Kerr Black Hole & Keplerian Stable Orbit

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the dynamics of Keplerian stable orbits around Kerr black holes, particularly focusing on the equations governing such orbits and the implications of general relativity on centripetal acceleration in extreme gravitational fields.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant presents an equation for the tangential velocity in a stable orbit around a Kerr black hole and attempts to relate it to gravitational acceleration.
  • Another participant suggests providing a step-by-step derivation to clarify the issue at hand.
  • A participant discusses the need to consider coordinate acceleration in extreme gravitational fields and proposes a modified form of centripetal acceleration that incorporates relativistic effects.
  • Concerns are raised about inconsistencies in the derivation process, particularly regarding the relationship between centripetal acceleration and gravitational acceleration.
  • A later reply indicates a potential modification to the centripetal acceleration formula in the context of general relativity, suggesting that it may need to account for the effects of spacetime curvature.
  • There is speculation about centripetal acceleration becoming negative beyond the event horizon of a black hole and how this might affect the dynamics of orbits in that region.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the correct formulation of centripetal acceleration in the context of general relativity, with no consensus reached on the implications of these modifications for stable orbits around black holes.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the derivations depend on specific assumptions about the nature of gravitational fields and the definitions of acceleration in general relativity, which remain unresolved in the discussion.

stevebd1
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The following is the equation for a Keplerian stable orbit at the equator around a Kerr black hole-

\tag{1}v_s=\frac{\pm\sqrt{M}(r^2\mp2a\sqrt{Mr}+a^2 )}{\sqrt{\Delta}(r^{3/2}\pm a\sqrt{M})}

where M=Gm/c^2,\ a=J/mc and \Delta=r^2-2Mr+a^2

which for a static black hole would reduce to -

v_s=\frac{\pm\sqrt{M}\,r^2}{\sqrt{r^2-2Mr}\,r^{3/2}}

and I would have thought that it was save to assume that for a static black hole-

\frac{v_s^2}{r}=\frac{M}{r^2}\sqrt{g_{rr}}

which is basically a_c=a_g and where g_{rr}=(1-2M/r)^{-1}

rearranging the equation, the following should apply-

\frac{v_s^2r}{M}=\sqrt{g_{rr}}

but for some reason, the answer I get is simply g_{rr} instead of \sqrt{g_{rr}}. Does anyone see why this might be the case?http://www.iop.org/EJ/article/0067-0049/112/2/423/35032.pdf?request-id=99398a5d-17c3-4c96-a4c7-516cf1ef178b" for equations (1)
 
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You should give a step by step derivation. This would help in isolating the problem.
 
Hi mathman, thanks for the reply.

Starting from where the stable orbit vs was established in the equatorial plane for a black hole-

v_s=\frac{\pm\sqrt{M}\,r^2}{\sqrt{r^2-2Mr}\,r^{3/2}}

For a stable orbit, centripetal acceleration (ac) has to equal gravity (ag)-

a_c=a_g

where a_c=v^2 m_2/r and a_g=G m_1 m_2/r^2 where v is the tangential velocity of the orbiting object (m2), m1 is the object being orbited and r is the radius of orbit.

rewriting a_c=a_g

\frac{v^2 m_2}{r}=\frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}

in the case of an extreme gravitational field, coordinate acceleration needs to be taken into account which for a static BH is-

dr&#039;=dr\left(1-\frac{2M}{r}\right)^{-1/2}=dr\sqrt{g_{rr}}[/itex]<br /> <br /> so in an extreme field,<br /> <br /> \frac{v^2 m_2}{r}=\frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}\sqrt{g_{rr}}<br /> <br /> re-arrange relative to \sqrt{g_{rr}}<br /> <br /> \frac{v^2 r}{G m_1 }=\sqrt{g_{rr}}<br /> <br /> substitute v for the equation for v<sub>s</sub> and replace Gm<sub>1</sub> with M (geometric units) where M is the gravitational radius (as derived in post #1)-<br /> <br /> \left(\frac{\sqrt{M}\,r^2}{\sqrt{r^2-2Mr}\,r^{3/2}}\right)^2\frac{r}{M}=x<br /> <br /> expand and cancel out-<br /> <br /> \frac{r^2}{(r^2-2Mr)}=x<br /> <br /> x should equal \sqrt{g_{rr}} but instead equals g_{rr}. I&#039;m beginning to suspect that the equation for centripetal acceleration needs to take into account relativity in some respect.<br /> <br /> ______________________________________________<br /> <br /> There seems to be the suggestion that centripetal acceleration goes into reverse around BH&#039;s (and in SR in general), this may be equivalent to dividing a<sub>c</sub> by \sqrt{g_{rr}} for a stable orbit which would explain the answer to the above equation.<br /> <br /> one source- <a href="http://arxiv.org/abs/0903.1113v1" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="nofollow ugc noopener">http://arxiv.org/abs/0903.1113v1</a>There is also the suggestion that a<sub>c</sub> becomes negative beyond the event horizon. Considering the change over from positive to negative a<sub>c</sub> would be smooth, it might be said that a<sub>c</sub> reduces relative to 1/\sqrt{g_{rr}} (or simply \sqrt{g_{tt}}) becoming zero at the event horizon and then negative at r&lt;2M. It would also mean that ac was reasonably unaffected at r&gt;20M.
 
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I have to confess that I am lost when it comes to the details of gen. rel. However, I am confused about what you are doing in the middle of the derivation.

You have v2m2/r=one expression at one point and something different a few lines later. I don't understand what you are doing.
 
I mathman, I think I may have answered my own question. It appears that centripetal acceleration also needs to be modified in GR. The reason why I change the derivation in post #3 is that I had initially assumed that v^2 r/G m_1=\sqrt{g_{rr}}, where v is the tangential velocity of the rotating object, would be correct but when introducing the result for v from the Kepler equation, this wasn't the case and I changed \sqrt{g_{rr}} to x, x turning out to be simply g_{rr}. It appears a correct solution for centripetal acceleration that works with the Kepler equation for a static black hole is-

a_c=\sqrt{g_{tt}}\,\frac{v^2 m_2}{r}

where g_{tt}=(1-2M/r)

which means that centripetal acceleration begins to reduce significantly at approx. 20M, becoming zero at the event horizon and negative within the EH.

If we introduce vs from the Kepler stable orbit equation, we can say-

\sqrt{g_{tt}}\,\frac{v_s^2 m_2}{r}=\frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}\sqrt{g_{rr}}

where g_{rr}=(1-2M/r)^{-1}

The idea of ac becoming negative beyond the EH is also discussed to some degree in https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=10369".
 
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