On the differential geometry of curves in Minkowski space

We discuss some aspects of the differential geometry of curves in Minkowski space. We establish the Serret-Frenet equations in Minkowski space and use them to give a very simple proof of the fundamental theorem of curves in Minkowski space. We also state and prove two other theorems which represent Minkowskian versions of a very known theorem of the differential geometry of curves in tridimensional Euclidean space. We discuss the general solution for torsionless paths in Minkowki space. We then apply the four-dimensional Serret-Frenet equations to describe the motion of a charged test particle in a constant and uniform electromagnetic field and show how the curvature and the torsions of the four-dimensional path of the particle contain information on the electromagnetic field acting on the particle.Comment: 10 pages. Typeset using REVTE

Acceleration of charged particles due to chaotic scattering in the combined black hole gravitational field and asymptotically uniform magnetic field

To test the role of large-scale magnetic fields in accretion processes, we study dynamics of charged test particles in vicinity of a black hole immersed into an asymptotically uniform magnetic field. Using the Hamiltonian formalism of charged particle dynamics, we examine chaotic scattering in the effective potential related to the black hole gravitational field combined with the uniform magnetic field. Energy interchange between the translational and oscillatory modes od the charged particle dynamics provides mechanism for charged particle acceleration along the magnetic field lines. This energy transmutation is an attribute of the chaotic charged particle dynamics in the combined gravitational and magnetic fields only, the black hole rotation is not necessary for such charged particle acceleration. The chaotic scatter can cause transition to the motion along the magnetic field lines with small radius of the Larmor motion or vanishing Larmor radius, when the speed of the particle translational motion is largest and can be ultra-relativistic. We discuss consequences of the model of ionization of test particles forming a neutral accretion disc, or heavy ions following off-equatorial circular orbits, and we explore the fate of heavy charged test particles after ionization where no kick of heavy ions is assumed and only switch-on effect of the magnetic field is relevant. We demonstrate that acceleration and escape of the ionized particles can be efficient along the Kerr black hole symmetry axis parallel to the magnetic field lines. We show that strong acceleration of ionized particles to ultra-relativistic velocities is preferred in the direction close to the magnetic field lines. Therefore, the process of ionization of Keplerian discs around Kerr black holes can serve as a model of relativistic jets.Comment: 21 pages, 13 figure

Charged particle motion around non-singular black holes in conformal gravity in the presence of external magnetic field

We consider electromagnetic fields and charged particle dynamics around non-singular black holes in conformal gravity immersed in an external, asymptotically uniform magnetic field. First, we obtain analytic solutions of the electromagnetic field equation around rotating non-singular black holes in conformal gravity. We show that the radial components of the electric and magnetic fields increase with the increase of the parameters $L$ and $N$ of the black hole solution. Second, we study the dynamics of charged particles. We show that the increase of the values of the parameters $L$ and $N$ and of magnetic field causes a decrease in the radius of the innermost stable circular orbits (ISCO) and the magnetic coupling parameter can mimic the effect of conformal gravity giving the same ISCO radius up to $\omega_{\rm B}\leq 0.07$ when $N=3$.Comment: 17 pages, 18 figures. v2: refereed versio

Scaling Symmetries of Scatterers of Classical Zero-Point Radiation

Classical radiation equilibrium (the blackbody problem) is investigated by the use of an analogy. Scaling symmetries are noted for systems of classical charged particles moving in circular orbits in central potentials V(r)=-k/r^n when the particles are held in uniform circular motion against radiative collapse by a circularly polarized incident plane wave. Only in the case of a Coulomb potential n=1 with fixed charge e is there a unique scale-invariant spectrum of radiation versus frequency (analogous to zero-point radiation) obtained from the stable scattering arrangement. These results suggest that non-electromagnetic potentials are not appropriate for discussions of classical radiation equilibrium.Comment: 13 page