Past exam of the relativity course of the University of Cambridge 2019 Section B B5 Solution 2026-10-18
Write , with . On the equatorial plane, the geodesic Lagrangian isThe coordinates and are cyclic, giving . The conserved physical energy per unit rest mass is , while is the signed angular momentum per unit rest mass. The radial Euler-Lagrange equation, with , isThese are the requested geodesic equations. The equatorial condition is consistent with the polar equation by the spherical symmetry of the Schwarzschild metric.
The normalization of the four-velocity is . Insert the two conserved quantities and multiply by to obtainThis is a one-dimensional radial energy equation. Half of its left side is radial kinetic energy per unit mass plus an effective potential: the Newtonian centrifugal and gravitational terms acquire the extra attractive contribution .
A timelike circular Schwarzschild geodesic requires . Equivalently, set the derivative of to zero. At this gives , and substitution in the radial energy equation yieldsSuch timelike circular orbits require . Their coordinate angular velocity satisfies , and their proper clock rate is .
For the static North-Pole clock, . Consecutive overhead passages occur one coordinate orbital period apart, and the repeated Earth-satellite geometry gives equal signal travel delays. The comparison of circular-orbit and static Schwarzschild clocks therefore givesThis includes both gravitational and orbital-motion effects; a separate Newtonian time-dilation correction must not be added again.
For an estimate, Kepler's third law gives . The same approximate geostationary radius and period give . Expanding the ratio to first order,The satellite clock consequently gains about over a three-hour orbit in this approximation. The surface observer is taken to be static, and the spacetime model is the spherical Schwarzschild metric specified in the problem.