Equivalence of Darmois-Israel and Distributional-Methods for Thin Shells in General Relativity

A distributional method to solve the Einstein's field equations for thin shells is formulated. The familiar field equations and jump conditions of Darmois-Israel formalism are derived. A carefull analysis of the Bianchi identities shows that, for cases under consideration, they make sense as distributions and lead to jump conditions of Darmois-Israel formalism.Comment: 17 pages Latex, no figures, to be published in Journ. Math. Phy

Stationary and Axisymmetric Solutions of Higher-Dimensional General Relativity

We study stationary and axisymmetric solutions of General Relativity, i.e. pure gravity, in four or higher dimensions. D-dimensional stationary and axisymmetric solutions are defined as having D-2 commuting Killing vector fields. We derive a canonical form of the metric for such solutions that effectively reduces the Einstein equations to a differential equation on an axisymmetric D-2 by D-2 matrix field living in three-dimensional flat space (apart from a subclass of solutions that instead reduce to a set of equations on a D-2 by D-2 matrix field living in two-dimensional flat space). This generalizes the Papapetrou form of the metric for stationary and axisymmetric solutions in four dimensions, and furthermore generalizes the work on Weyl solutions in four and higher dimensions. We analyze then the sources for the solutions, which are in the form of thin rods along a line in the three-dimensional flat space that the matrix field can be seen to live in. As examples of stationary and axisymmetric solutions, we study the five-dimensional rotating black hole and the rotating black ring, write the metrics in the canonical form and analyze the structure of the rods for each solution.Comment: 43 pages, v2: typos fixed, refs adde

On the response of gravitational antennas to dilatonic waves

It is pointed out that the coupling of macroscopic test masses to the gravi-dilaton background of string theory is non geodesic, in general, and cannot be parametrized by a Brans-Dicke model of scalar-tensor gravity. The response of gravitational antennas to dilatonic waves should be analyzed through a generalized equation of geodesic deviation, taking into account the possible direct coupling of the background to the (composition-dependent) dilatonic charge of the antenna.Comment: 10 pages, Latex, no figure

On asymptotically flat solutions of Einstein's equations periodic in time I. Vacuum and electrovacuum solutions

By an argument similar to that of Gibbons and Stewart, but in a different coordinate system and less restrictive gauge, we show that any weakly-asymptotically-simple, analytic vacuum or electrovacuum solutions of the Einstein equations which are periodic in time are necessarily stationary.Comment: 25 pages, 2 figures, published in Class. Quant. Grav

A Note on trapped Surfaces in the Vaidya Solution

The Vaidya solution describes the gravitational collapse of a finite shell of incoherent radiation falling into flat spacetime and giving rise to a Schwarzschild black hole. There has been a question whether closed trapped surfaces can extend into the flat region (whereas closed outer trapped surfaces certainly can). For the special case of self-similar collapse we show that the answer is yes, if and only if the mass function rises fast enough.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures; minor polish added to version

Godel-type Metrics in Various Dimensions II: Inclusion of a Dilaton Field

This is the continuation of an earlier work where Godel-type metrics were defined and used for producing new solutions in various dimensions. Here a simplifying technical assumption is relaxed which, among other things, basically amounts to introducing a dilaton field to the models considered. It is explicitly shown that the conformally transformed Godel-type metrics can be used in solving a rather general class of Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton-3-form field theories in D >= 6 dimensions. All field equations can be reduced to a simple "Maxwell equation" in the relevant (D-1)-dimensional Riemannian background due to a neat construction that relates the matter fields. These tools are then used in obtaining exact solutions to the bosonic parts of various supergravity theories. It is shown that there is a wide range of suitable backgrounds that can be used in producing solutions. For the specific case of (D-1)-dimensional trivially flat Riemannian backgrounds, the D-dimensional generalizations of the well known Majumdar-Papapetrou metrics of general relativity arise naturally.Comment: REVTeX4, 17 pp., no figures, a few clarifying remarks added and grammatical errors correcte

BPS Force Balances via Spin-Spin Interactions

We study two systems of BPS solitons in which spin-spin interactions are important in establishing the force balances which allow static, multi-soliton solutions to exist. Solitons in the Israel-Wilson-Perjes (IWP) spacetimes each carry arbitrary, classical angular momenta. Solitons in the Aichelburg-Embacher "superpartner" spacetimes carry quantum mechanical spin, which originates in the zero-modes of the gravitino field of N=2 supergravity in an extreme Reissner-Nordstrom background. In each case we find a cancellation between gravitational spin-spin and magnetic dipole-dipole forces, in addition to the usual one between Newtonian gravitational attraction and Coulombic electrostatic repulsion. In both cases, we analyze the forces between two solitons by treating one of the solitons as a probe or test particle, with the appropriate properties, moving in the background of the other. In the IWP case, the equation of motion for a spinning test particle, originally due to Papapetrou, includes a coupling between the background curvature and the spin of the test particle. In the superpartner case, the relevant equation of motion follows from a kappa-symmetric superparticle action.Comment: 11 page

Energy and Momentum of a Class of Rotating Gravitational Waves

We calculate energy and momentum for a class of cylindrical rotating gravitational waves using Einstein and Papapetrou's prescriptions. It is shown that the results obtained are reduced to the special case of the cylindrical gravitational waves already available in the literature.Comment: 11 pages, no figure, Late

Stationary perturbations and infinitesimal rotations of static Einstein-Yang-Mills configurations with bosonic matter

Using the Kaluza-Klein structure of stationary spacetimes, a framework for analyzing stationary perturbations of static Einstein-Yang-Mills configurations with bosonic matter fields is presented. It is shown that the perturbations giving rise to non-vanishing ADM angular momentum are governed by a self-adjoint system of equations for a set of gauge invariant scalar amplitudes. The method is illustrated for SU(2) gauge fields, coupled to a Higgs doublet or a Higgs triplet. It is argued that slowly rotating black holes arise generically in self-gravitating non-Abelian gauge theories with bosonic matter, whereas, in general, soliton solutions do not have rotating counterparts.Comment: 8 pages, revtex, no figure

Evaluation of the economic and environmental performance of low-temperature heat to power conversion using a reverse electrodialysis - Multi-effect distillation system

In the examined heat engine, reverse electrodialysis (RED) is used to generate electricity from the salinity difference between two artificial solutions. The salinity gradient is restored through a multi-effect distillation system (MED) powered by low-temperature waste heat at 100 ◦C. The current work presents the first comprehensive economic and environmental analysis of this advanced concept, when varying the number of MED effects, the system sizing, the salt of the solutions, and other key parameters. The levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) has been calculated, showing that competitive solutions can be reached only when the system is at least medium to large scale. The lowest LCOE, at about 0.03 €/kWh, is achieved using potassium acetate salt and six MED effects while reheating the solutions. A similar analysis has been conducted when using the system in energy storage mode, where the two regenerated solutions are stored in reservoir tanks and the RED is operating for a few hours per day, supplying valuable peak power, resulting in a LCOE just below 0.10 €/kWh. A life-cycle assessment has been also carried out, showing that the case with the lowest environmental impact is the same as the one with the most attractive economic performance. Results indicate that the material manufacturing has the main impact; primarily the metallic parts of the MED. Overall, this study highlights the development efforts required in terms of both membrane performance and cost reduction, in order to make this technology cost effective in the future