338 research outputs found
Dynamics of electromagnetic waves in Kerr geometry
Here we are interested to study the spin-1 particle i.e., electro-magnetic
wave in curved space-time, say around black hole. After separating the
equations into radial and angular parts, writing them according to the black
hole geometry, say, Kerr black hole we solve them analytically. Finally we
produce complete solution of the spin-1 particles around a rotating black hole
namely in Kerr geometry. Obviously there is coupling between spin of the
electro-magnetic wave and that of black hole when particles propagate in that
space-time. So the solution will be depending on that coupling strength. This
solution may be useful to study different other problems where the analytical
results are needed. Also the results may be useful in some astrophysical
contexts.Comment: 15 Latex pages, 4 Figures; Accepted for publication in Classical and
Quantum Gravit
Mamekhaya: a pilot study combining a cognitive-behavioral intervention and mentor mothers with PMTCT services in South Africa
Nearly 30% of pregnant women in South Africa are estimated to be HIV seropositive, yet adherence to guidelines for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) is often low. A pilot study was developed to see whether PMTCT services provided by the South African Government could be enhanced by the Mamekhaya program, a combination of the mothers2mothers peer-mentoring program and a culturally adapted cognitive-behavioral intervention (CBI) from the USA. Pregnant women attending two maternity clinics offering PMTCT in Gugulethu and Vanguard Townships, Cape Town, South Africa, were invited to participate in the study. Women at the intervention site (Gugulethu) received the support of a mentor mother and also attended an eight-session Mamekhaya CBI. At the control site (Vanguard), women received standard services provided by midwives and counselors. Baseline assessments were completed by all participants at enrollment (n=160), and follow-ups were completed six months later by 44% of participants. Self-reports of adherence to PMTCT practices were high across both sites (90% or more engaging in the core practices). Women at the Mamekhaya site showed significantly greater improvement in establishing social support and reducing depression scores than women at the control site. Mamekhaya participants also showed trends for better attendance at follow-up medical visits, and greater improvements in positive coping. The greatest effect of the Mamekhaya program was to increase HIV knowledge scores, particularly with regard to understanding the meaning and importance of viral load and CD4 test results. Results from this pilot study show promise that augmenting basic PMTCT services with mentor mothers and a culturally adapted CBI can be effective in conveying information and in improving the emotional outlook and hopefulness of HIV-positive pregnant women in South Africa
Scattering of massless bosonic fields by Kerr black holes: On-axis incidence
We study the scattering of monochromatic bosonic plane waves impinging upon a rotating black hole, in the special case that the direction of incidence is aligned with the spin axis. We present accurate numerical results for electromagnetic Kerr scattering cross sections for the first time, and give a unified picture of the Kerr scattering for all massless bosonic fields
Regularization of the Teukolsky Equation for Rotating Black Holes
We show that the radial Teukolsky equation (in the frequency domain) with
sources that extend to infinity has well-behaved solutions. To prove that, we
follow Poisson approach to regularize the non-rotating hole, and extend it to
the rotating case. To do so we use the Chandrasekhar transformation among the
Teukolsky and Regge-Wheeler-like equations, and express the integrals over the
source in terms of solutions to the homogeneous Regge-Wheeler-like equation, to
finally regularize the resulting integral. We then discuss the applicability of
these results.Comment: 14 pages, 1 Table, REVTE
Black Holes: Scatterers, Absorbers and Emitters of Particles
Accurate and powerful analytic and computational methods developped by the
author allow to obtain the highly non trivial total absorption spectrum of the
Black Hole, as well as phase shifts and cross sections (elastic and inelastic),
the angular distribution of absorbed and scattered waves, and the Hawking
emission rates. The exact total absorption spectrum of waves by the Black Hole
presents as a function of frequency a remarkable oscillatory behaviour
characteristic of a diffraction pattern. It oscillates around its optical
geometric limit (27/4) pi (r_s)^2 with decreasing amplitude and almost constant
period. This is an unique distinctive feature of the black hole absorption, and
due to its r=0 singularity. Ordinary absorptive bodies and optical models do
not present these features. The Hamiltonian describing the wave-black hole
interaction is non hermitian (despite being real) due to its singularity at the
origin (r=0). The unitarity optical theorem of scattering theory is generalized
to the black hole case explicitely showing that absorption takes place only at
the origin (r = 0). All these results allow to understand and reproduce the
Black Hole absorption spectrum in terms of Fresnel-Kirchoff diffraction theory.
These fundamental features will be present for generic higher dimensional Black
Hole backgrounds, and whatever the low energy effective theory they arise from.
In recent and increasing litterature on absorption cross sections (`grey body
factors') of black holes (whatever ordinary, stringy, D-braned), the
fundamental remarkable features of the Black Hole Absorption spectrum are
overlooked.Comment: LaTex, 19 pages, Lectures delivered at the Chalonge School, Nato ASI:
Phase Transitions in the Early Universe: Theory and Observations. To appear
in the Proceedings, Editors H. J. de Vega, I. Khalatnikov, N. Sanchez.
(Kluwer Pub
Fermion scattering by a Schwarzschild black hole
We study the scattering of massive spin-half waves by a Schwarzschild black
hole using analytical and numerical methods. We begin by extending a recent
perturbation theory calculation to next order to obtain Born series for the
differential cross section and Mott polarization, valid at small couplings. We
continue by deriving an approximation for glory scattering of massive spinor
particles by considering classical timelike geodesics and spin precession.
Next, we formulate the Dirac equation on a black hole background, and outline a
simple numerical method for finding partial wave series solutions. Finally, we
present our numerical calculations of absorption and scattering cross sections
and polarization, and compare with theoretical expectations.Comment: Minor changes, 1 figure added. Version to appear in Phys. Rev. D. 36
pages, 13 figure
Inferring black hole charge from backscattered electromagnetic radiation
We compute the scattering cross section of Reissner-Nordström black holes for the case of an incident electromagnetic wave. We describe how scattering is affected by both the conversion of electromagnetic to gravitational radiation, and the parity dependence of phase shifts induced by the black hole charge. The latter effect creates a helicity-reversed scattering amplitude that is nonzero in the backward direction. We show that from the character of the electromagnetic wave scattered in the backward direction it is possible, in principle, to infer if a static black hole is charged
Spacetime Splitting, Admissible Coordinates and Causality
To confront relativity theory with observation, it is necessary to split
spacetime into its temporal and spatial components. The (1+3) timelike
threading approach involves restrictions on the gravitational potentials
, while the (3+1) spacelike slicing approach involves
restrictions on . These latter coordinate conditions protect
chronology within any such coordinate patch. While the threading coordinate
conditions can be naturally integrated into the structure of Lorentzian
geometry and constitute the standard coordinate conditions in general
relativity, this circumstance does not extend to the slicing coordinate
conditions. We explore the influence of chronology violation on wave motion. In
particular, we consider the propagation of radiation parallel to the rotation
axis of stationary G\"odel-type universes characterized by parameters and such that for ) chronology is
protected (violated). We show that in the WKB approximation such waves can
freely propagate only when chronology is protected.Comment: 25 pages, 3 figures; v2: minor typos corrected, accepted for
publication in Phys. Rev.
Rainbow scattering in the gravitational field of a compact object
We study the elastic scattering of a planar wave in the curved spacetime of a compact object such as a
neutron star, via a heuristic model: a scalar field impinging upon a spherically symmetric uniform density
star of radius R and mass M. For R<rc, there is a divergence in the deflection function at the light-ring
radius rc ¼ 3GM=c2, which leads to spiral scattering (orbiting) and a backward glory; whereas for R>rc,
there instead arises a stationary point in the deflection function which creates a caustic and rainbow
scattering. As in nuclear rainbow scattering, there is an Airy-type oscillation on a Rutherford-like cross
section, followed by a shadow zone. We show that, for R ∼ 3.5GM=c2, the rainbow angle lies close to 180°,
and thus there arises enhanced backscattering and glory. We explore possible implications for gravitational
wave astronomy and dark matter models
Electromagnetic wave scattering by Schwarzschild black holes
We analyze the scattering of a planar monochromatic electromagnetic wave
incident upon a Schwarzschild black hole. We obtain accurate numerical results
from the partial wave method for the electromagnetic scattering cross section,
and show that they are in excellent agreement with analytical approximations.
The scattering of electromagnetic waves is compared with the scattering of
scalar, spinor and gravitational waves. We present a unified picture of the
scattering of all massless fields for the first time.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let
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