The description of the inspiral of a stellar-mass compact object into a massive black hole sitting at a galactic centre is a problem of major relevance for the future space-based gravitational-wave observatory LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna), as the signals from these systems will be buried in the data stream and accurate gravitational-wave templates will be needed to extract them. The main difficulty in describing these systems lies in the estimation of the gravitational effects of the stellar-mass compact object on his own trajectory around the massive black hole, which can be modeled as the action of a local force, the self-force. In this paper, we present a new time-domain numerical method for the computation of the self-force in a simplified model consisting of a charged scalar particle orbiting a nonrotating black hole. We use a multi-domain framework in such a way that the particle is located at the interface between two domains so that the presence of the particle and its physical effects appear only through appropriate boundary conditions. In this way we eliminate completely the presence of a small length scale associated with the need of resolving the particle. This technique also avoids the problems associated with the impact of a low differentiability of the solution in the accuracy of the numerical computations. The spatial discretization of the field equations is done by using the pseudospectral collocation method and the time evolution, based on the method of lines, uses a Runge-Kutta solver. We show how this special framework can provide very efficient and accurate computations in the time domain, which makes the technique amenable for the intensive computations required in the astrophysically-relevant scenarios for LISA.
It has recently been demonstrated (Class. Quantum Grav. 31, 085010, 2014) that the conformally invariant wave equation on a Minkowski background can be solved with a fully pseudospectral numerical method. In particular, it is possible to include spacelike infinity into the numerical domain, which is appropriately represented as a cylinder, and highly accurate numerical solutions can be obtained with a moderate number of gridpoints. In this paper, we generalise these considerations to the spherically-symmetric wave equation on a Schwarzschild background. In the Minkowski case, a logarithmic sin…
We extend earlier numerical and analytical considerations of the conformally invariant wave equation on a Schwarzschild background from the case of spherically symmetric solutions, discussed in Class. Quantum Grav. 34, 045005 (2017), to the case of general, nonsymmetric solutions. A key element of our approach is the modern standard representation of spacelike infinity as a cylinder. With a decomposition into spherical harmonics, we reduce the four-dimensional wave equation to a family of two-dimensional equations. These equations can be used to study the behaviour at the cylinder, where the s…
[abridged] The inspiral of a stellar compact object into a massive black hole is one of the main sources of gravitational waves for the future space-based Laser Interferometer Space Antenna. We expect to be able to detect and analyze many cycles of these slowly inspiraling systems. To that end, the use of very precise theoretical waveform templates in the data analysis is required. To build them we need to have a deep understanding of the gravitational backreaction mechanism responsible for the inspiral. The self-force approach describes the inspiral as the action of a local force that can be …
We introduce a new time-domain method for computing the self-force acting on a scalar particle in a Schwarzschild geometry. The principal feature of our method consists in the division of the spatial domain into several subdomains and locating the particle at the interface betweem two them. In this way, we avoid the need of resolving a small length scale associated with the presence of a particle in the computational domain and, at the same time, we avoid numerical problems due to the low differentiability of solutions of equations with point-like singular behaviour.
We investigate a Boltzmann gas at equilibrium with its center of mass moving on a circular geodesics in the Schwarzschild field. As a consequence of Tolman's law we find that a central comoving observer measures oscillations of the temperature and of other thermodynamic quantities with twice the frequencies that are known from test-particle motion. We apply this scheme to the gas dynamics in the gravitational fields of the planets of the Solar System as well as to strong-field configurations of neutron stars and black holes.
By considering particles as smeared objects, we investigate the effects of space noncommutativity on the geodesic structure in Schwarzschild-AdS spacetime. By means of a detailed analysis of the corresponding effective potentials for particles, we find the possible motions which are allowed by the energy levels. Radial and non-radial trajectories are treated and the effects of space noncommutativity on the value of the precession of the perihelion are estimated. We show that the geodesic structure of this black hole presents new types of motion not allowed by the Schwarzschild spacetime.
We analyze the scalar radiation emitted by a source in geodesic circular orbits around a Schwarzschild-de Sitter black hole. We obtain the emitted power using quantum field theory in curved spacetimes framework at tree level. We compare our results with the scalar synchrotron radiation in Schwarzschild spacetime.
Action-angle coordinates are a tool commonly used in celestial mechanics to systematically parametrize and store general solutions of the equations of motion of astrophysical bodies. I perturbatively construct action-angle coordinates for bound test particle motion in static, spherically symmetric space-times using a post-circular expansion. Then I specialise the expressions to the motion in the gravitational fields of Schwarzschild black holes and give explicit formulas for the Hamiltonian to the 10th power in the radial action (20th power in eccentricity), and the transformation to angle coo…
The theory of Schwarzschild geodesics is revisited. Basing on a result by Weierstrass and Biermann, we derive a formula describing all non radial, timelike and null trajectories in terms of Weierstrass elliptic functions. Quite remarkably, a single formula works for an entire geodesic trajectory, even if it passes through turning points. Using this formula, we derive expressions for the proper and coordinate time along the geodesic.
We discuss Israel layers collapsing inward from rest at infinity along Schwarzschild-Lemaitre geodesics. The dynamics of the collapsing layer and its equation of state are developed. There is a general equation of state which is approximately polytropic in the limit of very low pressure. The equation of state establishes a new limit on the stress-density ratio.
Schwarzschild black hole is the simplest black hole that is studied most in detail. Its behavior is best understood by looking at the geodesics of the particles under the influence of its gravitational field. In this paper, the focus of attention is giving a perspicuous description of the Schwarzschild geodesics by using analogue potential approach. Specifically we discuss geodesics of light and of a massive particle in the case that their angular momentum is non zero in the Schwarzschild spacetime. This discussion is done by defining analogue potentials out of geodesic equations and defining …
In this paper we study the geodesic structure of the Schwarzschild black hole in rainbow gravity analyzing the behavior of null and time-like geodesic. We find that the structure of the geodesics essentially does not change when the semi-classical effects are included. However, we can distinguish different scenarios if we take into account the effects of rainbow gravity. Depending on the type of rainbow functions under consideration, inertial and external observers see very different situations in radial and non radial motion of a test particles.
In the present work we found the geodesic structure of an AdS black hole. By means of a detailed analyze of the corresponding effective potentials for particles and photon, we found all the possible motions which are allowed by the energy levels. Radial and non radial trajectories were exactly evaluated for both geodesics. The founded orbits were plotted in order to have a direct visualization of the allowed motions. We show that the geodesic structure of this black hole presents new type of motions not allowed by the Schwarzschild spacetime.
Geodesics for a 5D magnetized Schwarzschild-like solution are analyzed by reducing the problem to the motion of a test particle in an effective potential. In absence of magnetic field comparison is established with Schwarzschild's geometry. Embedding diagrams are constructed in order to visualize the geometry of the metric. The study performed here is also valid, when the electromagnetic interactions are neglected, for the low energy superstring theory and the Brans-Dicke theory.
I calculate the self-force acting on a particle with electric charge q moving on a generic geodesic around a Schwarzschild black hole. Using methods similar to those developed for the scalar field case discussed in a previous paper, I investigate the relative sizes of the conservative (half-advanced plus half-retarded) and dissipative (half-advanced minus half-retarded) pieces of the self-force. I also display the regularization parameters used in the mode-sum regularization scheme.
Geodesic orbit equations in the Schwarzschild geometry of general relativity reduce to ordinary conic sections of Newtonian mechanics and gravity for material particles in the non-relativistic limit. On the contrary, geodesic orbit equations for a proper spatial submanifold of Schwarzschild metric at any given coordinate-time correspond to an unphysical gravitational repulsion in the non-relativistic limit. This demonstrates at a basic level the centrality and critical role of relativistic time and its intimate pseudo-Riemannian connection with space. Correspondingly, a commonly popularized de…
This paper performs a systematic investigation of geodesic motion in Euclidean Schwarzschild geometry, which is studied in the equatorial plane. The explicit form of geodesic motion is obtained in terms of incomplete elliptic integrals of first, second and third kind. No elliptic-like orbits exist in Euclidean Schwarzschild geometry, unlike the corresponding Lorentzian pattern. Among unbounded orbits, only unbounded first-kind orbits are allowed, unlike general relativity where unbounded second-kind orbits are always allowed.
The influence of spin on a photon's motion in a Schwarzschild and FRW spacetimes is studied. The first order correction to the geodesic motion is found. It is shown that unlike the world-lines of spinless particles, the photons world-lines do not lie in a plane.
It is shown how the use of the Kerr-Schild coordinate system can greatly simplify the formulation of the geodesic equation of the Schwarzschild solution. An application of this formulation to the numerical computation of the aspect of a non-rotating black hole is presented. The generalization to the case of the Kerr solution is presented too.
The exact solution of Einstein - Maxwell equations for a Schwarzschild black hole immersed in the static spatially homogeneous AdS${}^2\times\mathbb{S}^2$ space-time of Bertotti-Robinson magnetic universe is presented. In this solution, the black hole possesses a finite initial boost in the direction of the magnetic field and performs a "geodesic" oscillating motion interacting with the background gravitational and electromagnetic fields.
The complete set of analytic solutions of the geodesic equation in a Schwarzschild--(anti) de Sitter space--time is presented. The solutions are derived from the Jacobi inversion problem restricted to the theta--divisor. In its final form the solutions can be expressed in terms of derivatives of Kleinian sigma functions. The solutions are completely classified by the structure of the zeros of the characteristic polynomial which depends on the energy, angular momentum, and the cosmological constant.
The complete set of analytic solutions of the geodesic equation in a Schwarzschild--(anti-)de Sitter space--time is presented. The solutions are derived from the Jacobi inversion problem restricted to the set of zeros of the theta function, called the theta divisor. In its final form the solutions can be expressed in terms of derivatives of Kleinian sigma functions. The different types of the resulting orbits are characterized in terms of the conserved energy and angular momentum as well as the cosmological constant. Using the analytical solution, the question whether the cosmological constant…
In this research note we introduce a new approximation of photon geodesics in Schwarzschild spacetime which is especially useful to describe highly bent trajectories, for which the angle between the initial emission position and the line of sight to the observer approaches $π$: this corresponds to the points behind the central mass of the Schwarzschild metric with respect to the observer. The approximation maintains very good accuracy overall, with deviations from the exact numerical results below $1\%$ up to the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) located at $6~GM/c^2$.
Matching Radial Geodesics in Two Schwarzschild Spacetimes (e.g. Black-to-White Hole Transition) or Schwarzschild and de Sitter Spacetimes (e.g. Interior of a Non-singular Black Hole)
We present a new pseudospectral code, bamps, for numerical relativity written with the evolution of collapsing gravitational waves in mind. We employ the first order generalized harmonic gauge formulation. The relevant theory is reviewed and the numerical method is critically examined and specialized for the task at hand. In particular we investigate formulation parameters, gauge and constraint preserving boundary conditions well-suited to non-vanishing gauge source functions. Different types of axisymmetric twist-free moment of time symmetry gravitational wave initial data are discussed. A tr…
We revisit a little known theorem due to Beltrami, through which the integration of the geodesic equations of a curved manifold is accomplished by a method which, even if inspired by the Hamilton-Jacobi method, is purely geometric. The application of this theorem to the Schwarzschild and Kerr metrics leads straightforwardly to the general solution of their geodesic equations. This way of dealing with the problem is, in our opinion, very much in keeping with the geometric spirit of general relativity. In fact, thanks to this theorem we can integrate the geodesic equations by a geometrical metho…
We have studied the null geodesics of the Schwarzschild black hole surrounded by quintessence matter. Quintessence matter is a candidate for dark energy. Here, we have done a detailed analysis of the geodesics and exact solutions are presented in terms of Jacobi-elliptic integrals for all possible energy and angular momentum of the photons. The circular orbits of the photons are studied in detail. As an application of the null geodesics, the angle of deflection of the photons are computed.
The deviation of the path of a spinning particle from a circular geodesic in the Schwarzschild spacetime is studied by an extension of the idea of geodesic deviation. Within the Mathisson-Papapetrou-Dixon model and assuming the spin parameter to be sufficiently small so that it makes sense to linearize the equations of motion in the spin variables as well as in the geodesic deviation, the spin-curvature force adds an additional driving term to the second order system of linear ordinary differential equations satisfied by nearby geodesics. Choosing initial conditions for geodesic motion leads t…
We investigate the geodesic motion of massless test particles in the background of a noncommutative geometry inspired Schwarzschild black hole. The behaviour of effective potential is analysed in the equatorial plane and the possible motions of massless particles (i.e. photons) for different values of impact parameter are discussed accordingly. We have also calculated the frequency shift of photons in this spacetime. Further, the mass parameter of a non-commutative inspired Schwarzschild black hole is computed in terms of the measurable redshift of photons emitted by massive particles moving a…
The mysterious attractive constant radial force acted in the past on Pioneer spacecrafts - the so-called Pioneer anomaly - is considered within the context of Rindler acceleration. As an idea this is tempting since it is reminiscent of the cosmological constant. Fortunately the anomalous force acts radially toward the sun so that it differs from the mission of a cosmological constant. Without resorting to the physical source responsible for such a term we investigate the modified Schwarzschild geodesics. The Rindler acceleration naturally affects all massive / massless particle orbits. Stable …
We investigate geodesic orbits and manifolds for metrics associated with Schwarzschild geometry, considering space and time curvatures separately. For `a-temporal' space, we solve a central geodesic orbit equation in terms of elliptic integrals. The intrinsic geometry of a two-sided equatorial plane corresponds to that of a full Flamm's paraboloid. Two kinds of geodesics emerge. Both kinds may or may not encircle the hole region any number of times, crossing themselves correspondingly. Regular geodesics reach a periastron greater than the $r_S$ Schwarzschild radius, thus remaining confined to …
We study conservative finite-mass corrections to the motion of a particle in a bound (eccentric) strong-field orbit around a Schwarzschild black hole. We assume the particle's mass $μ$ is much smaller than the black hole mass $M$, and explore post-geodesic corrections of $O(μ/M)$. Our analysis uses numerical data from a recently developed code that outputs the Lorenz-gauge gravitational self-force (GSF) acting on the particle along the eccentric geodesic. First, we calculate the $O(μ/M)$ conservative correction to the periastron advance of the orbit, as a function of the (gauge-dependent) semi…
We study further a general relativistic mechanism for the acquisition of tidal energy by free test particles near a gravitationally collapsed configuration. Specifically, we investigate the solutions of timelike geodesic equation in a Fermi normal coordinate system established about the world line of an accelerated observer that remains spatially at rest in the exterior Schwarzschild spacetime. Such static observers in effect define the rest frame of the collapsed source. The gain in tidal energy is due to local spacetime curvature. Previous work in this direction in connection with astrophysi…
Causal radial geodesics with a positive interval in the Schwarzschild metric include a subset of trajectories completely confined under a horizon, which compose a thermal statistical ensemble with the Hawking-Gibbons temperature. The Bekenstein--Hawking entropy is given by an action at corresponding geodesics of particles with a summed mass equal to that of black hole in the limit of large mass.
The stable geodesics in Schwarzschild geometry can not approach the center closer than the radius of the photon sphere, 3/2 times the Schwarzschild radius. In other words, massive particles moving along geodesics that cross the photon sphere do not escape, they fall into the black hole.
We calculate the self-force acting on a particle with scalar charge moving on a generic geodesic around a Schwarzschild black hole. This calculation requires an accurate computation of the retarded scalar field produced by the moving charge; this is done numerically with the help of a fourth-order convergent finite-difference scheme formulated in the time domain. The calculation also requires a regularization procedure, because the retarded field is singular on the particle's world line; this is handled mode-by-mode via the mode-sum regularization scheme first introduced by Barack and Ori. Thi…
We present results from calculations of the orbital evolution in eccentric binaries of nonrotating black holes with extreme mass-ratios. Our inspiral model is based on the method of osculating geodesics, and is the first to incorporate the full gravitational self-force (GSF) effect, including conservative corrections. The GSF information is encapsulated in an analytic interpolation formula based on numerical GSF data for over a thousand sample geodesic orbits. We assess the importance of including conservative GSF corrections in waveform models for gravitational-wave searches.
In this paper we focus on analytical calculations involving null geodesics in some spherically symmetric spacetimes. We use Weierstrass elliptic functions to fully describe null geodesics in Schwarzschild spacetime and to derive analytical formulae connecting the values of radial distance at different points along the geodesic. We then study the properties of light triangles in Schwarzschild spacetime and give the expansion of the deflection angle to the second order in both $M/r_0$ and $M/b$ where $M$ is the mass of the black hole, $r_0$ the distance of closest approach of the light ray and $…
In this paper we show that the golden ratio is present in the Schwarzschild-Kottler metric. For null geodesics with maximal radial acceleration, the turning points of the orbits are in the golden ratio $Φ= (\sqrt{5}-1)/2$. This is a general result which is independent of the value and sign of the cosmological constant $Λ$.
The observer dependence of the quasi-local energy (QLE) and momentum in the Schwarzschild geometry is illustrated. Using the Brown-York prescription, the QLE for families of non-geodesic and geodesic observers penetrating the event horizon is obtained. An explicit shell-building process is presented and the binding energy is computed in terms of the QLE measured by a static observer field at a radius outside the horizon radius. The QLE for a radially geodesic observer field freely-falling from infinity is shown to vanish. Finally, a simple relation for the dynamics of the quasi-local momentum …
We study the dynamics of test particle and stability of circular geodesics in the gravitational field of a non-commutative geometry inspired Schwarzschild black hole spacetime (NCSBH). The coordinate time Lyapunov exponent ($λ_{c}$) is crucial to investigate the stability of equatorial circular geodesics of massive and massless test particles. The stability or instability of circular orbits are discussed by analysing the variation of Lyapunov exponent with radius of these orbits for different values of non-commutative parameter ($α$). In the case of null circular orbits, the instability expone…
An analysis of conformal geodesics in the Schwarzschild-de Sitter and Schwarzschild-anti de Sitter families of spacetimes is given. For both families of spacetimes we show that initial data on a spacelike hypersurface can be given such that the congruence of conformal geodesics arising from this data cover the whole maximal extension of canonical conformal representations of the spacetimes without forming caustic points. For the Schwarzschild-de Sitter family, the resulting congruence can be used to obtain global conformal Gaussian systems of coordinates of the conformal representation. In the…
In this article we study the geodesic motion of test particles and light in the five-dimensional (rotating) black string spacetime. If a compact dimension is added to the four-dimensional Schwarzschild or Kerr spacetime, the new five-dimensional metric describes a (rotating) black string. The geodesics in the Schwarzschild and Kerr spacetime have been studied in great detail, however, when a compact dimension is added new behaviour occurs. We present the analytical solutions of the geodesic equations and discuss the possible orbits. The motion in the ordinary four-dimensional Schwarzschild and…
We explore the connections between various coordinate systems associated with observers moving inwardly along radial geodesics in the Schwarzschild geometry. Painlevé-Gullstrand (PG) time is adapted to freely falling observers dropped from rest from infinity; Lake-Martel-Poisson (LMP) time coordinates are adapted to observers who start at infinity with non-zero initial inward velocity; Gautreau-Hoffmann (GH) time coordinates are adapted to observers dropped from rest from a finite distance from the black hole horizon. We construct from these an LMP family and a proper-time family of time coord…
Since Schwarzshild discovered the point-mass solution to Einstein's equations that bears his name, many equivalent forms of the metric have been catalogued. Using an elementary coordinate transformation, we derive the most general form for the stationary, spherically-symmetric vacuum metric, which contains one free function. Different choices for the function correspond to common expressions for the line element. From the general metric, we obtain particle and photon trajectories, and use them to specify several time coordinates adapted to physical situations. The most general form of the metr…
We study the time-like geodesic congruences, in the space-time geometry of a Schwarzschild black hole surrounded by quintessence. The nature of effective potential along with the structure of the possible orbits for test particles in view of the different values of quintessence parameter are analysed in detail. %wherever possible it is done analytically otherwise numerically. An increase in quintessence parameter is seen to set the particles from farther distance into motion around black hole. The effect of quintessence parameter is investigated analytically wherever possible otherwise we perf…
Motivated by a conjecture put forward by Abramowicz and Bajtlik we reconsider the twin paradox in static spacetimes. According to a well known theorem in Lorentzian geometry the longest timelike worldline between two given points is the unique geodesic line without points conjugate to the initial point on the segment joining the two points. We calculate the proper times for static twins, for twins moving on a circular orbit (if it is a geodesic) around a centre of symmetry and for twins travelling on outgoing and ingoing radial timelike geodesics. We show that the twins on the radial geodesic …
