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D. Bini

Publications and source records attributed to D. Bini.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

Wedging spacetime principal null directions

Taking wedge products of the $p$ distinct principal null directions associated with the eigen-bivectors of the Weyl tensor associated with the Petrov classification, when linearly independent, one is able to express them in terms of the eigenvalues governing this decomposition. We study here algebraic and differential properties of such $p$-forms by completing previous geometrical results concerning type I spacetimes and extending that analysis to algebraically special spacetimes with at least 2 distinct principal null directions. A number of vacuum and nonvacuum spacetimes are examined to illustrate the general treatment.

gr-qc

Spacetime Splitting, Admissible Coordinates and Causality

To confront relativity theory with observation, it is necessary to split spacetime into its temporal and spatial components. The (1+3) timelike threading approach involves restrictions on the gravitational potentials $(g_{μν})$, while the (3+1) spacelike slicing approach involves restrictions on $(g^{μν})$. These latter coordinate conditions protect chronology within any such coordinate patch. While the threading coordinate conditions can be naturally integrated into the structure of Lorentzian geometry and constitute the standard coordinate conditions in general relativity, this circumstance does not extend to the slicing coordinate conditions. We explore the influence of chronology violation on wave motion. In particular, we consider the propagation of radiation parallel to the rotation axis of stationary Gödel-type universes characterized by parameters $η> 0$ and $λ> 0$ such that for $η< 1$ ($η>1$) chronology is protected (violated). We show that in the WKB approximation such waves can freely propagate only when chronology is protected.

gr-qc

Strains and Jets in Black Hole Fields

We study the behaviour of an initially spherical bunch of particles emitted along trajectories parallel to the symmetry axis of a Kerr black hole. We show that, under suitable conditions, curvature and inertial strains compete to generate jet-like structures.

gr-qc

On the equilibrium of a charged massive particle in the field of a Reissner-Nordström black hole

The multiyear problem of a two-body system consisting of a Reissner-Nordström black hole and a charged massive particle at rest is here solved by an exact perturbative solution of the full Einstein-Maxwell system of equations. The expressions of the metric and of the electromagnetic field, including the effects of the electromagnetically induced gravitational perturbation and of the gravitationally induced electromagnetic perturbation, are presented in closed analytic formulas.

gr-qc

Inertial effects of an accelerating black hole

We consider the static vacuum C metric that represents the gravitational field of a black hole of mass $m$ undergoing uniform translational acceleration $A$ such that $mA<1/(3\sqrt{3})$. The influence of the inertial acceleration on the exterior perturbations of this background are investigated. In particular, we find no evidence for a direct spin-acceleration coupling.

gr-qc

Second Order Scalar Invariants of the Riemann Tensor: Applications to Black Hole Spacetimes

We discuss the Kretschmann, Chern-Pontryagin and Euler invariants among the second order scalar invariants of the Riemann tensor in any spacetime in the Newman-Penrose formalism and in the framework of gravitoelectromagnetism, using the Kerr-Newman geometry as an example. An analogy with electromagnetic invariants leads to the definition of regions of gravitoelectric or gravitomagnetic dominance.

gr-qc

On gravitomagnetic precession around black holes

We compute exactly the Lense-Thirring precession frequency for point masses in the Kerr metric, for arbitrary black hole mass and specific angular momentum. We show that this frequency, for point masses at or close to the innermost stable orbit, and for holes with moderate to extreme rotation, is less than, but comparable to the rotation frequency. Thus, if the quasi periodic oscillations (QPOs) observed in the modulation of the X-ray flux from some black holes candidates are due to Lense-Thirring precession of orbiting material, we predict that a separate, distinct QPO ought to be observed in each object.

astro-ph