OVALOIDS IN KERR BLACK HOLE
Andrés L. Granados M., June, 2024.
UNIVERSIDAD SIMON BOLIVAR
Departamento de Mecánica
Ovaloids in Kerr black holes appear in the study of singularities of the Kerr metric. But let us begin
with Schwarschild metric.
Schwarschild Metric
A static black hole ocurres by a static point center mass m̃ with the line-element of the Schwarschild
in spherical coordinates (r, θ, φ) as
ds2 = gtt (c dt)2 + grr (dr)2 + gθθ (dθ)2 + gφφ (dφ)2
(1)
= (1 − rs /r) (c dt)2 − (1 − rs /r)−1 (dr)2 − r2 dθ2 − r2 sen2 θ (dφ)2 rs = 2m
where the metric tensor gij presents certain symmetry because it is diagonal. The domensionless center
mass m = m̃K/c2 is expressed in terms of the universal constant of gravitation K and the velocity of light
in vacuum c. The radius rs of Schwarschild coincide with 2m when the solution of the solution of the
singularities gtt = 1/grr = 0 and la solution is r = rs where is the espherical event horizon. The singularity
point r = 0 is the solution for gθθ = gφφ = 0.
Kerr Metric
A rotating black hole ocurres by a rotating mass m̃ impinged with a constant angular momentum
˜
J = Iω (inertial Moment I, angular velocity ω) which has the line-element (Kerr,1963,1965)
ds2 = gtt (c dt)2 + 2 gtφ (c dt dφ) + grr (dr)2 + gθθ (dθ)2 + gφφ (dφ)2
= (1 − rs r/Σ) (c dt)2 + (2a rs r/Σ) sen2 θ (c dt dφ) − (Σ/Δ) (dr)2 − Σ (dθ)2 (2)
− (r2 + a2 + a2 rs r sen2 θ/Σ) sen2 θ (dφ)2
˜ 3
where the dimensionless angular momentum J = JK/c (m̃, J˜ in conventional physical units) and the
˜ m̃c) [Wiltshire, Visser & Scott,2009;eq.1.57,p.14]. It is used the Boyer-Lindquist
constant a = J/m = J/(
(1967) coordinates
Σ = r2 + a2 cos2 θ Δ = r2 − rs r + a2 a = J/m (3)
The singularities in 1/grr = 0 and gtt = 0 are
rh± = m ± m2 − a2 (1/grr = 0) re± = m ± m2 − a2 cos2 θ (gtt = 0) (4)
where the solutions for radius rh± are the inner and outer speherical events horizons, and the solutions re±
+
are the inner and outer ergosphere limits. The region re+ ≥ r > rh is a body of revolution (around the
−
axis of rotation) called external ergosphere. The región rh > r ≥ re+ is a body of revolution called internal
ergosphere. We call ovaloids the limits of the ergospheres and ovals the curves that generate those rotational
bodies.
Kerr Ovals and Ovaloids
The ovals are plane simple closed curves whose graphics are presented in polar coordinates, therefore
the axis of rotation is the x-axis and the zenithal angle θ will be indifferently the polar angle. With this
1
convention the surfaces (4.a) are spheres with radii rh± . The surfaces (4.b) are represented better with the
equation of the equivalent ovals
2
2
± B B B
r = ± sin2 θ + A − cos2 θ (5)
2 2 2
For the plus-surfaces (an ovaloid similar to an ellipsoid) the mayor semi-axis B = re+ (π/2) = 2m and the
+
minor semi-axis A = re+ (0) = rh , coincident to the radius of the sphere for outer event horizon. For the
− +
minus-surfaces (an pair of ovaloids similar to a rotational pseudo leminscata) A = rh < rh is the x-length
of the curve, coincident to the radius of the sphere for inner event horizon, and B = re+ (π/2) = 2m. This
inner ergosphere does not coincide with [idem.;p.23]
The inner ergosphere contains the planar ring of singularity (r = a, z = 0) in the origin and all the
metrics are not analytic. Normally a < m, when a > m it is obtained the naked singularity. When a = m
the critical state is r±h = m, both inner and outer event horizons coincide.
Figura 1. Ovals of Kerr re± for m = 2 and a = 1.5 (+ left,− right).
For the calculation of the semi-width of the pseudo lemniscata one has to find the maximum of
y(θ) = r(θ) sin(θ) with
r(θ) = b − b2 sin2 θ + c2 cos2 θ (6)
being b = B/2 and c = (A − B/2). Thus y (θ) = 0 permits us to obtain the maximum ym = y(θm ) for a
specific θm , solution of y (θ) = 0, where
2(b2 − c2 ) sin2 θ + c2
y (θ) = cos θ b − (7)
b2 sin2 θ + c2 cos2 θ
The figure 1 has the representation of re± for the particular values m = 2 and a = 1.5. At the left is the
oval limit for the external ergosphere with mayor semi-axis A = 4 and minor semiaxis B = 3.322876. At the
right is the pseudo leminscata with a length A = 0.677124 and a semi width ym = 0.242529 (rm = 0.43934,
θm = 0.584798 rad (33.5◦ )).
Reference
[1] Wiltshire, D. L.; Visser, M.; Scott, S. M. The Kerr Spacetime, Rotating Black Holes in General
Relativity. Cambridge University Press, 2009.