Frame-Dragging: Meaning, Myths, and Misconceptions

Originally introduced in connection with general relativistic Coriolis forces, the term frame-dragging is associated today a plethora of effects related to off-diagonal element metric tensor. It also frequently subject misconceptions leading incorrect predictions, even nonexistent effects. We show that there are three different levels corresponding distinct gravitomagnetic objects: potential 1-form, field, and tidal tensor, whose independent, sometimes opposing. seen that, from two analogies commonly employed, analogy magnetism holds strong where it applies, whereas fluid-dragging (albeit some use, qualitatively, first level) is, general, misleading. Common (such as viscous-type “body-dragging”) debunked. Applications considered include rotating cylinders (Lewis–Weyl metrics), Kerr, Kerr–Newman Kerr–dS spacetimes, black holes surrounded by disks/rings, binary systems.