arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J. M. M. Senovilla.
In this lecture we will show some properties of a singularity-free solution to Einstein's equations and its accordance with some theorems dealing with singularities. We will also discuss the implications of the results.
We show that the solution published in Ref.1 is geodesically complete and singularity-free. We also prove that the solution satisfies the stronger energy and causality conditions, such as global hyperbolicity, causal symmetry and causal stability. A detailed discussion about which assumptions in the singularity theorems are not fulfilled is performed, and we show explicitly that the solution is in accordance with those theorems. A brief discussion of the results is given.
The Chevreton superenergy tensor was introduced in 1964 as a counterpart, for electromagnetic fields, of the well-known Bel-Robinson tensor of the gravitational field. We here prove the unnoticed facts that, in the absence of electromagnetic currents, Chevreton's tensor (i) is completely symmetric, and (ii) has a trace-free divergence if Einstein-Maxwell equations hold. It follows that the trace of the Chevreton tensor is a rank-2, symmetric, trace-free, {\em conserved} tensor, which is different from the energy-momentum tensor, and nonetheless can be constructed for any test Maxwell field, or any Einstein-Maxwell spacetime.
We define a new type of transformation for Lorentzian manifolds characterized by mapping every causal future-directed vector onto a causal future-directed vector. The set of all such transformations, which we call causal symmetries, has the structure of a submonoid. Some of their properties are investigated and we give necessary conditions for a vector field $\xiv$ to be the infinitesimal generator of a one-parameter group of causal symmetries. Some examples are discussed.
A very simple criterion to ascertain if (D-2)-surfaces are trapped in arbitrary D-dimensional Lorentzian manifolds is given. The result is purely geometric, independent of the particular gravitational theory, of any field equations or of any other conditions. Many physical applications arise, a few shown here: a definition of general horizon, which reduces to the standard one in black holes/rings and other known cases; the classification of solutions with a (D-2)-dimensional abelian group of motions and the invariance of the trapping under simple dimensional reductions of the Kaluza-Klein/string/M-theory type. Finally, a stronger result involving closed trapped surfaces is presented. It provides in particular a simple sufficient condition for their absence.
In Lorentzian manifolds of any dimension the concept of causal tensors is introduced. Causal tensors have positivity properties analogous to the so-called ``dominant energy condition''. Further, it is shown how to build, from ANY given tensor $A$, a new tensor quadratic in $A$ and ``positive'', in the sense that it is causal. These tensors are called superenergy tensors due to historical reasons because they generalize the classical energy-momentum and Bel-Robinson constructions. Superenergy tensors are basically unique and with multiple and diverse physical and mathematical applications, such as: a) definition of new divergence-free currents, b) conservation laws in propagation of discontinuities of fields, c) the causal propagation of fields, d) null-cone preserving maps, e) generalized Rainich-like conditions, f) causal relations and transformations, and g) generalized symmetries. Among many others.
A rank-n tensor on a Lorentzian manifold V whose contraction with n arbitrary causal future directed vectors is non-negative is said to have the dominant property. These tensors, up to sign, are called causal tensors, and we determine their general properties in dimension N. We prove that rank-2 tensors which map the null cone on itself are causal. It is known that, to any tensor A on V there is a corresponding ``superenergy'' (s-e) tensor T{A} which always has the dominant property. We prove that, conversely, any symmetric rank-2 tensor with the dominant property can be written in a canonical way as a sum of N s-e tensors of simple forms. We show that the square of any rank-2 s-e tensor is proportional to the metric if N<5, and that this holds for the s-e tensor of any simple form for arbitrary N. Conversely, we prove that any symmetric rank-2 tensor T whose square is proportional to the metric must be, up to sign, the s-e of a simple p-form, and that the trace of T determines the rank p of the form. This generalises, both with respect to N and the rank p, the classical algebraic Rainich conditions, which are necessary and sufficient conditions for a metric to originate in some physical field, and has a geometric interpretation: the set of s-e tensors of simple forms is precisely the set of tensors which preserve the null cone and its time orientation. It also means that all involutory Lorentz transformations (LT) can be represented as s-e tensors of simple forms, and that any rank-2 s-e tensor is the sum of at most N conformally involutory LT. Non-symmetric null cone preserving maps are shown to have a causal symmetric part and are classified according to the null eigenvectors of the skew-symmetric part. We thus obtain a complete classification of all conformal LT and singular null cone preserving maps on V.
We study continuous groups of generalized Kerr-Schild transformations and the vector fields that generate them in any n-dimensional manifold with a Lorentzian metric. We prove that all these vector fields can be intrinsically characterized and that they constitute a Lie algebra if the null deformation direction is fixed. The properties of these Lie algebras are briefly analyzed and we show that they are generically finite-dimensional but that they may have infinite dimension in some relevant situations. The most general vector fields of the above type are explicitly constructed for the following cases: any two-dimensional metric, the general spherically symmetric metric and deformation direction, and the flat metric with parallel or cylindrical deformation directions.
In this contribution I intend to give a summary of the new relevant results obtained by using the general superenergy tensors. After a quick review of the definition and properties of these tensors, several of their mathematical and physical applications are presented. In particular, their interest and usefulness is mentioned or explicitly analyzed in 1) the study of causal propagation of general fields; 2) the existence of an infinite number of conserved quantities in Ricci-flat spacetimes; 3) the different gravitational theories, such as Einstein's General Relativity or, say, $n=11$ supergravity; 4) the appearance of some scalars possibly related to entropy or quality factors; 5) the possibility of superenergy exchange between different physical fields and the appearance of mixed conserved currents.
By using geometric methods and superenergy tensors, we find new simple criteria for the causal propagation of physical fields in spacetimes of any dimension. The method can be applied easily to many different theories and to arbitrary fields (such as scalar or electromagnetic ones). In particular, it provides a conservation theorem of the free gravitational field in all N-dimensional spacetimes conformally related to Einstein spaces (including vacuum solutions). In the case of general relativity, our criteria provide simple proofs and a unified treatment of conservation theorems for neutrinos, photons, electrons and all other massless and massive free spin n/2 fields. The uniqueness of the solution to the field equations also follows from our treatment under certain circumstances.
A purely algebraic construction of super-energy tensors for arbitrary fields is presented in any dimensions. These tensors have good mathematical and physical properties, and they can be used in any theory having as basic arena an n-dimensional manifold with a metric of Lorentzian signature. In general, the completely timelike component of these s-e tensors has the mathematical features of an energy density: they are positive definite and satisfy the dominant property. Similarly, the super-momentum vectors have mathematical properties of s-e flux vectors. The classical Bel-Robinson tensor is included in our general definition. The energy-momentum and super-energy tensors of physical fields are also obtained, and the procedure is illustrated by writing down these tensors explicitly for the cases of scalar, electromagnetic, and Proca fields. Moreover, `(super)$^k$-energy' tensors are defined and shown to be meaningful and in agreement for the different physical fields. In flat spacetimes, they provide infinitely many conserved quantities. In non-flat spacetimes conserved s-e currents are found for any minimally coupled scalar field whenever there is a Killing vector. Furthermore, the exchange of gravitational and electromagnetic super-energy is also shown by studying the propagation of discontinuities.
The standard definition of cylindrical symmetry in General Relativity is reviewed. Taking the view that axial symmetry is an essential pre-requisite for cylindrical symmetry, it is argued that the requirement of orthogonal transitivity of the isometry group should be dropped, this leading to a new, more general definition of cylindrical symmetry. Stationarity and staticity in cylindrically symmetric spacetimes are then defined, and these issues are analysed in connection with orthogonal transitivity, thus proving some new results on the structure of the isometry group for this class of spacetimes.
Inspired by classical work of Bel and Robinson, a natural purely algebraic construction of super-energy tensors for arbitrary fields is presented, having good mathematical and physical properties. Remarkably, there appear quantities with mathematical characteristics of energy densities satisfying the dominant property, which provides super-energy estimates useful for global results and helpful in other matters. For physical fields, higher order (super)^n-energy tensors involving the field and its derivatives arise. In Special Relativity, they provide infinitely many conserved quantities. The interchange of super-energy between different fields is shown. The discontinuity propagation law in Einstein-Maxwell fields is related to super-energy tensors, providing quantities conserved along null hypersurfaces. Finally, conserved super-energy currents are found for any minimally coupled scalar field whenever there is a Killing vector.
The problem of constructing global models describing isolated axially symmetric rotating bodies in equilibrium is analyzed. It is claimed that, whenever the global spacetime is constructed by giving boundary data on the limiting surface of the body and integrating Einstein's equations both inside and ouside the body, the problem becomes overdetermined. Similarly, when the spacetime describing the interior of the body is explicitly given,the problem of finding the exterior vacuum solution becomes overdetermined. We discuss in detail the procedure to be followed in order to construct the exterior vacuum field created by a given but arbitrary distribution of matter. Finally, the uniqueness of the exterior vacuum gravitational field is proven by exploiting the harmonic map formulation of the vacuum equations and the boundary conditions prescribed from the matching.
In this paper we provide fully covariant proofs of some theorems on shear-free perfect fluids. In particular, we explicitly show that any shear-free perfect fluid with the acceleration proportional to the vorticity vector (including the simpler case of vanishing acceleration) must be either non-expanding or non-rotating. We also show that these results are not necessarily true in the Newtonian case, and present an explicit comparison of shear-free dust in Newtonian and relativistic theories in order to see where and why the differences appear.