Dixon’s extended bodies and weak gravitational waves

General relativity considers Dixon’s theory as the standard theory to deal with the motion of extended bodies in a given gravitational background. We discuss here the features of the “reaction” of an extended body to the passage of a weak gravitational wave. We find that the body acquires a dipolar moment induced by its quadrupole structure. Furthermore, we derive the “world function” for the weak field limit of a gravitational wave background and use it to estimate the deviation between geodesics and the world lines of structured bodies. Measuring such deviations, due to the existence of cumulative effects, should be favorite with respect to measuring the amplitude of the gravitational wave itself.     

On the gravitational field of a mass possessing a magnetic dipole moment

A solution of the Einstein-Maxwell magnetostatic equations describing the gravitational field of a mass endowed with a magnetic dipole moment is presented. It reduces to the Schwarzschild solution if the magnetic field vanishes.     

Exterior and interior metrics with quadrupole moment

We present the Ernst potential and the line element of an exact solution of Einstein’s vacuum field equations that contains as arbitrary parameters the total mass, the angular momentum, and the quadrupole moment of a rotating mass distribution. We show that in the limiting case of slowly rotating and slightly deformed configuration, there exists a coordinate transformation that relates the exact solution with the approximate Hartle solution. It is shown that this approximate solution can be smoothly matched with an interior perfect fluid solution with physically reasonable properties. This opens the possibility of considering the quadrupole moment as an additional physical degree of freedom that could be used to search for a realistic exact solution, representing both the interior and exterior gravitational field generated by a self-gravitating axisymmetric distribution of mass of perfect fluid in stationary rotation.     

Geodesies in the Erez-Rosen space-time

We investigate null and time-like geodesics in the Erez-Rosen space-time, that is, in the exterior gravitational field of a mass with quadrupole moment. By using the weak-field approximation of the Erez-Rosen metric, we find the solution of the equation for equatorial time-like geodesics and determine how they differ from the corresponding Schwarzschild geodesies. For the exact form of the Erez-Rosen metric, we only draw some qualitative conclusions about the influence of the quadrupole moment on the path of test particles and on the motion of photons. We derive the relativistic contribution of the quadrupole moment to the perihelion shift and to the precession of the ascending node.     

A source of a quasi-spherical space–time: The case for the <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis>–<Emphasis Type="Italic">Q</Emphasis> solution

We present a physically reasonable source for an static, axially-symmetric solution to the Einstein equations. Arguments are provided, supporting our belief that the exterior space-time produced by such source, describing a quadrupole correction to the Schwarzschild metric, is particularly suitable (among known solutions of the Weyl family) for discussing the properties of quasi-spherical gravitational fields.     

Gauge Model Based on Group G×SU（2）

We present a model of gauge theory based on the symmetry group G×SU（2） where G is the gravitational gauge group and SU（2） is the internal group of symmetry. We employ the spacetime of four-dimensional Minkowski, endowed with spherical coordinates, and describe the gauge fields by gauge potentials. The corresponding strength field tensors are calculated and the field equations are written. A solution of these equations is obtained for the case that the gauge potentials have a particular form potentials induces a metric of Schwarzschild type on with spherical symmetry. The solution for the gravitational the gravitational gauge group space.     

Dynamics of extended bodies with spin-induced quadrupole in Kerr spacetime: generic orbits

We discuss motions of extended bodies in Kerr spacetime by using Mathisson–Papapetrou–Dixon equations. We firstly solve the conditions for circular orbits, and calculate the orbital frequency shift due to the mass quadrupoles. The results show that we need not consider the spin-induced quadrupoles in extreme-mass-ratio inspirals for space-based gravitational wave detectors. We quantitatively investigate the temporal variation of rotational velocity of the extended body due to the coupling of quadrupole and background gravitational field. For generic orbits, we numerically integrate the Mathisson–Papapetrou–Dixon equations for evolving the motion of an extended body orbiting a Kerr black hole. By comparing with the monopole–dipole approximation, we reveal the influences of quadrupole moments of extended bodies on the orbital motion and chaotic dynamics of extreme-mass-ratio systems. We do not find any chaotic orbits for the extended bodies with physical spins and spin-induced quadrupoles. Possible implications for gravitational wave detection and pulsar timing observation are outlined.     

Gravitational field of a tachyon in a de Sitter universe

An exact solution of Einstein’s equations is interpreted as describing the gravitational field of a tachyon in a de Sitter universe. Switching off the cosmological constant yields the gravitational field of a tachyon in flat spacetime background.     

Letter: Weitzenböck Spacetime Outside a Rapidly Rotating Object and the Motion of a Dirac Particle

The tetrad and the torsion fields due to a rapidly rotating massive object are found. The motion of a spin particle in the Weitzenböck spacetime is studied. It is shown that the axial-vector torsion is the entity responsible for the gravitomagnetic component of the gravitational field.The influences of the quadrupole moment of the rapidly rotating object on the motion of the particle are discussed. It is pointed out that the influences of the quadrupole moment are negligible for Kerr black holes, but are as important as that of the Newtonian potential for a rapidly rotating neutron star.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis>) global monopole revisited

In this paper the f(R) global monopole is reexamined. We provide an exact solution for the modified field equations in the presence of a global monopole for regions outside its core, generalizing previous results. Additionally, we discuss some particular cases obtained from this solution. We consider a setup consisting of a possible Schwarzschild black hole that absorbs the topological defect, giving rise to a static black hole endowed with a monopole’s charge. Besides, we demonstrate how the asymptotic behavior of the Higgs field far from the monopole’s core is shaped by a class of spacetime metrics which includes the ones analyzed here. In order to assess the gravitational properties of this system, we analyze the geodesic motion of both massive and massless test particles moving in the vicinity of such configuration. For the material particles we set the requirements they have to obey in order to experience stable orbits. On the other hand, for the photons we investigate how their trajectories are affected by the gravitational field of this black hole.     

Gravitational energy of a magnetized Schwarzschild black hole: a teleparallel approach

We investigate the distribution of gravitational energy in the spacetime of a Schwarzschild black hole immersed in a cosmic magnetic field. This is done in the context of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity, which is an alternative geometrical formulation of general relativity, where gravity is described by a spacetime endowed with torsion rather than curvature, whose fundamental field variables are tetrad fields. We calculate the energy enclosed by a two-surface of constant radius—in particular, the energy enclosed by the event horizon of the black hole. In this case we find that the magnetic field has the effect of increasing the gravitational energy as compared to the vacuum Schwarzschild case. We also compute the energy (i) in the weak magnetic field limit, (ii) in the limit of vanishing magnetic field, and (iii) in the absence of the black hole. In all cases our results are consistent with what should be expected on physical grounds.     

Complementary aspects of gravitation and electromagnetism

A convention with regard to geometry, accepting nonholonomic aether motion and coordinate-dependent units, is always valid as an alternative to Einstein's convention. Choosing flat spacetime, Newtonian gravitation is extended, step by step, until equations closely analogous to those of Einstein's theory are obtained. The first step, demanded by considerations of inertia, is the introduction of a vector potential. Treating the electromagnetic and gravitational fields as real and imaginary components of a complex field (gravitational mass being treated as imaginary charge), the Maxwell stress-momentum-energy tensor for the complex field is then used as the source for both fields. The spherically symmetric solution of these unified field equations describes the electron. Third, effects arising from motion of aether fluid with respect to the artificial reference systems of flat spacetime are included. On the grounds that attraction between likes and repulsion between likes are, a priori, equally possible, it is suggested that gravitational and electromagnetic phenomena should enjoy equal status. This can be achieved on the scale of an infinite cosmos by introducing a hierarchy of isolated systems, each of which is a universe when viewed internally and an elementary particle when viewed externally. A universe (defined by the Hubble radius), an electron, and a neutrino are three consecutive isolated systems of the hierarchy. Implied is the existence of antiuniverses where gravitational mass has opposite sign and antimatter predominates. Remarkable relationships between physical constants emerge.     

Relativistic motion of a free particle in a uniform gravitational field

The problem of the motion of a free particle in a uniform gravitational field is considered. A relativistic solution based on the assumption that the motion is a consequence of the curvature of spacetime is obtained. The results are compared with various results based on the assumption that spacetime is flat in a region in which the gravitational field is uniform. In the curved spacetime approach, if a particle is projected from a point in a uniform gravitational field, the vertical distance covered by the particle in infinite coordinate time is infinite, but the horizontal distance covered and the elapsed proper time of the particle are finite. If spacetime is assumed to be flat and the gravitational motion of a particle a consequence of a relativistic force proportional to the relative mass of the particle, then the results obtained for the motion of a particle in a uniform gravitational field are close to the curved spacetime results. All other assumptions, including the assumption that the motion of a particle in a uniform gravitational field is equivalent to the motion of a particle in a uniformly accelerating frame of reference, lead to results in serious disagreement with the curved spacetime results.     

Finitary-Algebraic ‘Resolution’ of the Inner Schwarzschild Singularity

A ‘resolution’ of the interior singularity of the spherically symmetric Schwarzschild solution of the Einstein equations for the gravitational field of a point-particle is carried out entirely and solely by finitistic and algebraic means. To this end, the background differential spacetime manifold and, in extenso, Differential Calculus-free purely algebraic (:sheaf-theoretic) conceptual and technical machinery of Abstract Differential Geometry (ADG) is employed. As in previous works [Mallios, A. and Raptis, I. (2001). Finitary spacetime sheaves of quantum causal sets: Curving quantum causality. International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 40, 1885 [gr-qc/0102097]; Mallios, A. and Raptis, I. (2002). Finitary Čech-de Rham cohomology. International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 41, 1857 [gr-qc/0110033]; Mallios, A. and Raptis, I. (2003). Finitary, causal and quantal vacuum Einstein gravity. International Journal of Theoretical Physics 42, 1479 [gr-qc/0209048]], which this paper continues, the starting point for the present application of ADG is Sorkin's finitary (:locally finite) poset (:partially ordered set) substitutes of continuous manifolds in their Gel'fand-dual picture in terms of discrete differential incidence algebras and the finitary spacetime sheaves thereof. It is shown that the Einstein equations hold not only at the finitary poset level of ‘discrete events,’ but also at a suitable ‘classical spacetime continuum limit’ of the said finitary sheaves and the associated differential triads that they define ADG-theoretically. The upshot of this is two-fold: On the one hand, the field equations are seen to hold when only finitely many events or ‘degrees of freedom’ of the gravitational field are involved, so that no infinity or uncontrollable divergence of the latter arises at all in our inherently finitistic-algebraic scenario. On the other hand, the law of gravity—still modelled in ADG by a differential equation proper—does not break down in any (differential geometric) sense in the vicinity of the locus of the point-mass as it is traditionally maintained in the usual manifold-based analysis of spacetime singularities in General Relativity (GR). At the end, some brief remarks are made on the potential import of ADG-theoretic ideas in developing a genuinely background-independent Quantum Gravity (QG). A brief comparison between the ‘resolution’ proposed here and a recent resolution of the inner Schwarzschild singularity by Loop QG means concludes the paper. PACS numbers: 04.60.−m, 04.20.Gz, 04.20.−q     

A note on the generalized Friedmann equations for a thick brane

Within our thick brane approach previously used to obtain the cosmological evolution equations on a thick brane embedded in a five-dimensional Schwarzschild Anti-de Sitter spacetime it is explicitly shown that the consistency of these equations with the energy conservation equation requires that, in general, the thickness of the brane evolves in time. This varying brane thickness entails the possibility that both Newton’s gravitational constant G and the effective cosmological constant Λ₄ are time dependent.     

Gyroscopic precession in non-circular orbits: a phase-locked tetrad approach

We deduce the explicit form of a phase-locked (PL) tetrad, adapted to a small spinning particle (a test gyroscope) following an arbitrary geodesic orbit in the Schwarzschild geometry of a gravitational source. We subsequently obtain the analytic expression of the gyroscopic precessional velocity Ω in a non-circular orbit, by means of the Fermi rotation coefficients related to the tetrad’s transport law. As an application, we compute the orbital shift in the spin vector, considering a spinning test particle (the gyroscope) in a slightly non-circular orbital motion in the weak gravitational field limit. We compare our results with those of other previous works.     

A rotating three component perfect fluid source and its junction with empty space-time

The Kerr solution for empty space-time is presented in an ellipsoidally symmetric coordinate system and it is used to produce generalised ellipsoidal metrics appropriate for the generation of rotating interior solutions of Einstein’s equations. It is shown that these solutions are the familiar static perfect fluid cases commonly derived in curvature coordinates but now endowed with rotation. These are also shown to be potential fluid sources for not only Kerr but also Kerr-de Sitter empty space-time. The approach is further discussed in the context of T-solutions of Einstein’s equations and the vacuum T-solution outside a rotating source is presented. The interior source for these solutions is shown not to be a perfect fluid but rather an anisotropic three component perfect fluid for which the energy momentum tensor is derived. The Schwarzschild interior solution is given as an example of the approach.     

Particle motion and electromagnetic fields of rotating compact gravitating objects with gravitomagnetic charge

The exact solution for the electromagnetic field occuring when the Kerr–Taub–NUT compact object is immersed (i) in an originally uniform magnetic field aligned along the axis of axial symmetry (ii) in dipolar magnetic field generated by current loop has been investigated. Effective potential of motion of charged test particle around Kerr–Taub–NUT gravitational source immersed in magnetic field with different values of external magnetic field and NUT parameter has been also investigated. In both cases presence of NUT parameter and magnetic field shifts stable circular orbits in the direction of the central gravitating object. Finally we find analytical solutions of Maxwell equations in the external background spacetime of a slowly rotating magnetized NUT star. The star is considered isolated and in vacuum, with monopolar configuration model for the stellar magnetic field.     

An approximate global solution of Einstein’s equations for a rotating finite body

We obtain an approximate global stationary and axisymmetric solution of Einstein’s equations which can be considered as a simple star model: a self-gravitating perfect fluid ball with constant mass density rotating in rigid motion. Using the post-Minkowskian formalism (weak-field approximation) and considering rotation as a perturbation (slow-rotation approximation), we find second-order approximate interior and exterior (asymptotically flat) solutions to this problem in harmonic and quo-harmonic coordinates. In both cases, interior and exterior solutions are matched, in the sense of Lichnerowicz, on the surface of zero pressure to obtain a global solution. The resulting metric depends on three arbitrary constants: mass density, rotational velocity and the star radius at the non-rotation limit. The mass, angular momentum, quadrupole moment and other constants of the exterior metric are determined by these three parameters. It is easy to check that Kerr’s metric cannot be the exterior part of that metric.