Upper bounds on collisional Penrose processes near rotating black-hole horizons

Journal Article · Thu Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 1977 · Phys. Rev., D; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.16.1615· OSTI ID:5433157

Piran, T; Shaham, J

In this paper, we develop a general formalism for calculating energies of particles which escape to infinity after a collision in black-hole ergospheres. A few examples, in particular the Compton scattering, are discussed. For the latter, some model numerical calculations are presented which demonstrate the conversion of infalling low-energy photons into soft ..gamma.. rays by equatorial plasma rings in black-hole ergospheres. The main conclusion to be drawn from this paper is that Compton-Penrose processes in black-hole ergospheres could produce characteristic soft ..gamma.. rays, whose spectrum is strongly governed by the electron mass, and rather weakly controlled by other parameters. Such Penrose processes seem to be quite unique to black holes, and further thought might be given to their possible realizations in astrophysics. The processes are only effective in rapidly rotating black holes.

• Research Organization: Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
• OSTI ID: 5433157
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev., D; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev., D; (United States) Vol. 16:6; ISSN PRVDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
ASTROPHYSICS
AXIAL SYMMETRY
BASIC INTERACTIONS
BLACK HOLES
CENTER-OF-MASS SYSTEM
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METRICS
ROTATIONAL STATES
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SPACE-TIME
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