All Questions
20 questions
2
votes
2
answers
148
views
Is any globally-hyperbolic manifold conformally equivalent to one with complete slices?
Let $(M,g)$ be a globally-hyperbolic Lorentzian manifold. By the seminal work of Geroch and Bernal-Sánchez, we know that
$$M=\mathbb{R}\times\Sigma,\,\,\,\quad g=-\beta^{2}dt^{2}+h_{t}$$
where $\Sigma$...
- 1,429
4
votes
1
answer
377
views
Metric with a constant Chern–Pontryagin scalar
Do there exist 3+1 dimensional spacetimes (i.e. Lorentzian manifolds with signaure (1,3)), for which the Chern–Pontryagin scalar
\begin{equation}
K_2= \epsilon^{\mu\nu\rho\sigma}R^{\alpha}{}_{\beta\mu\...
- 628
1
vote
1
answer
254
views
Transporting a Cauchy foliation of Minkowski space
Consider a spacetime $(\zeta^{3,1},g)$
where $$g=\frac{du\,dv}{uv}-\frac{dr^2}{r^2}-\frac{dw^2}{w^2} \quad \forall u,v,r,w \in (0,1)$$ Now this is just Minkowski space in different coordinates (...
- 383
1
vote
0
answers
66
views
A question on future Cauchy developement
Let us consider the Minkowski spacetime $\mathbb R^{1+2}$ equipped with the metric
$$ \eta(t,x) = -(dt)^2+ (dx^1)^2+(dx^2)^2.$$
Let $\Omega$ be a bounded simply connected domain in $\mathbb R^2$ with ...
- 4,145
2
votes
0
answers
48
views
On certain umbilic surfaces
Let $(M,g)$ be a three dimensional Lorentzian manifold with signature $(-,+,+)$ and let $p\in M$ and let $U$ be a small neighborhood of $p$. Suppose there is a smooth timelike surface $S$ containing $...
- 4,145
3
votes
0
answers
61
views
Searching for a type of geometric flow in Lorentzian geometry
Let $(N,g)$ be a globally hyperbolic Lorentzian manifold. Given any smooth hypersurface $\Sigma$ in $(N,g)$ we define $\|\Sigma\|= \sup_{p \in N,X \in T_p\Sigma} |h(X,X)|$ where $h$ is the second ...
- 4,145
3
votes
1
answer
195
views
A question on Levi-Civita connection and a fixed hyper surface
Suppose $(M,g)$ is a three dimensional smooth compact simply connected Riemannian manifold with boundary and suppose that $\Sigma$ is a smooth simply connected hypersurface in $M$ with a smooth ...
- 4,145
4
votes
1
answer
248
views
A question on null geodesics in Lorentzian geometry
Suppose that $(M,g)$ is a smooth Lorentzian manifold, that $I\subset \mathbb R$ is a closed finite interval and that $\gamma: I \to M$ is a smooth null geodesic on $M$, that is to say, it satisfies
$$ ...
- 4,145
3
votes
1
answer
239
views
A question on light cones in Lorentzian manifolds with timelike boundary
Suppose $M= \mathbb R \times M_0$ with a Lorentzian metric $g(t,x)=-dt^2+ g_0(t,x)$ where
$M_0$ is a compact manifold with a smooth boundary and $g_0$ is a family of smooth Riemannian metrics on $M_0$ ...
- 4,145
1
vote
0
answers
336
views
Conformal changes of metric and Ricci curvature
Let $(M,g)$ be a three dimensional smooth Lorentzian manifold and let $p$ be a fixed point in $M$ and let $S$ be a smooth symmetric tensor of rank two on $T_pM\times T_pM$. Does there exist a smooth ...
- 4,145
1
vote
1
answer
279
views
On intersection of null geodesics
Let us consider a globally hyperbolic Lorentzian manifold $(M,g)$ with empty cut locus. Suppose that
$p$ is a point in $M$ and consider $C^-(p)$ to be the past null cone in $M$ emanating from the ...
- 4,145
0
votes
1
answer
114
views
Globally hyperbolic spacetimes and future Cauchy developement
Let $(M,g)$ be a globally hyperbolic Lorentzian spacetime with a non-compact Cauchy hypersurface $S \subset M$. Let $ \Omega \Subset S$ be an open subset. Is it true that the future Cauchy development ...
- 4,145
3
votes
0
answers
125
views
Lorentzian manifolds of negative spacelike sectional curvature
Suppose $(M,g)$ is a simply connected Lorentzian manifold of signature $(-,+,\ldots,+)$ and such that the sectional curvature of any space-like surface is non-positive. Is it true that there are no ...
- 4,145
2
votes
2
answers
233
views
Lower bound for domain of exponential map on Lorentzian manifolds
Let $M$ denote a manifold admitting a Lorentzian metric $g_{ab}$. Essentially, I would like to know the "minimum domain" on which the exponential map is defined at $p\in M$. To make this concrete, ...
- 193
3
votes
1
answer
151
views
Existence of transverse null vector bundle in a degenerate Lorentzian hypersurface
This question is cross-posted at https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/3234895/existence-of-transverse-null-vector-bundle
Let $(M,g)$ be a Lorentzian manifold. Let $\dim(M)=d$. Given a null ...
- 133
2
votes
1
answer
313
views
$(M,g)$ is complete iff $(\tilde{M},\tilde{g})$ is complete (non-Riemannian version)
I'm not sure if this question is too low level for Math Overflow (so feel free to move this to SE if you think it is).
Inspired by this and this question I'm wondering if the following statement is ...
- 123
19
votes
1
answer
454
views
Lorentzian analogue to Thurston geometries
Is there an analogue to the eight Thurston geometries for Lorentz metrics?
If so, how many "disctinct" geometries are there in the Lorentzian case?
And which closed 3-manifolds admit metrics which ...
- 893
2
votes
3
answers
800
views
Tensor Field Decomposition in Space time
For vector fields in $R^3$ one knows that there exists a unique decomposition of vector fields in to solenoidal (divergence free) and potential parts. A generalization of this Theorem for symmetric ...
- 55
2
votes
1
answer
562
views
Induced connection on null hypersurfaces
I will use a local coordinate formalism here, since this is related to research in general relativity, and my supervisor only tolerates local coordinate formalisms. Plus the research papers I base my ...
- 2,792
6
votes
0
answers
532
views
Time-separation function on "globally hyperbolic" spacetimes with everywhere timelike boundary
It is well-known that, in globally hyperbolic spacetimes, the time separation function $\tau$ (aka Lorentzian distance function) enjoys the following property: fix a point $p$ and a point $q \in I^-(p)...
- 503