A more exact expression for the gravitational deflection of light, derived using material medium approach

• DOI: 10.1007/s10511-010-9148-3
• Publication Date: 2010-12-01T11:32:20Z
• Authors: A. K. Sen
• Keywords: 0103 physical sciences; 01 natural sciences

The deflection of a ray of light passing close to a gravitational mass is generally calculated from the null geodesic which the light ray (photon) follows. However, there is an alternate approach, where the effect of gravitation on the ray of light is estimated by considering the ray to be passing through a material medium. Calculations have been done in this paper, following the latter approach, to estimate the amount of deflection due to a static non-rotating mass. The refractive index of such a material medium, has been calculated in a more rigorous manner in the present work, and the final expression for the amount of deflection calculated here is claimed to be more exact than all other expressions derived so far, using material medium approach. Based on this expression, the amount of deflection for a sun grazing ray has also been calculated. The exact amount of deflection can be performed in a number of ways, without the material medium approach. However, the method presented here using the material medium approach and without any weak field approximation is believed to be original.