Quantum state reduction, and Newtonian twistor theory
We discuss the equivalence principle in quantum mechanics in the context of Newton--Cartan geometry, and non--relativistic twistor theory.
gr-qc↗
arXiv subjects
Maciej Dunajski
Publications and source records attributed to Maciej Dunajski.
Twistor Theory of Dancing Paths
Given a path geometry on a surface $\mathcal{U}$, we construct a causal structure on a four-manifold which is the configuration space of non-incident pairs (point, path) on $\mathcal{U}$. This causal structure corresponds to a conformal structure if and only if $\mathcal{U}$ is a real projective plane, and the paths are lines. We give the example of the causal structure given by a symmetric sextic, which corresponds on an ${\rm SL}(2,{\mathbb R})$-invariant projective structure where the paths are ellipses of area $π$ centred at the origin. We shall also discuss a causal structure on a seven-dimensional manifold corresponding to non-incident pairs (point, conic) on a projective plane.
math.DG↗
The quadric ansatz for the $mn$-dispersionless KP equation, and supersymmetric Einstein-Weyl spaces
We consider two multi-dimensional generalisations of the dispersionless Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (dKP) equation, both allowing for arbitrary dimensionality, and non-linearity. For one of these generalisations, we characterise all solutions which are constant on a central quadric. The quadric ansatz leads to a second order ODE which is equivalent to Painleve I or II for the dKP equation, but fails to pass the Painlevé test in higher dimensions. The second generalisation of the dKP equation leads to a class of Einstein-Weyl structures in an arbitrary dimension, which is characterised by the existence of a weighted parallel vector field, together with further holonomy reduction. We construct and characterise an explicit new family of Einstein-Weyl spaces belonging to this class, and depending on one arbitrary function of one variable.
nlin.SI↗
Null Kähler geometry and isomonodromic deformations
We construct the normal forms of null-Kähler metrics: pseudo-Riemannian metrics admitting a compatible parallel nilpotent endomorphism of the tangent bundle. Such metrics are examples of non-Riemannian holonomy reduction, and (in the complexified setting) appear in the Bridgeland stability conditions of the moduli spaces of Calabi-Yau three-folds. Using twistor methods we show that, in dimension four - where there is a connection with dispersionless integrability - the cohomogeneity-one anti-self-dual null-Kähler metrics are generically characterised by solutions to Painlevé I or Painlevé II ODEs.
math.DG↗
The Kijowski--Liu--Yau quasi-local mass of the Kerr black hole horizon
We use the isometric embedding of the spatial horizon of fast rotating Kerr black hole in a hyperbolic space to compute the quasi-local mass of the horizon for any value of the spin parameter $j=J/m^2$. The mass is monotonically decreasing from twice the ADM mass at $j=0$ to $1.76569m$ at $j=\sqrt{3}/2$. It then monotonicaly increases to a maximum around $j=0.99907$, and finally decreases to $2.01966m$ for $j=1$ which corresponds to the extreme Kerr black hole.
gr-qc↗
Variational principles for conformal geodesics
Conformal geodesics are solutions to a system of third order of equations, which makes a Lagrangian formulation problematic. We show how enlarging the class of allowed variations leads to a variational formulation for this system with a third--order conformally invariant Lagrangian. We also discuss the conformally invariant system of fourth order ODEs arising from this Lagrangian, and show that some of its integral curves are spirals.
math.DG↗
Sine-Gordon on a wormhole
In an attempt to understand the soliton resolution conjecture, we consider the Sine-Gordon equation on a spherically symmetric wormhole spacetime. We show that within each topological sector (indexed by a positive integer degree $n$) there exists a unique linearly stable soliton, which we call the $n$-kink. We give numerical evidence that the $n$-kink is a global attractor in the evolution of any smooth, finite energy solutions of degree $n$. When the radius of the wormhole throat $a$ is large enough, the convergence to the $n$-kink is shown to be governed by internal modes that slowly decay due to the resonant transfer of energy to radiation. We compute the exact asymptotics of this relaxation process for the $1$-kink using the Soffer-Weinstein weakly nonlinear perturbation theory.
math.AP↗
Conformal geodesics on gravitational instantons
We study the integrability of the conformal geodesic flow (also known as the conformal circle flow) on the $SO(3)$--invariant gravitational instantons. On a hyper--Kähler four--manifold the conformal geodesic equations reduce to geodesic equations of a charged particle moving in a constant self--dual magnetic field. In the case of the anti--self--dual Taub NUT instanton we integrate these equations completely by separating the Hamilton--Jacobi equations, and finding a commuting set of first integrals. This gives the first example of an integrable conformal geodesic flow on a four--manifold which is not a symmetric space. In the case of the Eguchi--Hanson we find all conformal geodesics which lie on the three--dimensional orbits of the isometry group. In the non--hyper--Kähler case of the Fubini--Study metric on $\CP^2$ we use the first integrals arising from the conformal Killing--Yano tensors to recover the known complete integrability of conformal geodesics.
math.DG↗
On Schwarzschild causality in higher dimensions
We show that the causal properties of asymptotically flat spacetimes depend on their dimensionality: while the time-like future of any point in the past conformal infinity $\mathcal{I}^-$ contains the whole of the future conformal infinity $\mathcal{I}^+$ in $(2+1)$ and $(3+1)$ dimensional Schwarzschild spacetimes, this property (which we call the Penrose property) does not hold for $(d+1)$ dimensional Schwarzschild if $d>3$. We also show that the Penrose property holds for the Kerr solution in $(3+1)$ dimensions, and discuss the connection with scattering theory in the presence of positive mass.
gr-qc↗
Some examples of projective and $c$--projective compactifications of Einstein metrics
We construct several examples of compactifications of Einstein metrics. We show that the Eguchi--Hanson instanton admits a projective compactification which is non--metric, and that a metric cone over any (pseudo)--Riemannian manifolds admits a metric projective compactification. We construct a para--$c$--projective compactification of neutral signature Einstein metrics canonically defined on certain rank--$n$ affine bundles $M$ over $n$-dimensional manifolds endowed with projective structures.
math.DG↗
Conformal and isometric embeddings of gravitational instantons
We construct isometric and conformally isometric embeddings of some gravitational instantons in $\mathbb{R}^8$ and $\mathbb{R}^7$. In particular we show that the embedding class of the Einstein--Maxwell instanton due to Burns is equal to $3$. For $\mathbb{CP}^2$, Eguchi--Hanson and anti-self-dual Taub-NUT we obtain upper and lower bounds on the embedding class.
hep-th↗
Conics, Twistors, and anti-self-dual tri-Kähler metrics
We describe the range of the Radon transform on the space $M$ of irreducible conics in $\CP^2$ in terms of natural differential operators associated to the $SO(3)$-structure on $M=SL(3, \R)/SO(3)$ and its complexification. Following \cite{moraru} we show that for any function $F$ in this range, the zero locus of $F$ is a four-manifold admitting an anti-self-dual conformal structure which contains three different scalar-flat Kähler metrics. The corresponding twistor space ${\mathcal Z}$ admits a holomorphic fibration over $\CP^2$. In the special case where ${\mathcal Z}=\CP^3\setminus\CP^1$ the twistor lines project down to a four-parameter family of conics which form triangular Poncelet pairs with a fixed base conic.
math.DG↗
Einstein Metrics, Projective Structures and the $SU(\infty)$ Toda Equation
We establish an explicit correspondence between two--dimensional projective structures admitting a projective vector field, and a class of solutions to the $SU(\infty)$ Toda equation. We give several examples of new, explicit solutions of the Toda equation, and construct their mini--twistor spaces. Finally we discuss the projective-to-Einstein correspondence, which gives a neutral signature Einstein metric on a cotangent bundle $T^*N$ of any projective structure $(N, [\nabla])$. We show that there is a canonical Einstein of metric on an $\R^*$--bundle over $T^*N$, with a connection whose curvature is the pull--back of the natural symplectic structure from $T^*N$.
math.DG↗
An example of the geometry of a 5th-order ODE: the metric on the space of conics in ${\mathbb{CP}}^2$
As an application of the method of [4], we find the metric and connection on the space of conics in $\mathbb{CP}^2$ determined as the solution space of the ODE eqn(1). These calculations underpin the twistor construction of the Radon transform on conics in $\mathbb{CP}^2$ described in [5]. Two further examples of the method are provided.
math.DG↗
Conformally isometric embeddings and Hawking temperature
We find necessary and sufficient conditions for existence of a locally isometric embedding of a vacuum space-time into a conformally-flat 5-space. We explicitly construct such embeddings for any spherically symmetric Lorentzian metric in $3+1$ dimensions as a hypersurface in $R^{4, 1}$. For the Schwarzschild metric the embedding is global, and extends through the horizon all the way to the $r=0$ singularity. We discuss the asymptotic properties of the embedding in the context of Penrose's theorem on Schwarzschild causality. We finally show that the Hawking temperature of the Schwarzschild metric agrees with the Unruh temperature measured by an observer moving along hyperbolae in $R^{4, 1}$.
gr-qc↗
An octahedron of complex null rays, and conformal symmetry breaking
We show how the manifold $T^*SU(2, 2)$ arises as a symplectic reduction from eight copies of the twistor space. Some of the constraints in the twistor space correspond to an octahedral configuration of twelve complex light rays in the Minkowski space. We discuss a mechanism to break the conformal symmetry down to the twistorial parametrisation of $T^*SL(2, C)$ used in loop quantum gravity.
hep-th↗
Jumps, folds, and singularities of Kodaira moduli spaces
For any integer $k$ we construct an explicit example of a twistor space which contains a one--parameter family of jumping rational curves, where the normal bundle changes from $O(1)+O(1)$ to $O(k)+O(2-k)$. For $k>3$ the resulting anti--self--dual Ricci-flat manifold is a Zariski cone in the space of holomorphic sections of $O(k)$. In the case $k=2$ we recover the canonical example of Hitchin's folded hyper-Kahler manifold, where the jumping lines form a three--parameter family. We show that in this case there exist normalisable solutions to the Schrodinger equation which extend through the fold.
math.DG↗
Metrisability of Painlevé equations
We solve the metrisability problem for the six Painlevé equations, and more generally for all 2nd order ODEs with Painlevé property, and determine for which of these equations their integral curves are geodesics of a (pseudo) Riemannian metric on a surface.
math.DG↗