On tilted perfect fluid Bianchi type VI0_0 self-similar models

We show that the tilted perfect fluid Bianchi VI$_0$ family of self-similar models found by Rosquist and Jantzen [K. Rosquist and R. T. Jantzen, \emph{% Exact power law solutions of the Einstein equations}, 1985 Phys. Lett. \textbf{107}A 29-32] is the most general class of tilted self-similar models but the state parameter $\gamma$ lies in the interval $(\frac 65,\frac 32)$. The model has a four dimensional stable manifold indicating the possibility that it may be future attractor, at least for the subclass of tilted Bianchi VI$_0$ models satisfying $n_\alpha ^\alpha =0$ in which it belongs. In addition the angle of tilt is asymptotically significant at late times suggesting that for the above subclasses of models the tilt is asymptotically extreme.Comment: Latex, 7 pages, no figures; (v2) some clarification comments are added in the discussion and one reference; (v3) minor corrections in equations (1), (3) and (19

Geometric equations of state in Friedmann-Lema\^{i}tre universes admitting matter and Ricci Collineations

As a rule in General Relativity the spacetime metric fixes the Einstein tensor and through the Field Equations (FE) the energy-momentum tensor. However one cannot write the FE explicitly until a class of observers has been considered. Every class of observers defines a decomposition of the energy-momentum tensor in terms of the dynamical variables energy density ($\mu$), the isotropic pressure ($p$), the heat flux $q^a$ and the traceless anisotropic pressure tensor $\pi_{ab}$. The solution of the FE requires additional assumptions among the dynamical variables known with the generic name equations of state. These imply that the properties of the matter for a given class of observers depends not only on the energy-momentum tensor but on extra a priori assumptions which are relevant to that particular class of observers. This makes difficult the comparison of the Physics observed by different classes of observers for the {\it same} spacetime metric. One way to overcome this unsatisfactory situation is to define the extra condition required among the dynamical variables by a geometric condition, which will be based on the metric and not to the observers. Among the possible and multiple conditions one could use the consideration of collineations. We examine this possibility for the Friedmann-Lema\^{i}tre-Robertson-Walker models admitting matter and Ricci collineations and determine the equations of state for the comoving observers. We find linear and non-linear equations of state, which lead to solutions satisfying the energy conditions, therefore describing physically viable cosmological models.Comment: 14 pages, Latex; to appear in General Relativity and Gravitatio

Uniqueness of Petrov type D spatially inhomogeneous irrotational silent models

The consistency of the constraint with the evolution equations for spatially inhomogeneous and irrotational silent (SIIS) models of Petrov type I, demands that the former are preserved along the timelike congruence represented by the velocity of the dust fluid, leading to \emph{new} non-trivial constraints. This fact has been used to conjecture that the resulting models correspond to the spatially homogeneous (SH) models of Bianchi type I, at least for the case where the cosmological constant vanish. By exploiting the full set of the constraint equations as expressed in the 1+3 covariant formalism and using elements from the theory of the spacelike congruences, we provide a direct and simple proof of this conjecture for vacuum and dust fluid models, which shows that the Szekeres family of solutions represents the most general class of SIIS models. The suggested procedure also shows that, the uniqueness of the SIIS of the Petrov type D is not, in general, affected by the presence of a non-zero pressure fluid. Therefore, in order to allow a broader class of Petrov type I solutions apart from the SH models of Bianchi type I, one should consider more general ``silent'' configurations by relaxing the vanishing of the vorticity and the magnetic part of the Weyl tensor but maintaining their ``silence'' properties i.e. the vanishing of the curls of $E_{ab},H_{ab}$ and the pressure $p$.Comment: Latex, 19 pages, no figures;(v2) some clarification remarks and an appendix are added; (v3) minor changes to match published versio