What is the Origin of Frame Dragging and Gravity Waves in GR?

In summary, frame dragging is a phenomenon in general relativity where a spinning body causes a dragging effect on the space around it, similar to how a moving charge creates a magnetic field in electromagnetism. Gravity waves, predicted by Einstein's equations, are similar to electromagnetic radiation and have yet to be directly detected. Both frame dragging and gravity waves were predicted soon after the publication of general relativity. Frame dragging is more noticeable in objects with strong gravitational fields, such as a black hole, and can affect the behavior of objects within its ergosphere. This effect must be taken into account when studying the gravitational field of a spinning body, as the Newtonian effects can be much larger.
  • #1
Phymath
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0
What is Frame Draggin, and Gravity Waves where did the idea of them come from in GR?
 
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  • #2
If you compare gravity to electromagnetism, frame-dragging is somewhat similar to the magnetic field due to moving charges (currents), and gravity waves are somewhat similar to electromagnetic radiation.

Maxwell's equations predict the wavelike solution for electromagnetism which gives rise to radio, light, and the entire electromagnetic spectrum - Einstein's equations of general relativity have similar wavelike solutions, so similar gravity waves should exist. However, AFAIK nobody has detected them directly yet.

Most of the experiments to detect gravitomagnetism / frame dragging involve spinning bodies. While this is not the only way to detect the phenomenon, it's one of the more clear-cut. To use the electromagnetic analogy, a spinning charge has both an electric and a magnetic field, while a non-spinning charge has only an electric field. Thus one way to detect magnetism would be to look for a difference in the behavior of a spinning charge (which would be affected by both electric and magnetic forces) and a non-spinning charge (which would only be affected by electric forces).


Wikipedia "Timeline of Gravitational physics & relativity" lists some dates and people as far as when the effects were first predicted theoretically:

Wikipedia timeline

# 1915 - Albert Einstein completes his theory of general relativity. The new theory perfectly matches Mercury's strange motions that baffled Urbain Le Verrier.
# 1916 - Albert Einstein shows that the field equations of general relativity admit wavelike solutions
# 1918 - J. Lense and Hans Thirring find the gravitomagnetic precession of gyroscopes in the equations of general relativity

So both effects were predicted very quickly after Einstein's theory was published.
 
  • #3
Frame dragging (aka Lens-Thirring effect) is not very noticeable in a body such Earth, but it must be quite important in a black hole. In concrete, in a Kerr black hole, there exists frame dragging in a zone called ergosphere, situated between the outer event horizon and the stationary limit. The ergosphere is not a fatal zone, you can scape of the black hole if you are in it, but you can't avoid to be dragged by frame dragging while staying in it
 
  • #4
so what physical effects might you observe? from both grav waves and dragging, like is the draggin creatine an extra gravity field because say the Earth is spinning, thus its gravity field is stronger? or is it some other field?
 
  • #5
The Earth's gravitational field induces orbital precession via standard Newtonian gravity. The exception is polar orbits, at which point the Newtonian effects vanish. It's critical to suppress the Newtonian effects because they are huge compared to frame dragging effects.
 

FAQ: What is the Origin of Frame Dragging and Gravity Waves in GR?

What is frame dragging?

Frame dragging, also known as the Lense-Thirring effect, is a phenomenon in which the rotation of a massive object causes the space and time around it to be distorted.

What are gravitation waves?

Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of space-time that are produced by the acceleration of massive objects. They propagate outward from their source at the speed of light, carrying energy away from the system.

How are frame dragging and gravitational waves related?

Frame dragging and gravitational waves are both predictions of Einstein's theory of general relativity. Both are caused by the warping of space and time by massive objects, but frame dragging is a permanent effect while gravitational waves are transient events.

Can frame dragging and gravitational waves be observed?

Yes, both frame dragging and gravitational waves have been observed. Frame dragging was first observed in 2004 by the Gravity Probe B mission, and gravitational waves were first directly detected in 2015 by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO).

What are the practical applications of studying frame dragging and gravitational waves?

Studying frame dragging and gravitational waves can help us better understand the nature of space and time, as well as the behavior of massive objects in the universe. It also has potential applications in fields such as astrophysics, cosmology, and gravitational wave astronomy.

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