Charged-black-hole electrostatics

Journal Article · Mon Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 1976 · Phys. Rev., D; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.14.2474· OSTI ID:7137137

Adler, R J; Das, T K

We study electrostatics in the background gravitational and electric field of a charged massive body or black hole that is described by the Reissner-Nordstroem metric and its associated electric field. That is, we neglect the gravitational field associated with the perturbing charges and electric fields. Specifically, we consider the special case in which the charge e and mass M of the Reissner-Nordstroem metric are related by e/sup 2/ = kappaM/sup 2/, with kappa the gravitational constant, and obtain the multipole solutions of Maxwell's equations for small electrostatic perturbations. As one example we give the field of a point test charge in remarkably simple closed algebraic form and study its behavior as the charge approaches the black-hole surface: Loosely speaking, the test charge is rapidly ''swallowed'' by the black hole. Lastly, we show that our results are readily generalized to cover both electrically and magnetically charged test particles. (AIP)

• Research Organization: Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, 50.000-Recife-Pe., Brazil
• OSTI ID: 7137137
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev., D; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev., D; (United States) Vol. 14:10; ISSN PRVDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640106* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Cosmology
657003 -- Theoretical & Mathematical Physics-- Relativity & Gravitation
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BLACK HOLES
CHARGED PARTICLES
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTROSTATICS
EQUATIONS
FUNCTIONS
GRAVITATIONAL FIELDS
LEGENDRE POLYNOMIALS
MAXWELL EQUATIONS
METRICS
MULTIPOLES
POLYNOMIALS