arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Pawel Nurowski.
We present conformal structures in signature (3,2) for which the holonomy of the Fefferman-Graham ambient metric is equal to the non-compact exceptional Lie group G_{2(2)}. We write down the resulting 8-parameter family of G_{2(2)}-metrics in dimension seven explicitly in an appropriately chosen coordinate system on the ambient space.
We reexamine from first principles the classical Goldberg-Sachs theorem from General Relativity. We cast it into the form valid for complex metrics, as well as real metrics of any signature. We obtain the sharpest conditions on the derivatives of the curvature that are sufficient for the implication (integrability of a field of alpha planes)$\Rightarrow$(algebraic degeneracy of the Weyl tensor). With every integrable field of alpha planes we associate a natural connection, in terms of which these conditions have a very simple form.
We discuss relations between the para-CR structures and differential equations (both ODEs and PDEs of finite type).
A formulation of the Maxwell equations in terms of the split octonions is presented.
We provide an explicit formula for the Fefferman-Graham-ambient metric of an $n$-dimensional conformal $pp$-wave in those cases where it exists. In even dimensions we calculate the obstruction explicitly. Furthermore, we describe all 4-dimensional $pp$-waves that are Bach-flat, and give a large class of Bach-flat examples which are conformally Cotton-flat, but not conformally Einstein. Finally, as an application, we use the obtained ambient metric to show that even-dimensional $pp$-waves have vanishing critical $Q$-curvature.
We address the problem of local geometry of third order ODEs modulo contact, point and fibre-preserving transformations of variables. Several new and already known geometries are described in a uniform manner by the Cartan method of equivalence. This includes conformal, Weyl and metric geometries in three and six dimensions and contact projective geometry in dimension three. Respective connections for these geometries are given and their curvatures are expressed by contact, point or fibre-preserving relative invariants of the ODEs.
Starting from the classical notion of an oriented congruence (i.e. a foliation by oriented curves) in $R^3$, we abstract the notion of an oriented congruence structure. This is a 3-dimensional CR manifold $(M,H, J)$ with a preferred splitting of the tangent space $TM=V\oplus H$. We find all local invariants of such structures using Cartan's equivalence method refining Cartan's classification of 3-dimensional CR structures. We use these invariants and perform Fefferman like constructions, to obtain interesting Lorentzian metrics in four dimensions, which include explicit Ricci-flat and Einstein metrics, as well as not conformally Einstein Bach-flat metrics.
We prove several theorems concerning the connection between the local CR embeddability of 3-dimensional CR manifolds, and the existence of algebraically special Maxwell and gravitational fields. We reduce the Einstein equations for spacetimes associated with such fields to a system of CR invariant equations on a 3-dimensional CR manifold defined by the fields. Using the reduced Einstein equations we construct two independent CR functions for the corresponding CR manifold. We also point out that the Einstein equations, imposed on spacetimes associated with a 3-dimensional CR manifold, imply that the spacetime metric, after an appropriate rescaling, becomes well defined on a circle bundle over the CR manifold. The circle bundle itself emerges as a consequence of Einstein's equations.
We provide the first examples of vacuum metrics with cosmological constant which have a twisting quadruple principal null direction.
We point out that algebraically special Einstein fields with twisting rays exhibit the basic properties of conformal Universes considered recently by Roger Penrose.
We describe 4th order ODEs satisfying two contact invariant conditions of Bryant in terms of the Ricci tensor of a certain gl(2,R) valued connection. We also provide nonhomogeneous examples of such ODEs.
We study five dimensional geometries associated with the 5-dimensional irreducible representation of GL(2,R). These are special Weyl geometries in signature (3,2) having the structure group reduced from CO(3,2) to GL(2,R). The reduction is obtained by means of a conformal class of totally symmetric 3-tensors. Among all GL(2,R) geometries we distinguish a subclass which we term `nearly integrable GL(2,R)geometries'. These define a unique gl(2,R) connection which has totally skew symmetric torsion. This torsion splits onto the GL(2,R) irreducible components having respective dimensions 3 and 7. We prove that on the solution space of every 5th order ODE satisfying certain three nonlinear differential conditions there exists a nearly integrable GL(2,R) geometry such that the skew symmetric torsion of its unique gl(2,R) connection is very special. In contrast to an arbitrary nearly integrable GL(2,R) geometry, it belongs to the 3-dimensional irreducible representation of GL(2,R). The conditions for the existence of the structure are lower order equivalents of the Doubrov-Wilczynski conditions found recently by Boris Doubrov [7]. We provide nontrivial examples of 5th order ODEs satisfying the three nonlinear differential conditions, which in turn provides examples of inhomogeneous GL(2,R) geometries in dimension five, with torsion in R^3. We also outline the theory and the basic properties of GL(2,R) geometries associated with n-dimensional irreducible representations of GL(2,R) in 5<n<10. In particular we give conditions for an n-th order ODE to possess this geometry on its solution space.
Given a generic 2-plane field on a 5-dimensional manifold we consider its (3,2)-signature conformal metric [g] as defined in math.DG/0406400. Every conformal class [g] obtained in this way has very special conformal holonomy: it must be contained in the split-real-form of the exceptional group G_2. In this note we show that for special 2-plane fields on 5-manifolds the conformal classes [g] have the Fefferman-Graham ambient metrics which, contrary to the general Fefferman-Graham metrics given as a formal power series, can be written in an explicit form. We propose to study the relations between the conformal G_2-holonomy of metrics [g] and the possible pseudo-Riemannian G_2-holonomy of the corresponding ambient metrics.
We provide five examples of conformal geometries which are naturally associated with ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The first example describes a one-to-one correspondence between the Wuenschmann class of 3rd order ODEs considered modulo contact transformations of variables and (local) 3-dimensional conformal Lorentzian geometries. The second example shows that every point equivalent class of 3rd order ODEs satisfying the Wuenschmann and the Cartan conditions define a 3-dimensional Lorentzian Einstein-Weyl geometry. The third example associates to each point equivalence class of 3rd order ODEs a 6-dimensional conformal geometry of neutral signature. The fourth example exhibits the one-to-one correspondence between point equivalent classes of 2nd order ODEs and 4-dimensional conformal Fefferman-like metrics of neutral signature. The fifth example shows the correspondence between undetermined ODEs of the Monge type and conformal geometries of signature $(3,2)$. The Cartan normal conformal connection for these geometries is reducible to the Cartan connection with values in the Lie algebra of the noncompact form of the exceptional group $G_2$. All the examples are deeply rooted in Elie Cartan's works on exterior differential systems.
We consider a vector space V over K=R or C, equipped with a skew symmetric bracket [.,.]: V x V --> V and a 2-form omega:V x V --> K. A simple change of the Jacobi identity to the form [A,[B,C]]+[C,[A,B]]+[B,[C,A]]=omega(B,C)A+omega(A,B)C+omega(C,A)B opens new possibilities, which shed new light on the Bianchi classification of 3-dimensional Lie algebras.
We find all pairs of real analytic functions $f$ and $g$ in $\bbR^n$ such that $|\nabla f|=|\nabla g|$ and $(\nabla f)(\nabla g)=0$.
The paper is based on relations between a ternary symmetric form defining the SO(3) geometry in dimension five and Cartan's works on isoparametric hypersurfaces in spheres. As observed by Bryant such a ternary form exists only in dimensions n_k=3k+2, where k=1,2,4,8. In these dimensions it reduces the orthogonal group to the subgroups H_k\subset SO(n_k), with H_1=SO(3), H_2=SU(3), H_4=Sp(3) and H_8=F_4. This enables studies of special Riemannian geometries with structure groups H_k in dimensions n_k. The neccessary and sufficient conditions for the H_k geometries to admit the characteristic connection are given. As an illustration nontrivial examples of SU(3) geometries in dimension 8 admitting characteristic connection are provided. Among them there are examples having nonvanishing torsion and satisfying Einstein equations with respect to either the Levi-Civita or the characteristic connections.
We propose studies of special Riemannian geometries with structure groups $H_1=SO(3)\subset SO(5)$, $H_2=SU(3)\subset SO(8)$, $H_3=Sp(3)\subset SO(14)$ and $H_4=F_4\subset SO(26)$ in respective dimensions 5, 8, 14 and 26. These geometries, have torsionless models with symmetry groups $G_1=SU(3)$, $G_2=SU(3)\times SU(3)$, $G_3=SU(6)$ and $G_4=E_6$. The groups $H_k$ and $G_k$ constitute a part of the `magic square' for Lie groups. Apart from the $H_k$ geometries in dimensions $n_k$, the `magic square' Lie groups suggest studies of a finite number of other special Riemannian geometries. Among them the smallest dimensional are U(3) geometries in dimension 12. The other structure groups for these Riemannian geometries are: $S(U(3)\times U(3))$, U(6), $E_6\times SO(2)$, $Sp(3)\times SU(2)$, $SU(6)\times SU(2)$, $SO(12)\times SU(2)$ and $E_7\times SU(2)$. The respective dimensions are: 18, 30, 54, 28, 40, 64 and 112. This list is supplemented by the two `exceptional' cases of $SU(2)\times SU(2)$ geometries in dimension 8 and $SO(10)\times SO(2)$ geometries in dimension 32.