The Blandford-Znajek monopole is a conjectured solution of force-free electrodynamics in the vicinity of a slowly rotating Kerr black hole, supposedly defined as a perturbation in small angular momentum. It is used to argue for the extraction of energy from rotating black holes by the Blandford-Znajek process. We set up a careful analysis of the perturbative definition of the Blandford-Znajek monopole, showing in particular that the regime in which it is defined allows us to use the technique of matched asymptotic expansions. Our conclusion is that the Blandford-Znajek monopole, as it is defined, is not consistent with demanding physically reasonable boundary conditions far away from the event horizon. This puts into question the existence of the Blandford-Znajek monopole, at least in the limit of slow rotation of a Kerr black hole.

Existence of the Blandford-Znajek monopole for a slowly rotating Kerr black hole

Grignani, Gianluca
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
Orselli, Marta
Membro del Collaboration Group
2018

Abstract

The Blandford-Znajek monopole is a conjectured solution of force-free electrodynamics in the vicinity of a slowly rotating Kerr black hole, supposedly defined as a perturbation in small angular momentum. It is used to argue for the extraction of energy from rotating black holes by the Blandford-Znajek process. We set up a careful analysis of the perturbative definition of the Blandford-Znajek monopole, showing in particular that the regime in which it is defined allows us to use the technique of matched asymptotic expansions. Our conclusion is that the Blandford-Znajek monopole, as it is defined, is not consistent with demanding physically reasonable boundary conditions far away from the event horizon. This puts into question the existence of the Blandford-Znajek monopole, at least in the limit of slow rotation of a Kerr black hole.
2018
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11391/1438838
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