Initial boundary value problems for Einstein's field equations and geometric uniqueness

While there exist now formulations of initial boundary value problems for Einstein's field equations which are well posed and preserve constraints and gauge conditions, the question of geometric uniqueness remains unresolved. For two different approaches we discuss how this difficulty arises under general assumptions. So far it is not known whether it can be overcome without imposing conditions on the geometry of the boundary. We point out a natural and important class of initial boundary value problems which may offer possibilities to arrive at a fully covariant formulation.Comment: 19 page

The Cauchy problem on a characteristic cone for the Einstein equations in arbitrary dimensions

We derive explicit formulae for a set of constraints for the Einstein equations on a null hypersurface, in arbitrary dimensions. We solve these constraints and show that they provide necessary and sufficient conditions so that a spacetime solution of the Cauchy problem on a characteristic cone for the hyperbolic system of the reduced Einstein equations in wave-map gauge also satisfies the full Einstein equations. We prove a geometric uniqueness theorem for this Cauchy problem in the vacuum case.Comment: 83 pages, 1 figur

A large class of non constant mean curvature solutions of the Einstein constraint equations on an asymptotically hyperbolic manifold

We construct solutions of the constraint equation with non constant mean curvature on an asymptotically hyperbolic manifold by the conformal method. Our approach consists in decreasing a certain exponent appearing in the equations, constructing solutions of these sub-critical equations and then in letting the exponent tend to its true value. We prove that the solutions of the sub-critical equations remain bounded which yields solutions of the constraint equation unless a certain limit equation admits a non-trivial solution. Finally, we give conditions which ensure that the limit equation admits no non-trivial solution.Comment: remark on the equivalence between the existence of a solution to the Lichnerowicz equation and to the prescribed scalar curvature equation added, reference [BPB09] added, to appear in Commun. Math. Phy

The Cauchy problems for Einstein metrics and parallel spinors

We show that in the analytic category, given a Riemannian metric $g$ on a hypersurface $M\subset \Z$ and a symmetric tensor $W$ on $M$, the metric $g$ can be locally extended to a Riemannian Einstein metric on $Z$ with second fundamental form $W$, provided that $g$ and $W$ satisfy the constraints on $M$ imposed by the contracted Codazzi equations. We use this fact to study the Cauchy problem for metrics with parallel spinors in the real analytic category and give an affirmative answer to a question raised in B\"ar, Gauduchon, Moroianu (2005). We also answer negatively the corresponding questions in the smooth category.Comment: 28 pages; final versio

Radiative multipole moments of integer-spin fields in curved spacetime

Radiative multipole moments of scalar, electromagnetic, and linearized gravitational fields in Schwarzschild spacetime are computed to third order in v in a weak-field, slow-motion approximation, where v is a characteristic velocity associated with the motion of the source. To zeroth order in v, a radiative moment of order l is given by the corresponding source moment differentiated l times with respect to retarded time. At second order in v, additional terms appear inside the spatial integrals. These are near-zone corrections which depend on the detailed behavior of the source. At third order in v, the correction terms occur outside the spatial integrals, so that they do not depend on the detailed behavior of the source. These are wave-propagation corrections which are heuristically understood as arising from the scattering of the radiation by the spacetime curvature surrounding the source. Our calculations show that the wave-propagation corrections take a universal form which is independent of multipole order and field type. We also show that in general relativity, temporal and spatial curvatures contribute equally to the wave-propagation corrections.Comment: 34 pages, ReVTe

Local well-posedness for membranes in the light cone gauge

In this paper we consider the classical initial value problem for the bosonic membrane in light cone gauge. A Hamiltonian reduction gives a system with one constraint, the area preserving constraint. The Hamiltonian evolution equations corresponding to this system, however, fail to be hyperbolic. Making use of the area preserving constraint, an equivalent system of evolution equations is found, which is hyperbolic and has a well-posed initial value problem. We are thus able to solve the initial value problem for the Hamiltonian evolution equations by means of this equivalent system. We furthermore obtain a blowup criterion for the membrane evolution equations, and show, making use of the constraint, that one may achieve improved regularity estimates.Comment: 29 page

Notes on a paper of Mess

These notes are a companion to the article "Lorentz spacetimes of constant curvature" by Geoffrey Mess, which was first written in 1990 but never published. Mess' paper will appear together with these notes in a forthcoming issue of Geometriae Dedicata.Comment: 26 page

Newtonian Cosmology in Lagrangian Formulation: Foundations and Perturbation Theory

The ``Newtonian'' theory of spatially unbounded, self--gravitating, pressureless continua in Lagrangian form is reconsidered. Following a review of the pertinent kinematics, we present alternative formulations of the Lagrangian evolution equations and establish conditions for the equivalence of the Lagrangian and Eulerian representations. We then distinguish open models based on Euclidean space $\R^3$ from closed models based (without loss of generality) on a flat torus \T^3. Using a simple averaging method we show that the spatially averaged variables of an inhomogeneous toroidal model form a spatially homogeneous ``background'' model and that the averages of open models, if they exist at all, in general do not obey the dynamical laws of homogeneous models. We then specialize to those inhomogeneous toroidal models whose (unique) backgrounds have a Hubble flow, and derive Lagrangian evolution equations which govern the (conformally rescaled) displacement of the inhomogeneous flow with respect to its homogeneous background. Finally, we set up an iteration scheme and prove that the resulting equations have unique solutions at any order for given initial data, while for open models there exist infinitely many different solutions for given data.Comment: submitted to G.R.G., TeX 30 pages; AEI preprint 01

Exploring new physics frontiers through numerical relativity

The demand to obtain answers to highly complex problems within strong-field gravity has been met with significant progress in the numerical solution of Einstein's equations - along with some spectacular results - in various setups. We review techniques for solving Einstein's equations in generic spacetimes, focusing on fully nonlinear evolutions but also on how to benchmark those results with perturbative approaches. The results address problems in high-energy physics, holography, mathematical physics, fundamental physics, astrophysics and cosmology