arXiv subjects

Annegret Burtscher

Publications and source records attributed to Annegret Burtscher.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

A conformal Hopf-Rinow theorem for semi-Riemannian spacetimes

The famous Hopf-Rinow Theorem states, amongst others, that a Riemannian manifold is metrically complete if and only if it is geodesically complete. The Clifton-Pohl torus fails to be geodesically complete proving that this theorem cannot be generalized to compact Lorentzian manifolds. On the other hand, Hopf and Rinow characterized metric completeness also by properness. García-Heveling and the author recently obtained a Lorentzian completeness-compactness result for open manifolds with a similar flavor. In this manuscript, we extend the null distance used in this approach and our theorem to proper cone structures and to a new class of semi-Riemannian manifolds, dubbed $(n-ν,ν)$-spacetimes. Moreover, we demonstrate that our result implies, and hence generalizes, the metric part of the Hopf-Rinow Theorem.

math.DG↗

arXiv2024

Time functions on Lorentzian length spaces

In general relativity, time functions are crucial objects whose existence and properties are intimately tied to the causal structure of a spacetime and also to the initial value formulation of the Einstein equations. In this work we establish all fundamental classical existence results on time functions in the setting of Lorentzian (pre-)length spaces (including causally plain continuous spacetimes, closed cone fields and even more singular spaces). More precisely, we characterize the existence of time functions by $K$-causality, show that a modified notion of Geroch's volume functions are time functions if and only if the space is causally continuous, and lastly, characterize global hyperbolicity by the existence of Cauchy time functions, and Cauchy sets. Our results thus inevitably show that no manifold structure is needed in order to obtain suitable time functions.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

Global Hyperbolicity through the Eyes of the Null Distance

No Hopf-Rinow Theorem is possible in Lorentzian Geometry. Nonetheless, we prove that a spacetime is globally hyperbolic if and only if it is metrically complete with respect to the null distance of a time function. Our approach is based on the observation that null distances behave particularly well for weak temporal functions in terms of regularity and causality. Specifically, we also show that the null distances of Cauchy temporal functions and regular cosmological time functions encode causality globally.

math.DG↗

arXiv2021

Weak second Bianchi identity for static, spherically symmetric spacetimes with timelike singularities

The (twice-contracted) second Bianchi identity is a differential curvature identity that holds on any smooth manifold with a metric. In the case when such a metric is Lorentzian and solves Einstein's equations with an (in this case inevitably smooth) energy-momentum-stress tensor of a "matter field" as the source of spacetime curvature, this identity implies the physical laws of energy and momentum conservation for the "matter field". The present work inquires into whether such a Bianchi identity can still hold in a weak sense for spacetimes with curvature singularities associated with timelike singularities in the "matter field". Sufficient conditions that establish a distributional version of the twice-contracted second Bianchi identity are found. In our main theorem, a large class of spherically symmetric static Lorentzian metrics with timelike one-dimensional singularities is identified, for which this identity holds. As an important first application we show that the well-known Reissner-Weyl-Nordström spacetime of a point charge does not belong to this class, but that Hoffmann's spacetime of a point charge with negative bare mass in the Born-Infeld electromagnetic vacuum does.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2021

Variations of Weyl's tube formula

In 1939 Weyl showed that the volume of spherical tubes around compact submanifolds M of Euclidean space depends solely on the induced Riemannian metric on M. Can this intrinsic nature of the tube volume be preserved for tubes with more general cross sections D than the round ball? Under sufficiently strong symmetry conditions on D the answer turns out to be yes.

math.DG↗

arXiv2020

Inscribed Radius Bounds for Lower Ricci Bounded Metric Measure Spaces with Mean Convex Boundary

Consider an essentially nonbranching metric measure space with the measure contraction property of Ohta and Sturm, or with a Ricci curvature lower bound in the sense of Lott, Sturm and Villani. We prove a sharp upper bound on the inscribed radius of any subset whose boundary has a suitably signed lower bound on its generalized mean curvature. This provides a nonsmooth analog to a result of Kasue (1983) and Li (2014). We prove a stability statement concerning such bounds and - in the Riemannian curvature-dimension (RCD) setting - characterize the cases of equality.

math.DG↗

arXiv2020

Properties of the Null Distance and Spacetime Convergence

The null distance for Lorentzian manifolds was recently introduced by Sormani and Vega. Under mild assumptions on the time function of the spacetime, the null distance gives rise to an intrinsic, conformally invariant metric that induces the manifold topology. We show when warped products of low regularity and globally hyperbolic spacetimes endowed with the null distance are (local) integral current spaces. This metric and integral current structure sets the stage for investigating convergence analogous to Riemannian geometry. Our main theorem is a general convergence result for warped product spacetimes relating uniform, Gromov--Hausdorff and Sormani--Wenger intrinsic flat convergence of the corresponding null distances. In addition, we show that non-uniform convergence of warping functions in general leads to distinct limiting behavior, such as limits that disagree.

math.DG↗

arXiv2011

An algebraic approach to manifold-valued generalized functions

We discuss the nature of structure-preserving maps of varies function algebras. In particular, we identify isomorphisms between special Colombeau algebras on manifolds with invertible manifold-valued generalized functions in the case of smooth parametrization. As a consequence, and to underline the consistency and validity of this approach, we see that this generalized version on algebra isomorphisms in turn implies the classical result on algebras of smooth functions.

math.FA↗

arXiv2010

Algebras of generalized functions with smooth parameter dependence

We show that spaces of Colombeau generalized functions with smooth parameter dependence are isomorphic to those with continuous parametrization. Based on this result we initiate a systematic study of algebraic properties of the ring $\widetilde{\mathbb{K}}_{sm}$ of generalized numbers in this unified setting. In particular, we investigate the ring and order structure of $\widetilde{\mathbb{K}}_{sm}$ and establish some properties of its ideals.

math.FA↗