Radiative Evolution of Orbits Around a Kerr Black Hole

We propose a simple approach for the radiative evolution of generic orbits around a Kerr black hole. For a scalar-field, we recover the standard results for the evolution of the energy $E$ and the azimuthal angular momentum $L_z$ . In addition, our method provides a closed expression for the evolution of the Carter constant $Q$.Comment: 6 pages, Plain TeX, Published in Phys. Lett. A. 202, 347 (3 July 1995

Reconstruction of inhomogeneous metric perturbations and electromagnetic four-potential in Kerr spacetime

We present a procedure that allows the construction of the metric perturbations and electromagnetic four-potential, for gravitational and electromagnetic perturbations produced by sources in Kerr spacetime. This may include, for example, the perturbations produced by a point particle or an extended object moving in orbit around a Kerr black hole. The construction is carried out in the frequency domain. Previously, Chrzanowski derived the vacuum metric perturbations and electromagnetic four-potential by applying a differential operator to a certain potential $\Psi$. Here we construct $\Psi$ for inhomogeneous perturbations, thereby allowing the application of Chrzanowski's method. We address this problem in two stages: First, for vacuum perturbations (i.e. pure gravitational or electromagnetic waves), we construct the potential from the modes of the Weyl scalars $\psi_{0}$ or $\phi_{0}$. Second, for perturbations produced by sources, we express $\Psi$ in terms of the mode functions of the source, i.e. the energy-momentum tensor $T_{\alpha \beta}$ or the electromagnetic current vector $J_{\alpha}$.Comment: 20 pages; few typos corrected and minor modifications made; accepted to Phys. Rev.

A Nonlinear Coupling Network to Simulate the Development of the r-mode Instablility in Neutron Stars I. Construction

R-modes of a rotating neutron star are unstable because of the emission of gravitational radiation. We explore the saturation amplitudes of these modes determined by nonlinear mode-mode coupling. Modelling the star as incompressible allows the analytic computation of the coupling coefficients. All couplings up to n=30 are obtained, and analytic values for the shear damping and mode normalization are presented. In a subsequent paper we perform numerical simulations of a large set of coupled modes.Comment: 15 pages 3 figure

Non-axisymmetric baby-skyrmion branes

We investigate the existence of non axisymmetric solutions in the 6-dimensional baby-Skyrme brane model. The brane is described by a localized solution to the baby-Skyrme model extending in the extra dimensions. Such non symmetric branes have already been constructed in the original 2+1-dimensional baby-Skyrme model in flat space. We generalize this result to the case of gravitating baby-Skyrme and in the context of extradimensions. These non-trivial deformation from the axisymmetric shape appear for higher values of the topological charge, so we consider the cases of $B=3,4$, where $B$ is the topological charge. We solve the coupled system of the Einstein and baby-Skyrme equations by successive over relaxation method. We argue that the result may be a possible resolution for the fermion mass hierarchy puzzle.Comment: 14 pages, 14 figure

Toward Making the Constraint Hypersurface an Attractor in Free Evolution

There is an abundance of empirical evidence in the numerical relativity literature that the form in which the Einstein evolution equations are written plays a significant role in the lifetime of numerical simulations. This paper attempts to present a consistent framework for modifying any system of evolution equations by adding terms that push the evolution toward the constraint hypersurface. The method is, in principle, applicable to any system of partial differential equations which can be divided into evolution equations and constraints, although it is only demonstrated here through an application to the Maxwell equations.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 1 table. Uses REVTeX

Analytic Solutions of Teukolsky Equation in Kerr-de Sitter and Kerr-Newman-de Sitter Geometries

The analytic solution of Teukolsky equation in Kerr-de Sitter and Kerr-Newman-de Sitter geometries is presented and the properties of the solution are examined. In particular, we show that our solution satisfies the Teukolsky-Starobinsky identities explicitly and fix the relative normalization between solutions with the spin weight $s$ and $-s$.Comment: 24 pages, LaTe

The Federal Administrative Court Proposal: An Examination of General Principals

Simulations of relativistic hydrodynamics often need both high accuracy and robust shock-handling properties. The discontinuous Galerkin method combines these features—a high order of convergence in regions where the solution is smooth and shock-capturing properties for regions where it is not—with geometric flexibility and is therefore well suited to solve the partial differential equations describing astrophysical scenarios. We present here evolutions of a general-relativistic neutron star with the discontinuous Galerkin method. In these simulations, we simultaneously evolve the spacetime geometry and the matter on the same computational grid, which we conform to the spherical geometry of the problem. To verify the correctness of our implementation, we perform standard convergence and shock tests. We then show results for evolving, in three dimensions, a Kerr black hole; a neutron star in the Cowling approximation (holding the spacetime metric fixed); and, finally, a neutron star where the spacetime and matter are both dynamical. The evolutions show long-term stability, good accuracy, and an improved rate of convergence versus a comparable-resolution finite-volume method

Nonlinear Couplings of R-modes: Energy Transfer and Saturation Amplitudes at Realistic Timescales

Non-linear interactions among the inertial modes of a rotating fluid can be described by a network of coupled oscillators. We use such a description for an incompressible fluid to study the development of the r-mode instability of rotating neutron stars. A previous hydrodynamical simulation of the r-mode reported the catastrophic decay of large amplitude r-modes. We explain the dynamics and timescale of this decay analytically by means of a single three mode coupling. We argue that at realistic driving and damping rates such large amplitudes will never actually be reached. By numerically integrating a network of nearly 5000 coupled modes, we find that the linear growth of the r-mode ceases before it reaches an amplitude of around 10^(-4). The lowest parametric instability thresholds for the r-mode are calculated and it is found that the r-mode becomes unstable to modes with 13<n<15 if modes up to n=30 are included. Using the network of coupled oscillators, integration times of 10^6 rotational periods are attainable for realistic values of driving and damping rates. Complicated dynamics of the modal amplitudes are observed. The initial development is governed by the three mode coupling with the lowest parametric instability. Subsequently a large number of modes are excited, which greatly decreases the linear growth rate of the r-mode.Comment: 3 figures 4 pages Submitted to PR