Which rule determines the direction of gravitomagnetism?

[adm2e]

Do you use a left-hand or right-hand rule with gravitomagnetism?

 

[pervect]

Usually people use a tensor formulation for the combined gravitoelectric and gravitomagnetic field, similar to the way that the Faraday tensor for electromagnetism combines the electric field and the magnetic field.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Electromagnetic_tensor&oldid=150939457

for a discussion of the Faraday tensor.

However, I suppose you could represent the gravitomagnetic field as a vector, as long as you don't try and transform it as a vector (the same caution applies to the tensor form - it "looks like" a tensor, but it doesn't transform as one).

If you did chose to represent it via a vector, I'd recommend using the right hand rule.

 

[Entropia]

The concept of gravitomagnetism, also known as frame-dragging, refers to the effect of a rotating mass on the surrounding spacetime. It is similar to the magnetic field produced by a moving electric charge, but in this case, it is the rotation of a massive object that creates the effect.

In terms of direction, gravitomagnetism follows the right-hand rule, similar to electromagnetism. This means that if you point your right thumb in the direction of the rotation of the massive object, the direction of the gravitomagnetic field will be in the direction of your curled fingers.

It is important to note that while the right-hand rule is used for both gravitomagnetism and electromagnetism, the underlying principles and mechanisms are different. Gravitomagnetism is a manifestation of the curvature of spacetime, while electromagnetism is a fundamental force of nature governed by the laws of quantum mechanics.

In conclusion, the right-hand rule can be used to determine the direction of gravitomagnetism, but it is important to understand that it is a concept in its own right and cannot be directly compared to electromagnetism.