Integrating the geodesic equations in the Schwarzschild and Kerr space-times using Beltrami's "geometrical" method

TL;DR

This paper applies Beltrami's geometric theorem to integrate geodesic equations in Schwarzschild and Kerr space-times, providing a purely geometric approach aligned with general relativity's principles.

Contribution

It demonstrates a novel geometric method for solving geodesic equations in key space-times using Beltrami's theorem, emphasizing a purely geometric approach.

Findings

Successful integration of geodesic equations for Schwarzschild and Kerr metrics.

Derivation of classical conservation laws from the geometric solutions.

Highlights the geometric nature of geodesic solutions in general relativity.

Abstract

We revisit a little known theorem due to Beltrami, through which the integration of the geodesic equations of a curved manifold is accomplished by a method which, even if inspired by the Hamilton-Jacobi method, is purely geometric. The application of this theorem to the Schwarzschild and Kerr metrics leads straightforwardly to the general solution of their geodesic equations. This way of dealing with the problem is, in our opinion, very much in keeping with the geometric spirit of general relativity. In fact, thanks to this theorem we can integrate the geodesic equations by a geometrical method and then verify that the classical conservation laws follow from these equations.