A Ray-Tracing Algorithm for Spinning Compact Object Spacetimes with Arbitrary Quadrupole Moments. I. Quasi-Kerr Black Holes

Dimitrios Psaltis , Tim Johannsen (Arizona)

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classification 🌌 astro-ph.HE gr-qc

keywords algorithmarbitraryquadrupolespacetimesblackcompactdescribeholes

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We describe a new numerical algorithm for ray tracing in the external spacetimes of spinning compact objects characterized by arbitrary quadrupole moments. Such spacetimes describe non-Kerr vacuum solutions that can be used to test the no-hair theorem in conjunction with observations of accreting black holes. They are also appropriate for neutron stars with spin frequencies in the 300-600 Hz range, which are typical of the bursting sources in low-mass X-ray binaries. We use our algorithm to show that allowing for the quadrupole moment of the spacetime to take arbitrary values leads to observable effects in the profiles of relativistic broadened fluorescent iron lines from geometrically thin accretion disks.

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Reshaping the inner shadow of a Kerr black hole by a torn accretion disk
gr-qc 2026-04 conditional novelty 6.0

Torn accretion disks around Kerr black holes erode the inner shadow and create bifurcated, crescent, and multi-ring shadow features driven by sub-disk discontinuities and outer tilt angle.