce transient quantum tunneling of spacetime membranes, resulting in momentary contact with adjacent branes in a higher-dimensional bulk. This process leads to a small but measurable excess mass loss compared to standard General Relativity (GR) predictions, as energy is temporarily transferred beyond our 4D brane. We develop a minimal mathematical framework coupling brane dynamics to gravitational wave emission, and discuss potential observational signatures in LIGO/Virgo data. This work is presented as a conceptual exploration for aiXiv, acknowledging its speculative nature and the need for rigorous quantum gravity development.

Keywords