We present an extension of the classical Fermat principle in optics to stationary space-times. This principle is applied to study the light rays joining an event with a timelike curve. Existence and multiplicity results of light rays are proved. Moreover, Morse Relations relating the set of rays to the topology of the space-time are obtained, by using the number of conjugate points of the ray. The results hold also for stationary space-times with boundary, in particular the Kerr space-time outside the stationary limit surface.
A Fermat principle for stationary space-times and applications to light rays / Fortunato, D.; Giannoni, F.; Masiello, A.. - In: JOURNAL OF GEOMETRY AND PHYSICS. - ISSN 0393-0440. - STAMPA. - 15:2(1995), pp. 159-188. [10.1016/0393-0440(94)00011-R]
A Fermat principle for stationary space-times and applications to light rays
Masiello, A.
1995-01-01
Abstract
We present an extension of the classical Fermat principle in optics to stationary space-times. This principle is applied to study the light rays joining an event with a timelike curve. Existence and multiplicity results of light rays are proved. Moreover, Morse Relations relating the set of rays to the topology of the space-time are obtained, by using the number of conjugate points of the ray. The results hold also for stationary space-times with boundary, in particular the Kerr space-time outside the stationary limit surface.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
