arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J. G. Pereira.
The weak gravitational field expansion method to account for the gravitationally induced neutrino oscillation effect is critically examined. It is shown that the splitting of the neutrino phase into a ``kinematic'' and a ``gravitational'' phase is not always possible because the relativistic factor modifies the particle interference phase splitting condition in a gravitational field.
The fundamentals of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity are presented, and its main properties described. In particular, the field equations, the definition of an energy--momentum density for the gravitational field, the teleparallel version of the equivalence principle, and the dynamical role played by torsion as compared to the corresponding role played by curvature in general relativity, are discussed in some details.
In the context of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity, we show that the energy-momentum density for the gravitational field can be described by a true spacetime tensor. It is also invariant under local (gauge) translations of the tangent space coordinates, but transforms covariantly only under global Lorentz transformations. When the gauge gravitational field equation is written in a purely spacetime form, it becomes the teleparallel equivalent of Einstein's equation, and we recover Møller's expression for the canonical gravitational energy-momentum pseudotensor.
By exploring the relationship between the propagation of electromagnetic waves in a gravitational field and the light propagation in a refractive medium, it is shown that, in the presence of a positive cosmological constant, the velocity of light will be smaller than its special relativity value. Then, restricting again to the domain of validity of geometrical optics, the same result is obtained in the context of wave optics. It is argued that this phenomenon and the anisotropy in the velocity of light in a gravitational field are produced by the same mechanism.
In the context of a gauge theory for the translation group, a conserved energy-momentum gauge current for the gravitational field is obtained. It is a true spacetime and gauge tensor, and transforms covariantly under global Lorentz transformations. By rewriting the gauge gravitational field equation in a purely spacetime form, it becomes the teleparallel equivalent of Einstein's equation, and the gauge current reduces to the Møller's canonical energy-momentum density of the gravitational field.
Relying upon the equivalence between a gauge theory for the translation group and general relativity, a teleparallel version of the original Kaluza-Klein theory is developed. In this model, only the internal space (fiber) turns out to be five dimensional, spacetime being kept always four dimensional. A five-dimensional translational gauge theory is obtained which unifies, in the sense of Kaluza-Klein theories, gravitational and electromagnetic interactions.
Recent data on supernovae favor high values of the cosmological constant. Spacetimes with a cosmological constant have non-relativistic kinematics quite different from Galilean kinematics. De Sitter spacetimes, vacuum solutions of Einstein's equations with a cosmological constant, reduce in the non-relativistic limit to Newton-Hooke spacetimes, which are non-metric homogeneous spacetimes with non-vanishing curvature. The whole non-relativistic kinematics would then be modified, with possible consequences to cosmology, and in particular to the missing-mass problem.
In the framework of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity, we study the dynamics of a gravitationally coupled electromagnetic field. It is shown that the electromagnetic field is able not only to couple to torsion, but also, through its energy-momentum tensor, to produce torsion. Furthermore, it is shown that the coupling of the electromagnetic field with torsion preserves the local gauge invariance of Maxwell's theory.
Solutions of the sourceless Einstein's equation with weak and strong cosmological constants are discussed by using Inönü-Wigner contractions of the de Sitter groups and spaces. The more usual case corresponds to a weak cosmological-constant limit, in which the de Sitter groups are contracted to the Poincaré group, and the de Sitter spaces are reduced to the Minkowski space. In the strong cosmological-constant limit, however, the de Sitter groups are contracted to another group which has the same abstract Lie algebra of the Poincaré group, and the de Sitter spaces are reduced to a 4-dimensional cone-space of infinite scalar curvature, but vanishing Riemann and Ricci curvature tensors. In such space, the special conformal transformations act transitively, and the equivalence between inertial frames is that of special relativity.
The quadratic form of the Dirac equation in a Riemann spacetime yields a gravitational gyromagnetic ratio κ_S = 2 for the interaction of a Dirac spinor with curvature. A gravitational gyromagnetic ratio κ_S = 1 is also found for the interaction of a vector field with curvature. It is shown that the Dirac equation in a curved background can be obtained as the square--root of the corresponding vector field equation only if the gravitational gyromagnetic ratios are properly taken into account.
A comparative study between the metric and the teleparallel descriptions of gravitation is made for the case of a scalar field. In contrast to the current belief that only spin matter could detect the teleparallel geometry, scalar matter being able to feel the metric geometry only, we show that a scalar field is able not only to feel anyone of these geometries, but also to produce torsion. Furthermore, both descriptions are found to be completely equivalent, which means that in fact, besides coupling to curvature, a scalar field couples also to torsion.
In the context of a gauge theory for the translation group, we have obtained, for a spinless particle, a gravitational analog of the Lorentz force. Then, we have shown that this force equation can be rewritten in terms of magnitudes related to either the teleparallel or the riemannian structures induced in spacetime by the presence of the gravitational field. In the first case, it gives a force equation, with torsion playing the role of force. In the second, it gives the usual geodesic equation of General Relativity. The main conclusion is that scalar matter is able to feel anyone of the above spacetime geometries, the teleparallel and the metric ones. Furthermore, both descriptions are found to be completely equivalent in the sense that they give the same physical trajectory for a spinless particle in a gravitational field.
We apply a multiple-time version of the reductive perturbation method to study long waves as governed by the shallow water wave model equation. As a consequence of the requirement of a secularity-free perturbation theory, we show that the well known N-soliton dynamics of the shallow water wave equation, in the particular case of $α=2 β$, can be reduced to the N-soliton solution that satisfies simultaneously all equations of the Korteweg-de Vries hierarchy.
We show in this letter that the perturbed Burgers equation $u_t = 2uu_x + u_{xx} + ε( 3 α_1 u^2 u_x + 3α_2 uu_{xx} + 3α_3 u_x^2 + α_4 u_{xxx} )$ is equivalent, through a near-identity transformation and up to order ε, to a linearizable equation if the condition $3α_1 - 3α_3 - 3/2 α_2 + 3/2 α_4 = 0$ is satisfied. In the case this condition is not fulfilled, a normal form for the equation under consideration is given. Then, to illustrate our results, we make a linearizability analysis of the equations governing the dynamics of a one-dimensional gas.
With the exception of gravitation, the known fundamental interactions of Nature are mediated by gauge fields. A comparison of the candidate groups for a gauge theory possibly describing gravitation favours the Poincaré group as the obvious choice. This theory gives Einstein's equations in a particular case, and Newton's law in the static non-relativistic limit, being seemingly sound at the classical level. But it comes out that it is not quantizable. The usual procedure of adding counterterms to make it a consistent and renormalizable theory leads to two possible theories, one for each of the two de Sitter groups, SO(4,1) and SO(3,2). The consequences of changing from the Poincaré to the de Sitter group, as well as the positive aspects, perspectives and drawbacks of the resulting theory are discussed.
By considering the long-wave limit of the regularized long wave (RLW) equation, we study its multiple-time higher-order evolution equations. As a first result, the equations of the Korteweg-de Vries hierarchy are shown to play a crucial role in providing a secularity-free perturbation theory in the specific case of a solitary-wave solution. Then, as a consequence, we show that the related perturbative series can be summed and gives exactly the solitary-wave solution of the RLW equation. Finally, some comments and considerations are made on the N-soliton solution, as well as on the limitations of applicability of the multiple scale method in obtaining uniform perturbative series.
We apply a multiple-time version of the reductive perturbation method to study long waves as governed by the Boussinesq model equation. By requiring the absence of secular producing terms in each order of the perturbative scheme, we show that the solitary-wave of the Boussinesq equation can be written as a solitary-wave satisfying simultaneously all equations of the KdV hierarchy, each one in a different slow time variable. We also show that the conditions for eliminating the secularities are such that they make the perturbation theory compatible with the linear theory coming from the Boussinesq equation.
We study the Boussinesq equation from the point of view of a multiple-time reductive perturbation method. As a consequence of the elimination of the secular producing terms through the use of the Korteweg--de Vries hierarchy, we show that the solitary--wave of the Boussinesq equation is a solitary--wave satisfying simultaneously all equations of the Korteweg--de Vries hierarchy, each one in an appropriate slow time variable.