Axial torsion waves in metric-affine gravity

We construct new explicit vacuum solutions of quadratic metric-affine gravity. The approach of metric-affine gravity in using an independent affine connection produces a theory with 10+64 unknowns, which implies admitting torsion and possible nonmetricity. Our spacetimes are generalisations of classical pp-waves, four-dimensional Lorentzian spacetimes which admit a nonvanishing parallel spinor field. We generalize this definition to metric compatible spacetimes with pp-metric and purely axial torsion. It has been suggested that one can interpret that the axial component of torsion as the Hodge dual of the electromagnetic vector potential. We compare these solutions with our previous results and other solutions of classical models describing the interaction of gravitational and neutrino fields.Comment: 6 pages. Proceedings of the MG14 Meeting on General Relativity, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Italy, 12 - 18 July 2015. Edited by: Massimo Bianchi (Universit\`a degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata", Italy), Robert T Jantzen (Villanova University, USA), Remo Ruffini (International Center for Relativistic Astrophysics Network (ICRANet), Italy and University of Rome "La Sapienza", Italy

Physical interpretation of pp-waves with axial torsion

We consider generalised pp-waves with purely axial torsion, which we previously showed to be new vacuum solutions of quadratic metric-affine gravity. Our analysis shows that classical pp-waves of parallel Ricci curvature should not be viewed on their own. They are a particular representation of a wider class of solutions, namely generalised pp-waves of parallel Ricci curvature. We compare our pp-waves with purely axial torsion to solutions of Einstein-Weyl theory, the classical model describing the interaction of gravitational and massless neutrino fields.Comment: 5 pages. Proceedings of the MG14 Meeting on General Relativity, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Italy, 12 - 18 July 2015. Edited by: Massimo Bianchi (Universit\`a degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata", Italy), Robert T Jantzen (Villanova University, USA), Remo Ruffini (International Center for Relativistic Astrophysics Network (ICRANet), Italy and University of Rome "La Sapienza", Italy

Torsion Wave Solutions in Yang-Mielke Theory of Gravity

The approach of metric-affine gravity initially distinguishes it from Einstein’s general relativity. Using an independent affine connection produces a theory with 10 + 64 unknowns. We write down the Yang-Mills action for the affine connection and produce the Yang-Mills equation and the so-called complementary Yang-Mills equation by independently varying with respect to the connection and the metric, respectively. We call this theory the Yang-Mielke theory of gravity. We construct explicit spacetimes with pp-metric and purely axial torsion and show that they represent a solution of Yang-Mills theory. Finally we compare these spacetimes to existing solutions of metric-affine gravity and present future research possibilities

Black holes in the classical and quantum world

These are the lecture notes for an introductory course on black holes and some aspects of their interaction with the classical and quantum world. The focus is on phenomena of "fundamental physics" in the immediate surroundings of the black hole (classical and quantum fields, with little astrophysics). We aim more at qualitative, intuitive understanding than at quantitative rigor or detail. Accordingly, we only assume previous exposure to a conventional introduction to the elements of General Relativity and a glancing acquaintance with the Schwarzschild solution, but not more. We use many figures for illustrations and provide a set of carefully guided exercises. Topics: (1) The black hole as a tale of light and darkness. (2) The black hole that vibrates. (3) The black hole that rotates. (4) The black hole that evaporates. (A) Guided problems.Comment: Lectures at Second Training School of COST Action "Quantum gravity phenomenology in the multi-messenger approach", to be published in PoS. 51 pages, 17 figures. v2: minor corrections, final versio