Shadows and photon spheres in static and rotating traversable wormholes

Abstract

We explore the shadows and photon orbits of both static and rotating traversable wormholes by employing a redshift function in combination with two distinct shape functions. Using the null geodesic equation derived from the Euler-Lagrange formalism, we investigate the gravitational lensing effects and the motion of photons in strong gravitational fields. Our study presents numerical simulations of ray tracing and intensity profiles to examine the observational signatures of traversable wormholes. The results reveal that the shadows of rotating wormholes exhibit asymmetry due to frame-dragging effects, akin to those seen in Kerr black holes. Furthermore, we compare the properties of wormhole shadows and photon spheres to those of black holes, highlighting key differences that may serve as potential observational signatures. These findings provide insights into the feasibility of detecting traversable wormholes through high-resolution astrophysical observations and gravitational lensing studies.