Analytical approach reveals how mass variation influences photon-sphere radius in black holes, indicating implications for shadow imaging.
We develop a compact and transparent framework for photon dynamics and shadow formation in slowly evolving, spherically symmetric spacetimes. Starting from the Eddington-Finkelstein action, we derive a force-decomposed radial equation in which the radial acceleration splits into an induced term sourced by mass variation, a centrifugal term, and a purely general-relativistic correction. A key result is a gauge-invariant energy-flux relation, [Formula: see text], which controls how time dependence modifies the canonical energy of null geodesics. In the adiabatic regime we obtain an explicit first-order shift of the photon-sphere radius, [Formula: see text], and connect it to the observable shadow through the evolving critical impact parameter, [Formula: see text]. For Vaidya spacetimes this predicts that accretion ([Formula: see text]) expands the photon sphere and increases the shadow angle, whereas mass loss has the opposite effect. Our formulation refines classic force-balance ideas to dynamical settings, provides a constructive link to time-dependent photon surfaces, and yields simple, observer-ready expressions for the evolution of the shadow. The framework offers a baseline for confronting time-variable horizon-scale imaging with dynamical inflow/outflow models.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Vertogradov et al. (2025) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: