Static coordinates on anti-de Sitter spacetime

In four dimensions, global static coordinates have

In static coordinates on anti-de Sitter spacetime with curvature radius $L$ and $c=1$, put $f=1+r^2/L^2$. The conserved energy per unit rest mass is $E=fdt/d\tau$. Timelike normalization for a radial geodesic gives $(dr/d\tau {)}^2=E^2-1-r^2/L^2$, hence $d^{2}r/d{\tau }^2=-r/L^2$. An outward launch from the origin at proper time ${\tau }_0$ gives the displayed harmonic solution until its first return, after proper time $\pi L$, independently of $E>1$. Beyond that return, use a signed diameter coordinate or change the radial direction to keep the areal radius nonnegative. This is a coordinate realization of Anti-de Sitter timelike geodesic refocusing.

In global static coordinates, an outward radial null geodesic takes infinite affine parameter to approach the anti-de Sitter conformal boundary but only finite static coordinate time $\pi a/2$.

In static coordinates on anti-de Sitter spacetime, write $f=1+r^2/L^2$, conserved energy per unit rest mass $E=f\dot{t}$, and conserved specific angular momentum $h=r^2\dot{\varphi }$. Timelike normalization gives ${\dot{r}}^2=E^2-V_{\mathrm{eff}}$ with $V_{\mathrm{eff}}=f(1+h^2/r^2)$. A circular geodesic at $r_0>0$ obeys $V_{\mathrm{eff}}^{\prime }=0$, so $h^2=r_0^4/L^2$ and $E=f(r_0)$. Thus $\dot{t}=1$ and $\dot{\varphi }=\pm 1/L$. Both its static-coordinate period and its own proper time period are $2\pi L$, independent of radius. Stability follows from $V_{\mathrm{eff}}^{\prime \prime }(r_0)=8/L^2>0$. A static clock at the orbital radius measures the different period $2\pi L\sqrt{f(r_0)}$, which does depend on radius.