Year: 2008
Type: article
Abstract: We found strong similarities between the gravitational lensing and the conventional optical lensing. The similarities imply a graded refractive index description of the light deflection in gravitational field. We got a general approach to this refractive index in a static spherically symmetric gravitational field and obtained its exterior and interior solutions exactly through the general relativity. In weak field case, the two solutions come to a simple unified exponential function of the gravitational potential. With these results, the gravitational lensing can be analyzed in a convenient optical way. Especially, the long puzzling problem of the central image missing can be solved easily. We also pointed out that the graded refraction property of the gravitational spacetime is related to the vacuum influenced by the gravitational matter.
Authors: Xing-Hao Ye, Qiang Lin
Institution: Zhejiang University
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2072692289