Geodesic potential of the magnetic dilaton black hole ($\tilde{V}=\frac{1}{2}[V(ϵ+L^2/R^2)-E^2]$)

Rotate any geodesic into an equatorial plane of the magnetically charged dilaton black hole. Conserved energy and angular momentum are $E=V\dot{t}$ and $L=R^2\dot{\varphi }$. Normalizing its tangent to $g(\dot{x},\dot{x})=-ϵ$, with $ϵ=1,0,-1$ for timelike, null and spacelike geodesics, gives ${\dot{r}}^2=E^2-V(ϵ+L^2/R^2)$. Thus its radial equation is ${\dot{r}}^2/2+\tilde{V}=0$. Radial null rays have $\dot{r}=\pm E$ and use the same Schwarzschild tortoise coordinate with $2M$ replaced by $r_{+}$.

For $f=1-2M/r$ and squared areal radius $C=r(r-b)$, an equatorial null geodesic obeys ${\dot{r}}^2=E^2[1-B^{2}f/C]$, with impact parameter $B=L/E$. At $b=2M$, $f/C=1/r^2$ in the exterior. Its supremum is $1/(4M^2)$ at the null singular boundary, rather than at a regular exterior photon sphere. Rays with $B>2M$ turn at $r=B$; rays with $B<2M$ reach the boundary. Assuming those rays are absorbed gives the displayed geometric-optics cross-section despite zero limiting horizon area.