Nonlinear evolution in Galileon EFTs: Regularization and screening

Abstract: In a scalar effective field theory (EFT) with Galileon symmetry, we distinguish the strong-field expansion from the derivative expansion and study spherically symmetric classical nonlinear dynamics. More concretely, we consider two models related via perturbative field redefinitions: one with second-order equations that can also exhibit screening, and one that includes a higher-derivative term that introduces a propagating ghost. The latter term is of the type that can ``regularise'' the equations to render them well-posed as an initial value problem. For initial data that respect the derivative expansion, we find that the first model (ghost-free, unregularised) develops ill-posed regions during evolution only when the derivative expansion breaks down. This result persists in the strong-field regime. We further find that the regularized model reproduces the evolution of the unregularised one when the latter remains well-posed, while it exhibits tachyonic behaviour when the unregularised one becomes ill-posed. We also consider initial data that corresponds to stationary states that exhibit screening in the unregularised, ghost-free theory. In this case, we find that the regularised theory can remain well-posed for initial data that the unregularised one developed ill-posed regions. However, the ghost term naturally dominates over the Galileon term in the screening regime, contrary to common expectation.