David Petroff

Black holes surrounded by uniformly rotating rings

Highly accurate numerical solutions to the problem of black holes surrounded by uniformly rotating rings in axially symmetric, stationary spacetimes are presented. The numerical methods developed to handle the problem are discussed in some detail. Related Newtonian problems are described and numerical results provided, which show that configurations can reach an inner mass-shedding limit as the mass of the central object increases. Exemplary results for the full relativistic problem for rings of constant density are given and the deformation of the event horizon due to the presence of the ring is demonstrated. Finally, we provide an example of a system for which the angular momentum of the central black hole divided by the square of its mass exceeds one (J{sub c}/M{sub c}{sup 2}>1)

Gravitational waves from extreme mass ratio inspirals in nonpure Kerr spacetimes

To investigate the imprint on the gravitational-wave emission from extreme mass-ratio inspirals in non-pure Kerr spacetimes, we have studied the “kludge” waveforms generated in highly-accurate, numerically-generated spacetimes containing a black hole and a self-gravitating, homogeneous torus with comparable mass and spin. In order to maximize their impact on the produced waveforms, we have considered tori that are compact, massive and close to the central black hole, investigating under what conditions the LISA experiment could detect their presence. Our results show that for a large portion of the space of parameters the waveforms produced by EMRIs in these black hole-torus systems are indistinguishable from pure-Kerr waveforms. Hence, a “confusion problem” will be present for observations carried out over a timescale below or comparable to the dephasing time.

Negative Komar mass of single objects in regular, asymptotically flat spacetimes

We study two types of axially symmetric, stationary and asymptotically flat spacetimes using highly accurate numerical methods. One type contains a black hole surrounded by a perfect fluid ring and the other a rigidly rotating disc of dust surrounded by such a ring. Both types of spacetime are regular everywhere (outside of the horizon in the case of the black hole) and fulfil the requirements of the positive energy theorem. However, it is shown that both the black hole and the disc can have a negative Komar mass. Furthermore, there exists a continuous transition from discs to black holes even when their Komar masses are negative.

Post-Newtonian Maclaurin spheroids to arbitrary order

In this paper, we develop an iterative scheme to enable the explicit calculation of an arbitrary post-Newtonian order for a relativistic body that reduces to the Maclaurin spheroid in the appropriate limit. This scheme allows for an analysis of the structure of the solution in the vicinity of bifurcation points along the Maclaurin sequence. The post-Newtonian expansion is solved explicitly to the fourth order and its accuracy and convergence are studied by comparing it to highly accurate numerical results.

The PostNewtonian approximation of the rigidly rotating disc of dust to arbitrary order

Using the analytic, global solution for the rigidly rotating disc of dust as a starting point, an iteration scheme is presented for the calculation of an arbitrary coefficient in the post-Newtonian (PN) approximation of this solution. The coefficients were explicitly calculated up to the 12th PN level and are listed in this paper up to the 4th PN level. The convergence of the series is discussed and the approximation is found to be reliable even in highly relativistic cases. Finally, the ergospheres are calculated at increasing orders of the approximation and for increasingly relativistic situations.

Uniformly rotating homogeneous and polytropic rings in Newtonian gravity

An analytical method is presented for treating the problem of a uniformly rotating, self-gravitating ring without a central body in Newtonian gravity. The method is based on an expansion about the thin ring limit, where the cross-section of the ring tends to a circle. The iterative scheme developed here is applied to homogeneous rings up to the 20th order and to polytropes with the index n = 1 up to the third order. For other polytropic indices no analytic solutions are obtainable, but one can apply the method numerically. However, it is possible to derive a simple formula relating mass to the integrated pressure to leading order without specifying the equation of state. Our results are compared with those generated by highly accurate numerical methods to test their accuracy.

Equilibrium configurations of homogeneous fluids in general relativity

By means of a highly accurate, multi-domain, pseudo-spectral method, we investigate the solution space of uniformly rotating, homogeneous and axisymmetric relativistic fluid bodies. It turns out that this space can be divided up into classes of solutions. In this paper, we present two new classes including relativistic core‐ring and two-ring solutions. Combining our knowledge of the first four classes with post-Newtonian results and the Newtonian portion of the first ten classes, we present the qualitative behaviour of the entire relativistic solution space. The Newtonian disc limit can only be reached by going through infinitely many of the aforementioned classes. Only once this limiting process has been consummated can one proceed again into the relativistic regime and arrive at the analytically known relativistic disc of dust. Ke yw ords: gravitation ‐ relativity ‐ methods: numerical ‐ stars: rotation.

THE AXISYMMETRIC CASE FOR THE POST-NEWTONIAN DEDEKIND ELLIPSOIDS

We consider the post-Newtonian approximation for the Dedekind ellipsoids in the case of axisymmetry. The approach taken by Chandrasekhar & Elbert excludes the possibility of finding a uniformly rotating (deformed) spheroid in the axially symmetric limit, though the solution exists at the point of axisymmetry. We consider an extension to their work that permits the possibility of such a limit.

Negative Komar Masses in Regular Stationary Spacetimes

A highly accurate multi-domain spectral method is used to study axially symmetric and stationary spacetimes containing a black hole or disc of dust surrounded by a ring of matter. It is shown that the matter ring can affect the properties of the central object drastically. In particular, by virtue of the ring’s frame dragging, the so-called Komar mass of the black hole or disc can become negative. A continuous transition from such discs to such black holes can be found. We study self-gravitating systems in equilibrium, consisting of a uniformly rotating, homogeneous perfect fluid ring surrounding a central object which is either a black hole or a rigidly rotating disc of dust. The corresponding space-time is charac

The parametric transition of strange matter rings to a black hole

It is shown numerically that strange matter rings permit a continuous transition to the extreme Kerr black hole. The multipoles as defined by Geroch and Hansen are studied and suggest a universal behaviour for bodies approaching the extreme Kerr solution parametrically. The appearance of a ‘throat region’, a distinctive feature of the extreme Kerr spacetime, is observed. With regard to stability, we verify for a large class of rings, that a particle sitting on the surface of the ring never has enough energy to escape to infinity along a geodesic.