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arXiv · 2603.25049

Critical Behavior of Photon Rings in Kerr-Bertotti-Robinson Spacetime

Xi Wan·Zhenyu Zhang·Fang-Stars Wei·Yehui Hou·Bin Chen
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Abstract

In this work, we investigate the critical behavior of photon rings in the Kerr-Bertotti-Robinson spacetime, describing a rotating black hole immersed in a background magnetic field. We analyze the radial and angular motions of photons under the small magnetic field approximation. Focusing on unstable spherical orbits, we determine three key parameters, $\gamma$, $\delta$, and $\tau$, which characterize radial compression, azimuthal advancement, and time delay. We then examine how these parameters depend on the black hole spin, magnetic field strength, and observer inclination for both on-axis and off-axis observers, and we further analyze the properties of higher-order images through near-critical lens equations. The results show that the magnetic field modifies the geodesic structure, and leads to observable changes in the fine structure of photon rings, providing a useful framework for probing magnetized black hole environments.

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Xi Wan, Zhenyu Zhang, Fang-Stars Wei, Yehui Hou, Bin Chen. 2026-03-26. Critical Behavior of Photon Rings in Kerr-Bertotti-Robinson Spacetime. https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.25049

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