Non-Existence of Multiple-Black-Hole Solutions Close to Kerr–Newman

We show that a stationary asymptotically flat electro-vacuum solution of Einstein’s equations that is everywhere locally “almost isometric” to a Kerr–Newman solution cannot admit more than one event horizon. Axial symmetry is not assumed. In particular this implies that the assumption of a single event horizon in Alexakis–Ionescu–Klainerman’s proof of perturbative uniqueness of Kerr black holes is in fact unnecessary.     

Uniqueness of Smooth Stationary Black Holes in Vacuum: Small Perturbations of the Kerr Spaces

The goal of the paper is to prove a perturbative result, concerning the uniqueness of Kerr solutions, a result which we believe will be useful in the proof of their nonlinear stability. Following the program started in Ionescu and Klainerman (Invent. Math. 175:35–102, 2009), we attempt to remove the analyticity assumption in the the well known Hawking-Carter-Robinson uniqueness result for regular stationary vacuum black holes. Unlike (Ionescu and Klainerman in Invent. Math. 175:35–102, 2009), which was based on a tensorial characterization of the Kerr solutions, due to Mars (Class. Quant. Grav. 16:2507–2523, 1999), we rely here on Hawking’s original strategy, which is to reduce the case of general stationary space-times to that of stationary and axi-symmetric spacetimes for which the Carter-Robinson uniqueness result holds. In this reduction Hawking had to appeal to analyticity. Using a variant of the geometric Carleman estimates developed in Ionescu and Klainerman (Invent. Math. 175:35–102, 2009), in this paper we show how to bypass analyticity in the case when the stationary vacuum space-time is a small perturbation of a given Kerr solution. Our perturbation assumption is expressed as a uniform smallness condition on the Mars-Simon tensor. The starting point of our proof is the new local rigidity theorem established in Alexakis et al. (Hawking’s local rigidity theorem without analyticity. , 2009).     

Characterizations of the Kerr metric

For stationary, asymptotically flat solutions of Einstein's equations, covariant functionals of the metric variables are defined which characterize the Kerr metric uniquely. For instance, we obtain a generalization of the Bach tensor to stationary metrics, which vanishes if and only if the solution is Kerr. We also give a new interpretation of the Schwarzschild-to-Kerr-transformation. Our results might be applicable to simplify the proof of the uniqueness theorem for stationary black holes.     

A comment on the uniqueness theorems for stationary black holes

A simple local geometric condition is given that is sufficient to restrict the possible variety of exterior fields of all stationary axisymmetric black hole spaces to depend only on a finite number of parameters. It is discussed how this condition could be used to gain insight into the nature of the Carter-Robinson uniqueness theorem. Also a new coordinate system is constructed for all stationary axially symmetric space-times possessing a bifurcate Killing horizon. It covers a whole neighborhood of the horizons and of the bifurcation axis and possesses special geometric properties that are easy to visualize. The Kerr metric together with its spin coefficients and Weyl tensor components are described in the new coordinates.     

A set of invariant quality factors measuring the deviation from the Kerr metric

A number of scalar invariant characterizations of the Kerr solution are presented. These characterizations come in the form of quality factors defined in stationary space-times. A quality factor is a scalar quantity varying in the interval $[0,1]$ with the value 1 being attained if and only if the space-time is locally isometric to the Kerr solution. No knowledge of the Kerr solution is required to compute these quality factors. A number of different possibilities arise depending on whether the space-time is Ricci-flat and asymptotically flat, just Ricci-flat, or Ricci non-flat. In each situation a number of quality factors are constructed and analysed. The relevance of these quality factors is clear in any situation where one seeks a rigorous formulation of the statement that a space-time is “close” to the Kerr solution, such as: its non-linear stability problem, the asymptotic settlement of a radiating isolated system undergoing gravitational collapse, or in the formulation of some uniqueness results.     

On the structure of exact solutions of discrete masterequations

A concise version of the proof for the graph theoretical representation of the exact solution of the stationary discrete masterequation is given. Further, a new algorithm is developed for the solution of stationary and nonstationary discrete masterequations with next neighbour transition probabilities in the general case without detailed balance. This algorithm reduces the dimension of the system of masterequations to the number of boundary sites and is also appropriate for computer evaluation.     

Astrophysically significant solutions of the Einstein and Einstein-Maxwell equations from the Laplace’s seed

The stationary solutions given by Amenedo and Manko generated from known solutions of Laplace’s equation as seed have been generalised to include the electromagnetic field. Further, the exterior solution of an axially symmetric rotating body with higher multipole moments and a solution corresponding to a Kerr object embedded in a gravitational field are given. We also give a method for constructing stationary vacuum solutions from static magnetovac solutions and vice versa and discuss a specific application of this method.     

A family of Jordan-Brans-Dicke Kerr solutions

A family of solutions of the vacuum Jordan-Brans-Dicke or scalar-tensor gravitational field equations is given. This family reduces to the Kerr rotating solution of the vacuum Einstein equations when the scalar field is constant. The family does not have spherical symmetry when the rotation is zero and the scalar field is not constant. The method used to generate the new solutions can also be used to obtain vacuum Jordan-Brans-Dicke solutions from any given vacuum stationary, axisymmetric solution.     

The stationary gravitational field near spatial infinity

Any stationary, asymptotically flat solution to Einstein's equation is shown to asymptotically approach the Kerr solution in a precise sense. As an application of this result we prove a technical lemma on the existence of harmonic coordinates near infinity.     

Painlevé–Gullstrand coordinates for the Kerr solution

We construct a coordinate system for the Kerr solution, based on the zero angular momentum observers dropped from infinity, which generalizes the Painlevé–Gullstrand coordinate system for the Schwarzschild solution. The Kerr metric can then be interpreted as describing space flowing on a (curved) Riemannian 3-manifold. The stationary limit arises as the set of points on this manifold where the speed of the flow equals the speed of light, and the horizons as the set of points where the radial speed equals the speed of light. A deeper analysis of what is meant by the flow of space reveals that the acceleration of free-falling objects is generally not in the direction of this flow. Finally, we compare the new coordinate system with the closely related Doran coordinate system.     

Stationary electromagnetic fields around a rotating black hole

The general stationary solution of Maxwell's equations in the Kerr background geometry is given. Future applications are outlined.     

Tachyons and the second law of black hole physics

It is shown that the usual proof of the second law of black hole physics breaks down if there are tachyons present in the vicinity of a black hole. Explicit cases are discussed where a tachyon of positive energy falling into the Kerr singularity actually decreases the area of the Kerr black hole.     

A note on a local effect at the Schwarzschild sphere

Passage of the Schwarzschild radius is shown to be locally measurable by a sign change in a certain scalar. In the Kerr solution this scalar changes sign at the stationary limit. This is an example of the use of a coordinate-invariant method, based on the curvature tensor and a finite number of its covariant derivatives, for investigating gravitational fields.     

Point charge in the vicinty of a Kerr black hole

We derive the expression for the electromagnetic field of a point charge at rest on the symmetry axis near a rotating Kerr black hole. This is a generalization of the previously obtained solution for the field of a point charge near a nonrotating Schwarzschild black hole. Unlike the Schwarzschild case the charge is found to give rise to magnetic fields as seen by a stationary or locally nonrotating observer.     

Axisymmetric vacuum fields in general projective relativity

A method has been derived which enables one to obtain solutions to the stationary, axially symmetric vacuum fields in general projective relativity developed by Arcidiacono from known solutions of the vacuum field in Einstein's theory. The analogue of the Kerr solution in general projective relativity has been obtained as an example. Finally, a relation between the stationary and static axially symmetric vacuum fields in general projective relativity has been derived.     

Enhancing stationary optomechanical entanglement with the Kerr medium

We theoretically investigate the stationary entanglement of a optomechanical system with an additional Kerr medium in the cavity. There are two kinds of interactions in the system, photon-mirror interaction and photon-photon interaction. The optomechanical entanglement created by the former interaction can be effectively controlled by the latter one. We find that the optomechanical entanglement is suppressed by Kerr interaction due to photon blockage. We also find that the Kerr interaction can create the stationary entanglement and induce the resonance of entanglement in the small detuning regime. These results show that the Kerr interaction is an effective control for the optomechanical system.     

The Hamiltonian structure associated to evolution-type Lagrangians

It is demonstrated that, for a certain class of Lagrangians, which includes those for the Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) hierarchy, the Hamiltonian structure provided by the Hamilton-Cartan formalism is precisely the one discovered by Gardner for the KdV equation. A simple geometric relation between the Cartan 2-forms for this class of Lagrangians and the Cartan 1-forms for the associated stationary problems is given. This relation provides a new proof of the theorem of Bogoyavlenski-Novikov and Gel'fand-Dikii on the integrability of the stationary Korteweg-de Vries equations.Research supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.     

Ellipsoidal space-times,sources for the Kerr metric

The paper develops a systematic derivation of the Kerr metric and its possible sources in a clear geometric manner. It starts with a concise account of previous attempts at constructing an interior Kerr solution. Then a treatment of stationary-axisymmetric spacetimes, specially fitted to the needs of the following analysis, is presented. A new notion of an ellipsoidal space-time is introduced: it is a space-time in which local rest 3-spaces of some observers split naturally into congruences of concentric and coaxial ellipsoids. It is shown that these 3-spaces are natural spaces to consider the ellipsoidal figures of equilibrium. The investigation is carried out in detail for axially symmetric oblate confocal ellipsoids, but possible generalizations are indicated. The Kerr metric is found to be an ellipsoidal space-time of this special kind. Some remarks concerning an (unfound) explicit interior Kerr solution conclude the paper.