Electrostatic boundary value problems in the Schwarzschild background

Abstract

The electrostatic potential of any test charge distribution in Schwarzschild space with boundary values is derived. We calculate the Green's function, generalize the second Green's identity for p-forms and find the general solution. Boundary value problems are solved. With a multipole expansion the asymptotic property for the field of any charge distribution is derived. It is shown that one produces a Reissner--Nordstrom black hole if one lowers a test charge distribution slowly toward the horizon. The symmetry of the distribution is not important. All the multipole moments fade away except the monopole. A calculation of the gravitationally induced electrostatic self-force on a pointlike test charge distribution held stationary outside the black hole is presented.