Tidal Acceleration of Ultrarelativistic Particles

Abstract

We investigate the motion of free relativistic particles relative to the ambient medium around a gravitationally collapsed system. If the relative speed exceeds a critical value given by c/sqrt(2), the gravitational tidal effects exhibit novel features that are contrary to Newtonian expectations. In particular, ultrarelativistic jet clumps moving freely outward along the rotation axis strongly decelerate with respect to the ambient medium, while ultrarelativistic particles strongly accelerate in directions normal to the jet axis. The implications of these direct consequences of general relativity for jets in microquasars and the origin of the high-energy cosmic rays are briefly mentioned.

4 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics Letters