Unique Imprint of Black Hole Spin on the Polarization of Near-Horizon Images

Abstract

Extracting information about the gravitational background from black hole images is both important and challenging. In this study, we use a physically motivated plasma model, typically applied to stationary, axisymmetric spacetimes, to demonstrate that in a rotating black hole spacetime, the polarizations of emitted light near the event horizon depend solely on the spacetime geometry, independent of the plasma flow geometry. We confirm that the frame-dragging effect of a rotating black hole governs the observed polarization structure in the near-horizon image. This finding indicates a unique imprint of the black hole spin on the polarization of the near-horizon image. We anticipate that refined observations of near-horizon emissions by the next-generation Event Horizon Telescope will enable us to determine the black hole spin in a straightforward manner.