On Gravitational Chirality as the Genesis of Astrophysical Jets

TL;DR

This paper introduces new gravitational wave solutions with chirality that could explain the origin of astrophysical jets, providing models that produce jet-like features in spacetime simulations.

Contribution

It presents novel classes of gravitational wave solutions classified by chirality, linking gravitational phenomena to jet formation in astrophysics.

Findings

Solutions generate jet-like features in test particle trajectories

Models suggest gravitational waves could contribute to jet formation

Potential for improved astrophysical jet simulations

Abstract

It has been suggested that single and double jets observed emanating from certain astrophysical objects may have a purely gravitational origin. We discuss new classes of plane-fronted and pulsed gravitational wave solutions to the equation for perturbations of Ricci-flat spacetimes around Minkowski metrics, as models for the genesis of such phenomena. These solutions are classified in terms of their chirality and generate a family of non-stationary spacetime metrics. Particular members of these families are used as backgrounds in analysing time-like solutions to the geodesic equation for test particles. They are found numerically to exhibit both single and double jet-like features with dimensionless aspect ratios suggesting that it may be profitable to include such backgrounds in simulations of astrophysical jet dynamics from rotating accretion discs involving electromagnetic fields.