Stability of equatorial circular geodesics in static axially symmetric spacetimes

Abstract: A general study of the stability of equatorial circular orbits in static axially symmetric gravitating systems is presented. Important circular geodesics as the marginally stable orbit, the marginally bounded orbit and the photon orbit are analyzed. We found general expressions for the radius, specific energy, specific angular momentum and the radius of the marginally stable orbit, both for null and timelike circular geodesics. Solutions expressed in cylindrical coordinates, oblate spheroidal coordinates, and prolate spheroidal coordinates are considered. We show that all null circular orbits are unstable and that there are not marginally stable null geodesics, whereas that for timelike geodesics the orbits can be unbounded, bounded or circulars.