Orbits, forces and accretion dynamics near spinning black holes

Abstract

We analyze the relativistic dynamical properties of Keplerian and non-Keplerian circular orbits in a general axisymmetric and stationary gravitational field, and discuss the implications for the stability of co- and counter-rotating accretion disks and tori surrounding a spinning black hole. Close to the horizon there are orbital peculiarities which can seem counterintuitive, but are elucidated by formulating the dynamics in terms of the orbital velocity actually measured by a local, zero-angular-momentum observer.