Black-hole eddy currents

Abstract

We study dissipative test electromagnetic fields in a black-hole background. Quantities such as surface velocity, tangential electric field, normal magnetic induction, total surface current, and conduction surface current are introduced and are shown to satisfy Ohm's law with a surface resistivity of $4\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\simeq}377$ ohms. Associated with these currents there exists a "Joule heating". These currents can exist when the black hole is inserted in an external electric circuit, but they can exist even in the absence of external currents. In particular, we study the eddy currents induced by the rotation of a black hole in an oblique uniform magnetic field, and we show how the computation of the ohmic losses allows a very simple derivation of the torque exerted on the hole.