Massive test particles motion in Kaluza-Klein gravity

Abstract

A class of static, vacuum solutions of (free-electromagnetic) Kaluza-Klein equations with three-dimensional spherical symmetry is studied. In order to explore the dynamic in such spacetimes, geodesic equations are obtained and the effective potential for massive test particles is analysed. Particular attention is devoted to the properties of the four dimensional counterpart of these solutions in their Schwarzschild limit. A modification of the circular stable orbits compared with the Schwarzschild case is investigated.