Optical Characteristics of Electromagnetic Radiation, Emitted by Particles or Stars Moving near Supermassive Black Hole

Stanislav Komarov

doi:10.3390/galaxies9030057

Abstract

The general problem of calculating of the propagation of electromagnetic radiation from particles or stars moving in the vicinity of a supermassive black hole is considered in geometrical optics approximation within the framework of the general theory of relativity. Different approaches that can be used to calculate certain characteristics of radiation, including redshift, the intensity and rotation of the plane of polarization, which have been presented in the literature are analysed herein. The inverse problem—the calculation of the parameters of the motion of the source (star or particle) from the data of the redshift, the intensity and the plane of polarization—is also considered.

Highlights

Recent discoveries in the field of gravity show the great importance of such studies
We briefly review certain optical characteristics of electromagnetic radiation in the external gravitational field and theoretical methods for its calculation and study
We consider the fundamental properties of electromagnetic radiation in classical general relativity and show how it can be used for obtaining information about the source of radiation

Summary

Introduction

Recent discoveries in the field of gravity The problem of studying radiation propagation through space–time in the framework of the general theory of relativity seems very important. We briefly review certain optical characteristics of electromagnetic radiation in the external gravitational field and theoretical methods for its calculation and study. The electromagnetic radiation characteristics of stars moving in the external gravitational field of a black hole have been considered in many papers (see, e.g., [13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,27,28,29]). The problem of calculating radiation from pulsars in the external gravitational field was considered in the papers [28,29]. Latin indices run from 1 to 4; Greek indices run from 1 to 3; and the signature of the space–time metric glm is +2

Geometrical Optics

Redshift of the Spectrum of Electromagnetic Radiation

Luminous Intensity

Polarization Plane

General Approaches

Conclusions