Frame-dragging and the kinematics of Galactic-Center stars

Abstract

We calculate the effects of frame dragging on the Galactic-Center stars. Assuming the stars are only slightly relativistic, we derive an approximation to the Kerr metric, which turns out to be a weak field Schwarzschild metric plus a frame dragging term. By numerically integrating the resulting geodesic equations, we compute the effect on keplerian elements and the kinematics. We find that the kinematic effect at pericenter passage is proportional to (a(1-e^2))^{-2}. For known Galactic-center stars it is of order 10 m/s. If observed this would provide a measurement of the spin of the black hole.

To appear in ApJ

References in corpus (5)

• A laser frequency comb that enables radial velocity measurements with a precision of 1 cm s${}^{-1}$
• An extrasolar planetary system with three Neptune-mass planets
• Testing the general relativistic ''no-hair'' theorems using the galactic center black hole SgrA*
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Cited by in corpus (20)

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• On post-Newtonian orbits and the Galactic-center stars
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• Strong gravity Lense-Thirring Precession in Kerr and Kerr-Taub-NUT spacetimes
• Long-term classical and general relativistic effects on the radial velocities of the stars orbiting Sgr A*
• Towards relativistic orbit fitting of Galactic center stars and pulsars
• What stellar orbit is needed to measure the spin of the Galactic center black hole from astrometric data?
• Prospects for constraining the spin of the massive black hole at the Galactic center via the relativistic motion of a surrounding star
• Relativistic redshift effects and the Galactic-center stars
• The Galactic Center as a laboratory for theories of gravity and dark matter
• Galactic-center S-Stars as a prospective test of the Einstein Equivalence Principle
• A tale of analogies: gravitomagnetic effects, rotating sources, observers and all that
• Multi-scale Constraints on Scalar-Field couplings to Matter: The Geodetic and Frame-Dragging Effects
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• The relativistic precession of the orbits
• An analytic solution for weak-field Schwarzschild geodesics