3 research outputs found
On Effective Constraints for the Riemann-Lanczos System of Equations
There have been conflicting points of view concerning the Riemann--Lanczos
problem in 3 and 4 dimensions. Using direct differentiation on the defining
partial differential equations, Massa and Pagani (in 4 dimensions) and Edgar
(in dimensions n > 2) have argued that there are effective constraints so that
not all Riemann tensors can have Lanczos potentials; using Cartan's criteria of
integrability of ideals of differential forms Bampi and Caviglia have argued
that there are no such constraints in dimensions n < 5, and that, in these
dimensions, all Riemann tensors can have Lanczos potentials. In this paper we
give a simple direct derivation of a constraint equation, confirm explicitly
that known exact solutions of the Riemann-Lanczos problem satisfy it, and argue
that the Bampi and Caviglia conclusion must therefore be flawed. In support of
this, we refer to the recent work of Dolan and Gerber on the three dimensional
problem; by a method closely related to that of Bampi and Caviglia, they have
found an 'internal identity' which we demonstrate is precisely the three
dimensional version of the effective constraint originally found by Massa and
Pagani, and Edgar.Comment: 9pages, Te
Kerr-Schild Approach to the Boosted Kerr Solution
Using a complex representation of the Debney-Kerr-Schild (DKS) solutions and
the Kerr theorem we analyze the boosted Kerr geometries and give the exact and
explicit expressions for the metrics, the principal null congruences, the
coordinate systems and the location of the singularities for arbitrary value
and orientation of the boost with respect to the angular momentum. In the
limiting, ultrarelativistic case we obtain light-like solutions possessing
diverging and twisting principal null congruences and having, contrary to the
known pp-wave limiting solutions, a non-zero value of the total angular
momentum. The implications of the above results in various related fields are
discussed.Comment: 16 pages, LaTe