The effects of the spin and quadrupole moment of SgrA* on the orbits of S stars

Abstract

Measuring the astrometric and spectroscopic data of stars orbiting the central black hole in our galaxy (Sgr A*) offers a promising way to measure relativistic effects. In principle, the "no-hair" theorem can be tested at the Galactic Center by monitoring the orbital precession of S-stars due to the angular momentum (spin) and quadrupole moment of Sgr A*. Closer-in stars, more strongly affected by the black hole's rotation, may be required. GRAVITY+ could detect such stars that are currently too faint for GRAVITY. We aim to analytically and numerically characterize orbital reorientations induced by spin-related effects of Sgr A* up to the second post-Newtonian (2PN) order. We use the two-timescale method to derive the 2PN analytical expressions of the secular evolution of the orbital parameters that are related to the observer. To study the interaction between the orbital and spin orientations, we introduce observer-independent quantities that offer insight into the Kerr geometry. We also use the post-Newtonian code OOGRE to simulate hypothetical stars orbiting closer to Sgr A*, where spin and quadrupole effects are stronger. This enables comparison with our analytical predictions. We exhibit three orbital-timescale precession rates that encode the in-plane pericenter shift and the out-of-plane redirection of the osculating ellipse. We provide the 2PN expressions of these precession rates and express the orbit-integrated associated angular shifts of the pericenter and of the ellipse axes. We relate these orbital-timescale precession rates to the secular-timescale precession of the orbital angular momentum around the black hole spin axis. We consider that the theoretical insight we provide in this article will be useful in constraining the spin effect of Sgr A* with GRAVITY+ observations.