Finite-distance corrections to the gravitational bending angle of light in the strong deflection limit

Abstract

Continuing work initiated in an earlier publication [A. Ishihara, Y. Suzuki, T. Ono, T. Kitamura, and H. Asada, Phys. Rev. D 94, 084015 (2016).], we discuss a method of calculating the bending angle of light in a static, spherically symmetric, and asymptotically flat spacetime, especially by taking into account the finite distance from a lens object to a light source and a receiver. For this purpose, we use the Gauss-Bonnet theorem to define the bending angle of light, such that the definition can be valid also in the strong deflection limit. Finally, this method is applied to Schwarzschild spacetime in order to discuss also possible observational implications. The proposed corrections for Sgr ${\mathrm{A}}^{*}$ for instance are able to amount to $\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{arcseconds}$ for some parameter range, which may be within the capability of near-future astronomy, while also the correction for the Sun in the weak-field limit is $\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{arcseconds}$.