arXiv subjects

J. W. Maluf

Publications and source records attributed to J. W. Maluf.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2008

On the construction of Fermi-Walker transported frames

We consider tetrad fields as reference frames adapted to observers that move along arbitrary timelike trajectories in spacetime. By means of a local Lorentz transformation we can transform these frames into Fermi-Walker transported frames, which define a standard of non-rotation for accelerated observers. Here we present a simple prescription for the construction of Fermi-Walker transported frames out of an arbitrary set of tetrad fields.

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arXiv2007

On reference frames in spacetime and gravitational energy in freely falling frames

We consider the interpretation of tetrad fields as reference frames in spacetime. Reference frames may be characterized by an antisymmetric acceleration tensor, whose components are identified as the inertial accelerations of the frame (the translational acceleration and the frequency of rotation of the frame). This tensor is closely related to gravitoelectromagnetic field quantities. We construct the set of tetrad fields adapted to observers that are in free fall in the Schwarzschild spacetime, and show that the gravitational energy-momentum constructed out of this set of tetrad fields, in the framework of the teleparallel equivalent of general relatrivity, vanishes. This result is in agreement with the principle of equivalence, and may be taken as a condition for a viable definition of gravitational energy.

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arXiv2006

Gravitational radiation of accelerated sources

We investigate the gravitational radiation produced by a linearly accelerated source in general relativity. The investigation is performed by studying the vacuum C metric, which is interpreted as representing the exterior space-time of an uniformly accelerating spherically symmetric gravitational source, and is carried out in the context of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity. For an observer sufficiently far from both the (modified) Schwarzschild and Rindler horizons, which is a realistic situation, we obtain a simple expression for the total emitted gravitational radiation. We also briefly discuss on the absolute or relative character of the accelerated motion.

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arXiv2006

The angular momentum of the gravitational field and the Poincare group

We redefine the gravitational angular momentum in the framework of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity. In similarity to the gravitational energy-momentum, the new definition for the gravitational angular momentum is coordinate independent. By considering the Poisson brackets in the phase space of the theory, we find that the gravitational energy-momentum and angular momentum correspond to a representation of the Poincaré group. This result allows us to define Casimir type invariants for the gravitational field.

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arXiv2006

Regularized expression for the gravitational energy-momentum in teleparallel gravity and the principle of equivalence

The expression of the gravitational energy-momentum defined in the context of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity is extended to an arbitrary set of real-valued tetrad fields, by adding a suitable reference space subtraction term. The characterization of tetrad fields as reference frames is addressed in the context of the Kerr space-time. It is also pointed out that Einstein's version of the principle of equivalence does not preclude the existence of a definition for the gravitational energy-momentum density.

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arXiv2005

The gravitational energy-momentum tensor and the gravitational pressure

In the framework of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity it is possible to establish the energy-momentum tensor of the gravitational field. This tensor has the following essential features: (1) it is identified directly in Einstein's field equations; (2) it is conserved and traceless; (3) it yields expressions for the energy and momentum of the gravitational field; (4)it is free of second (and highest) derivatives of the field variables; (5) the gravitational and matter energy-momentum tensors take place in the field equations on the same footing; (6) it is unique. However, it is not symmetric. We show that the spatial components of this tensor yield a consistent definition of the gravitational pressure.

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arXiv2004

On gravitational radiation and the energy flux of matter

A suitable derivative of Einstein's equations in the framework of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity (TEGR) yields a continuity equation for the gravitational energy-momentum. In particular, the time derivative of the total gravitational energy is given by the sum of the total fluxes of gravitational and matter fields energy. We carry out a detailed analysis of the continuity equation in the context of Bondi and Vaidya's metrics. In the former space-time the flux of the gravitational energy is given by the well known expression in terms of the square of the news function. It is known that the energy definition in the realm of the TEGR yields the ADM (Arnowitt-Deser-Misner) energy for appropriate boundary conditions. Here we show that the same definition also describes the Bondi energy. The analysis of the continuity equation in Vaidya's space-time shows that the variation of the total gravitational energy is given by the energy flux of matter only.

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arXiv2003

Gravitomagnetic effect and spin-torsion coupling

We study the gravitomagnetic effect in the context of absolute parallelism with the use of a modified geodesic equation via a free parameter b. We calculate the time difference in two atomic clocks orbiting the Earth in opposite directions and find a small correction due to the coupling between the torsion of the spacetime and the internal structure of atomic clocks measured by the free parameter.

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arXiv2003

The vacuum energy density in the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity

Considering the vacuum as characterized by the presence of only the gravitational field, we show that the vacuum energy density of the de Sitter space, in the realm of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity, can acquire arbitrarily high values. This feature is expected to hold in the consideration of realistic cosmological models, and may possibly provide a simple explanation to the cosmological constant problem.

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arXiv2003

The gravitational energy-momentum flux

We present a continuity equation for the gravitational energy-momentum, which is obtained in the framework of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity. From this equation it follows a general definition for the gravitational energy-momentum flux. This definition is investigated in the context of plane waves and of cylindrical Einstein-Rosen waves. We obtain the well known value for the energy flux of plane gravitational waves, and conclude that the latter exhibit features similar to plane electromagnetic waves.

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arXiv2003

Dirac spinor fields in the teleparallel gravity: comment on "Metric-affine approach to teleparallel gravity"

We show that the coupling of a Dirac spinor field with the gravitational field in the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity is consistent. For an arbitrary SO(3,1) connection there are two possibilities for the coupling of the spinor field with the gravitational field. The problems of consistency raised by Y. N. Obukhov and J. G. Pereira in the paper {\it Metric-affine approach to teleparallel gravity} [gr-qc/0212080] take place only in the framework of one particular coupling. By adopting an alternative coupling the consistency problem disappears.

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arXiv2003

Black Holes in 2+1 Teleparallel Theories of Gravity

We apply the Hamiltonian formulation of teleparallel theories of gravity in 2+1 dimensions to a circularly symmetric geometry. We find a family of one-parameter black hole solutions. The BTZ solution fixes the unique free parameter of the theory. The resulting field equations coincide with the teleparallel equivalent of Einstein's three-dimensional equations. We calculate the gravitational energy of the black holes by means of the simple expression that arises in the Hamiltonian formulation and conclude that the resulting value is identical to that calculated by means of the Brown-York method.

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arXiv2002

Energy and angular momentum of the gravitational field in the teleparallel geometry

The Hamiltonian formulation of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity is considered. Definitions of energy, momentum and angular momentum of the gravitational field arise from the integral form of the constraint equations of the theory. In particular, the gravitational energy-momentum is given by the integral of scalar densities over a three-dimensional spacelike hypersurface. The definition for the gravitational energy is investigated in the context of the Kerr black hole. In the evaluation of the energy contained within the external event horizon of the Kerr black hole we obtain a value strikingly close to the irreducible mass of the latter. The gravitational angular momentum is evaluated for the gravitational field of a thin, slowly rotating mass shell.

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arXiv2001

Space-time defects and teleparallelism

We consider the class of space-time defects investigated by Puntigam and Soleng. These defects describe space-time dislocations and disclinations (cosmic strings), and are in close correspondence to the actual defects that arise in crystals and metals. It is known that in such materials dislocations and disclinations require a small and large amount of energy, respectively, to be created. The present analysis is carried out in the context of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity (TEGR). We evaluate the gravitational energy of these space-time defects in the framework of the TEGR and find that there is an analogy between defects in space-time and in continuum material systems: the total gravitational energy of space-time dislocations and disclinations (considered as idealized defects) is zero and infinit, respectively.

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arXiv2001

Hamiltonian formulation of general relativity in the teleparallel geometry

We establish the Hamiltonian formulation of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity, without fixing the time gauge condition, by rigorously performing the Legendre transform. The time gauge condition, previously considered, restricts the teleparallel geometry to the three-dimensional spacelike hypersurface. Geometrically, the teleparallel geometry is now extended to the four-dimensional space-time. The resulting Hamiltonian formulation is different from the standard ADM formulation in many aspects, the main one being that the dynamics is now governed by the Hamiltonian constraint H_0 and a set of primary constraints. The vector constraint H_i is derived from the Hamiltonian constraint. The vanishing of the latter implies the vanishing of the vector constraint.

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arXiv2000

Canonical Formulation of Gravitational Teleparallelism in 2+1 Dimensions in Schwinger's Time Gauge

We consider the most general class of teleparallel gravitational {}{}theories quadratic in the torsion tensor, in three space-time dimensions, and carry out a detailed investigation of its Hamiltonian formulation in Schwinger's time gauge. This general class is given by a family of three-parameter theories. A consistent implementation of the Legendre transform reduces the original theory to a one-parameter family of theories. By calculating Poisson brackets we show explicitly that the constraints of the theory constitute a first-class set. Therefore the resulting theory is well defined with regard to time evolution. The structure of the Hamiltonian theory rules out the existence of the Newtonian limit.

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arXiv2000

Energy-momentum of the gravitational field in the teleparallel geometry

The Hamiltonian formulation of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity without gauge fixing has recently been established in terms of the Hamiltonian constraint and a set of six primary constraints. Altogether, they constitute a set of first class constraints. In view of the constraint structure we establish definitions for the energy, momentum and angular momentum of the gravitational field. In agreement with previous investigations, the gravitational energy-momentum density follows from a total divergence that arises in the constraints. This definition is applied successfully to the calculation of the irreducible mass of the Kerr black hole. The definition of the algular momentum of the gravitational field follows from the integral form of primary constraints that satisfy the angular momentum algebra.

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arXiv2000

On the selection of triads in the teleparallel geometry and Bondi's radiating metric

A consistent Hamiltonian formulation of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity (TEGR) requires the theory to be invariant under the global SO(3) symmetry group, which acts on orthonormal triads in three-dimensional spacelike hypersurfaces. In the TEGR it is possible to make definite statements about the energy of the gravitational field. In this geometrical framework two sets of triads related by a local SO(3) transformation yield different descriptions of the gravitational energy. Here we consider the problem of assigning a unique set of triads to the metric tensor restricted to the three-dimensional hypersurface. The analysis is carried out in the context of Bondi's radiating metric. A simple and original expression for Bondi's news function is obtained, which allows us to carry out numerical calculations and verify that a triad with a specific asymptotic behaviour yields the minimum gravitational energy for a fixed space volume containing the radiating source. This result supports the conjecture that the requirement of a minimum gravitational energy for a given space volume singles out uniquely the correct set of orthonormal triads.

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