Regularization of static self-forces

Various regularization methods have been used to compute the self-force acting on a static particle in a static, curved spacetime. Many of these are based on Hadamard's two-point function in three dimensions. On the other hand, the regularization method that enjoys the best justification is that of Detweiler and Whiting, which is based on a four-dimensional Green's function. We establish the connection between these methods and find that they are all equivalent, in the sense that they all lead to the same static self-force. For general static spacetimes, we compute local expansions of the Green's functions on which the various regularization methods are based. We find that these agree up to a certain high order, and conjecture that they might be equal to all orders. We show that this equivalence is exact in the case of ultrastatic spacetimes. Finally, our computations are exploited to provide regularization parameters for a static particle in a general static and spherically-symmetric spacetime.Comment: 23 pages, no figure

Self force on static charges in Schwarzschild spacetime

We study the self forces acting on static scalar and electric test charges in the spacetime of a Schwarzschild black hole. The analysis is based on a direct, local calculation of the self forces via mode decomposition, and on two independent regularization procedures: A spatially-extended particle model method, and on a mode-sum regularization prescription. In all cases we find excellent agreement with the known exact results.Comment: 21 pages, 9 Encapsulated PostScript figures, submitted to Class. Quantum Gra

Charged particles in higher dimensional homogeneous gravitational field: Self-energy and self-force

A problem of self-energy and self-force for a charged point-like particle in a higher dimensional homogeneous gravitational field is considered. We study two cases, when a particle has usual electric charge and a case when it has a scalar charge, which is a source of a scalar massless minimally coupled field. We assume that a particle is at rest in the gravitational field, so that its motion is not geodesic and it has an acceleration a directed from the horizon. The self-energy of a point charge is divergent and the strength of the divergence grows with the number of dimensions. In order to obtain a finite contribution to the self- energy we use a covariant regularization method which is a modification of the proper time cut-off and other covariant regularizations. We analyze a relation between the self-energy and self-force and obtain explicit expressions for the self-forces for the electric and scalar charge in the spacetimes with the number of dimensions up to eight. General expressions for the case of higher dimensions are also obtained. We discuss special logarithmic factors ln(a), which are present both in the self-energy and self-force in odd dimensions. Finally, we compare the obtained results with the earlier known results both for the homogeneous gravitational field and for particles near black holes.Comment: 43 pages, two subsections added, a few tables and references adde

Self force on a scalar charge in the spacetime of a stationary, axisymmetric black hole

We study the self force acting on a particle endowed with scalar charge, which is held static (with respect to an undragged, static observer at infinity) outside a stationary, axially-symmetric black hole. We find that the acceleration due to the self force is in the same direction as the black hole's spin, and diverges when the particle approaches the outer boundary of the black hole's ergosphere. This acceleration diverges more rapidly approaching the ergosphere's boundary than the particle's acceleration in the absence of the self force. At the leading order this self force is a (post)$^2$-Newtonian effect. For scalar charges with high charge-to-mass ratio, the acceleration due to the self force starts dominating over the regular acceleration already far from the black hole. The self force is proportional to the rate at which the black hole's rotational energy is dissipated. This self force is local (i.e., only the Abraham-Lorentz-Dirac force and the local coupling to Ricci curvature contribute to it). The non-local, tail part of the self force is zero.Comment: 28 pages, 9 figure

Self force on particle in orbit around a black hole

We study the self force acting on a scalar charge in uniform circular motion around a Schwarzschild black hole. The analysis is based on a direct calculation of the self force via mode decomposition, and on a regularization procedure based on Ori's mode-sum regularization prescription. We find the four self-force at arbitrary radii and angular velocities (both geodesic and non-geodesic), in particular near the black hole, where general-relativistic effects are strongest, and for fast motion. We find the radial component of the self force to be repulsive or attractive, depending on the orbit.Comment: RevTeX, 4 pages, 4 Encapsulated PostScript figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Self-force approach for radiation reaction

We overview the recently proposed mode-sum regularization prescription (MSRP) for the calculation of the local radiation-reaction forces, which are crucial for the orbital evolution of binaries. We then describe some new results which were obtained using MSRP, and discuss their importance for gravitational-wave astronomy.Comment: Talk given at the 3rd Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves, 12-16 July, 199