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Schwarzschild Geodesics & Lyapunov Exponent

Painlevé-Gullstrand Setup

\[ds^2 = -\!\left(1 - \frac{2M}{r}\right)dT^2 + 2\sqrt{\frac{2M}{r}}\,dT\,dr + dr^2 + r^2\,d\Omega^2\]

Regular at r = 2M (no coordinate singularity). Time T = PG time.

Derivation: λ = κ

Outgoing radial null geodesic: dr/dT = 1 − √(2M/r).

Near horizon: let r = 2M + ε, ε ≪ 2M.

\[\frac{d\varepsilon}{dT} = \kappa\varepsilon + O(\varepsilon^2), \qquad \kappa = \frac{1}{4M}\]

Solution: ε(T) = ε(0)·e^{κT}

Lyapunov exponent:

\[\lambda = \kappa = \frac{1}{4M}\]

Corrected Error (v5 → v6)

Earlier drafts contained a contradiction: claiming λ = 0 at the horizon (S-N bifurcation) while also claiming λ = κ > 0 (MSS saturation). These are mutually exclusive. Resolution: λ = κ > 0 is the correct statement for radial null congruences. The bifurcation (λ = 0 transition) is a different physical regime — the interior attractor.

MSS Comparison

Surface λ Status
Event horizon r = 2M κ = 1/(4M) ≈ 0.25/M MSS saturated ← unique
Photon sphere r = 3M 1/(3√3 M) ≈ 0.192/M Below MSS bound
Asymptotic r → ∞ 0 No divergence

Thermodynamic Reinterpretation

Classical expression Lyapunov reading
T_H = κ/(2π) Thermal scale of geodesic chaos
S_BH = ∫dM/T_H Integral of reciprocal chaos rate ∫(2π/λ)dM
Negative heat capacity Smaller M → larger λ → faster scrambling

MSS Bound Statement

\[\lambda_{\text{OTOC}} \leq 2\pi T\]

For Schwarzschild: λ = κ = 2πT_H. Exactly saturated at horizon and only at horizon.