Open AccessSpinning test particles in a Kerr field – I
Author(s) -
Semerák O.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.1999.02754.x
Subject(s) - physics , test particle , spinning , spin (aerodynamics) , geodesic , classical mechanics , curvature , equations of motion , gravitational field , field (mathematics) , dipole , gravitational wave , astrophysics , mathematical analysis , quantum mechanics , geometry , mechanical engineering , mathematics , pure mathematics , engineering , thermodynamics
Mathisson–Papapetrou equations are solved numerically to obtain trajectories of spinning test particles in (the meridional section of) the Kerr space–time. The supplementary conditions p S μσ =0 are used to close the system of equations. The results show that in principle a spin‐curvature interaction may lead to considerable deviations from geodesic motion, although in astrophysical situations of interest probably no large spin effects can be expected for values of spin consistent with a pole–dipole test‐particle approximation. However, a significant cumulative effect may occur, e.g. in the inspiral of a spinning particle on to a rotating compact body, that would modify gravitational waves generated by such a system. A thorough literature review is included in the paper.