Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: In this paper, 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.
Authors: Vitalii Vertogradov, Ali Övgün
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Award: G5697743561
OpenAlex ID: W4416388945