Metric perturbations of Kerr spacetime in Lorenz gauge: Circular equatorial orbits

Abstract: We construct the metric perturbation in Lorenz gauge for a compact body on a circular equatorial orbit of a rotating black hole (Kerr) spacetime, using a newly-developed method of separation of variables. The metric perturbation is formed from a linear sum of differential operators acting on Teukolsky mode functions, and certain auxiliary scalars, which are solutions to ordinary differential equations in the frequency domain. For radiative modes, the solution is uniquely determined by the $s=\pm2$ Weyl scalars, the $s=0$ trace, and $s=0,1$ gauge scalars whose amplitudes are determined by imposing continuity conditions on the metric perturbation at the orbital radius. The static (zero-frequency) part of the metric perturbation, which is handled separately, also includes mass and angular momentum completion pieces. The metric perturbation is validated against the independent results of a 2+1D time domain code, and we demonstrate agreement at the expected level in all components, and the absence of gauge discontinuities. In principle, the new method can be used to determine the Lorenz-gauge metric perturbation at a sufficiently high precision to enable accurate second-order self-force calculations on Kerr spacetime in future. We conclude with a discussion of extensions of the method to eccentric and non-equatorial orbits.