Observational features of black holes

considered a very attracting possibility to detect retro-MACHOs, i.e. retro-images of the Sun by a Schwarzschild black hole. In this paper we discuss glories (mirages) formed near rapidly rotating Kerr black hole horizons and propose a procedure to measure masses and rotation parameters analyzing these forms of mirages. In some sense that is a manifestation of gravitational lens effect in the strong gravitational field near black hole horizon and a generalization of the retro-gravitational lens phenomenon. We analyze the case of a Kerr black hole rotating at arbitrary speed for some selected positions of a distant observer with respect to the equatorial plane of a Kerr black hole. We discuss glories (mirages) formed near rapidly rotating Kerr black hole horizons and propose a procedure to measure masses and rotation parameters analyzing these forms of mirages. Some time ago Falcke, suggested to search shadows at the Galactic Center. In this paper we present the boundaries for shadows calculated numerically. We also propose to use future radio interferometer RADIOASTRON facilities to measure shapes of mirages (glories) and to evaluate the black hole spin as a function of the position angle of a distant observer.

Recently Holz & Wheeler [1] considered a very attracting possibility to detect retro-MACHOs, i.e. retro-images of the Sun by a Schwarzschild black hole. In this paper we discuss glories (mirages) formed near rapidly rotating Kerr black hole horizons and propose a procedure to measure masses and rotation parameters analyzing these forms of mirages (a detailed description of the problem is given in [2]). In some sense that is a manifestation of gravitational lens effect in the strong gravitational field near black hole horizon and a generalization of the retro-gravitational lens phenomenon. We analyze the case of a Kerr black hole rotating at arbitrary speed for some selected positions of a distant observer with respect to the equatorial plane of a Kerr black hole. Some time ago Falcke, Melia & Agol [3] suggested to search shadows at the Galactic Center. In this paper we present the boundaries for shadows calculated numerically. We also propose to use future radio interferometer RADIOASTRON facilities to measure shapes of mirages (glories) and to evaluate the black hole spin as a function of the position angle of a distant observer.

Dark Matter in Astro- and Particle Physics, 2006

Recently Holz & Wheeler [1] considered a very attracting possibility to detect retro-MACHOs, i.e. retro-images of the Sun by a Schwarzschild black hole. In this paper we discuss glories (mirages) formed near rapidly rotating Kerr black hole horizons and propose a procedure to measure masses and rotation parameters analyzing these forms of mirages. In some sense that is a manifestation of gravitational lens effect in the strong gravitational field near black hole horizon and a generalization of the retro-gravitational lens phenomenon. We analyze the case of a Kerr black hole rotating at arbitrary speed for some selected positions of a distant observer with respect to the equatorial plane of a Kerr black hole. We discuss glories (mirages) formed near rapidly rotating Kerr black hole horizons and propose a procedure to measure masses and rotation parameters analyzing these forms of mirages. Some time ago Falcke, Melia & Agol [2] suggested to search shadows at the Galactic Center. In this paper we present the boundaries for shadows calculated numerically. We also propose to use future radio interferometer RADIOASTRON facilities to measure shapes of mirages (glories) and to evaluate the black hole spin as a function of the position angle of a distant observer.

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 2004

Gravitational lensing is a well known phenomenon predicted by the General Theory of Relativity. It is now a well-developed observational technique in astronomy and is considered to be a fundamental tool for acquiring information about the nature and distribution of dark matter. In particular, gravitational lensing experiments may be used to search for black holes. It has been proposed that a Schwarzschild black hole may act as a retro-lens (Holz & Wheeler 2002) which, if illuminated by a powerful light source (e.g. the Sun), deflects light ray paths to large bending angles so that the light may reach the observer. Here, by considering the strong field limit in the deflection angle and confining our analysis to the black hole equatorial plane, we extend the Holz-Wheeler results to slowly spinning Kerr black holes. By considering the Holz-Wheeler geometrical configuration for the lens, source and observer we find that the inclusion of rotation does not substantially change the brightness of the retro-lensing images with respect to the Schwarzschild case. We also discuss the possibility that the next generation space-based telescopes may detect such retro-images and eventually put limits on the rotational parameter of the black hole.

AIP Conference Proceedings, 2005

Recently Holz & Wheeler (2002) have considered a very attractive possibility to detect retro-MACHOs, i.e. retro-images of the Sun by a Schwarzschild black hole. We analyze the case of a Kerr black hole with an arbitrary spin for some selected positions of a distant observer with respect to the equatorial plane of a Kerr black hole. We discuss glories (mirages) formed near rapidly rotating Kerr black hole horizons and propose a procedure to measure masses and rotation parameters by analyzing these forms of mirages. In some sense, that is a manifestation of gravitational lens effect in the strong gravitational field near the black hole horizon and a generalization of the retro-gravitational lens phenomenon. We also propose to use future radio interferometer Radioastron facilities to measure shapes of mirages (glories) and to evaluate the black hole spin as a function of the position angle of a distant observer.

Physical Review D, 2016

We study the shadows cast by the different types of rotating regular black holes viz. Ayón-Beato-García (ABG), Hayward, and Bardeen. These black holes have in addition to the total mass (M) and rotation parameter (a), different parameters as electric charge (Q), deviation parameter (g), and magnetic charge (g *), respectively. Interestingly, the size of the shadow is affected by these parameters in addition to the rotation parameter. We found that the radius of the shadow in each case decreases monotonically and the distortion parameter increases when the value of these parameters increase. A comparison with the standard Kerr case is also investigated. We have also studied the influence of the plasma environment around regular black holes to discuss its shadow. The presence of the plasma affects the apparent size of the regular black hole's shadow to be increased due to two effects (i) gravitational redshift of the photons and (ii) radial dependence of plasma density.

Physical Review D

We consider a black hole mimicker given by an exact solution of the stationary and axially-symmetric field equations in vacuum known as the δ-Kerr metric. We study its optical properties based on a ray-tracing code for photon motion and characterize the apparent shape of the shadow of the compact object and compare it with the Kerr black hole. For the purpose of obtaining qualitative estimates related to the observed shadow of the supermassive compact object in the galaxy M87 we focus on values of the object's spin a and inclination angle of observation θ 0 close to the measured values. We then apply the model to the shadow of the δ-Kerr metric to obtain constraints on the allowed values of the deformation parameter. We show that based uniquely on one set of observations of the shadow's boundary it is not possible to exclude the δ-Kerr solution as a viable source for the geometry in the exterior of the compact object.

Physical Review D, 2012

We investigate the shadow cast by a rotating braneworld black hole, in the Randall-Sundrum scenario. In addition to the angular momentum, the tidal charge term deforms the shape of the shadow. For a given value of the rotation parameter, the presence of a negative tidal charge enlarges the shadow and reduces its deformation with respect to Kerr spacetime, while for a positive charge, the opposite effect is obtained. We also analyze the case in which the combination of the rotation parameter and the tidal charge results in a naked singularity. We discuss the observational prospects corresponding to the supermassive black hole at the Galactic center.

Mathematical physics: proceedings of the 12th …, 2007

To describe black hole in astrophysics typically astronomers use Newtonian approaches for gravitational field because usually one analyzes processes acting far enough (in Schwarzschild radius units) from black hole horizons. Here we discuss phenomena where we have to use general relativistic approaches to explain present and future observational data like Fe K α line profiles and shapes of shadows around black holes. Different X-ray missions such as ASCA, XMM-Newton, Chandra etc. discovered features of Fe K α lines and other X-ray lines as well. Attempts to fit spectral line shapes lead to conclusions that sometimes the profiles line shapes should correspond to radiating regions which are located in the innermost parts of accretion disks where contributions of general relativistic phenomena are extremely important. As an illustration we consider a radiating annulus model to clarify claims given recently by Müller & Camenzind (2004). We discuss properties of highly inclined disks and analyze a possibility to evaluate magnetic fields near black hole horizons. We mention also that shadows could give us another case when one could evaluate black hole parameters (namely, spins, charges and inclination angles) analyzing sizes and shapes shadows around black holes. We discuss glories (mirages) formed near rapidly rotating Kerr black hole horizons and propose a procedure to measure masses, charges and rotation parameters analyzing these forms of mirages. We also propose to use future radio interferometer RADIOASTRON (Millimetron or MAXIM) facilities to measure shapes of mirages (glories) and to evaluate the black hole spin as a function of the position angle of a distant observer. We propose also a procedure to measure a black hole charge with future space missions.

Physical Review D, 2019