In this paper I consider surfaces in a space-time with a Killing vector $ξ^α$ that is time-like and hypersurface orthogonal on one side of the surface. The Killing vector may be either time-like or space-like on the other side of the surface. It has been argued that the surface is null if $ξ_αξ^α\rightarrow 0$ as the surface is approached from the static region. This implies that, in a coordinate system adapted to $ξ$, surfaces with $g_{tt}=0$ are null. In spherically symmetric space-times the condition $g^{rr}=0$ instead of $g_{tt}=0$ is sometimes used to locate null surfaces.
In this paper I examine the arguments that lead to these two different criteria and show that both arguments are incorrect. A surface $ξ=$ constant has a normal vector whose norm is proportional to $ξ_αξ^α$. This lead to the conclusion that surfaces with $ξ_αξ^α=0$ are null. However, the proportionality factor generally diverges when $g_{tt}=0$, leading to a different condition for the norm to be null. In static spherically symmetric space-times this condition gives $g^{rr}=0$, not $g_{tt}=0$.
The problem with the condition $g^{rr}=0$ is that the coordinate system is singular on the surface. One can either use a nonsingular coordinate system or examine the induced metric on the surface to determine if it is null. By using these approaches it is shown that the correct criteria is $g_{tt}=0$. I also examine the condition required for the surface to be nonsingular.
The Einstein equations are integrated in the presence of two (incoming and outgoing) streams of null dust, under the assumptions of spherical symmetry and staticity. The solution is also written in double null and radiation coordinates and it is reinterpreted as an anisotropic fluid. Interior matching with a static fluid and exterior matching with the Vaidya solution along null hypersurfaces is discussed. The connection with two-dimensional dilaton gravity is established.
We study formal expansions of asymptotically flat solutions to the static vacuum field equations which are determined by minimal sets of freely specifyable data referred to as `null data'. These are given by sequences of symmetric trace free tensors at space-like infinity of increasing order. They are 1:1 related to the sequences of Geroch multipoles. Necessary and sufficient growth estimates on the null data are obtained for the formal expansions to be absolutely convergent. This provides a complete characterization of all asymptotically flat solutions to the static vacuum field equations.
A perturbative method to compute the total travel time of both null and lightlike rays in arbitrary static spherically symmetric spacetimes in the weak field limit is proposed. The resultant total time takes a quasi-series form of the impact parameter. The coefficient of this series at a certain order $n$ is shown to be determined by the asymptotic expansion of the metric functions to the order $n+1$. To the leading order(s), the time delay, as well as the difference between the time delays of two kinds of relativistic signals, is then shown to take a universal form for all SSS spacetimes. Thi…
A general study of the stability of equatorial circular orbits in static axially symmetric gravitating systems is presented. Important circular geodesics as the marginally stable orbit, the marginally bounded orbit and the photon orbit are analyzed. We found general expressions for the radius, specific energy, specific angular momentum and the radius of the marginally stable orbit, both for null and timelike circular geodesics. Solutions expressed in cylindrical coordinates, oblate spheroidal coordinates, and prolate spheroidal coordinates are considered. We show that all null circular orbits …
We prove that every solution to Einstein's equations with possibly non-zero cosmological constant that is foliated by non-expanding null surfaces transversal to a single non-expanding null surface belongs to family of the near (extremal) horizon geometries. Our results are local, hold in a neighborhood of the single non-expanding null surface.
It is shown that the known solutions for nonexpanding impulsive gravitational waves generated by null particles of arbitrary multipole structure can be obtained by boosting the Weyl solutions describing static sources with arbitrary multipole moments, at least in a Minkowski background. We also discuss the possibility of boosting static sources in (anti-) de Sitter backgrounds, for which exact solutions are not known, to obtain the known solutions for null multipole particles in these backgrounds.
In classical electromagnetic theory, one formally defines the complex dipole moment (the electric plus 'i' magnetic dipole) and then computes (and defines) the complex center of charge by transforming to a complex frame where the complex dipole moment vanishes. Analogously in asymptotically flat space-times it has been shown that one can determine the complex center of mass by transforming the complex gravitational dipole (mass dipole plus 'i' angular momentum) (via an asymptotic tetrad trasnformation) to a frame where the complex dipole vanishes. We apply this procedure to such space-times wh…
The null surface formalism of GR in three dimensions is presented, and the gauge freedom thereof, which is not just diffeomorphism, is discussed briefly.
It is shown that the integrability conditions that arise in the Null Surface Formulation (NSF) of general relativity (GR) impose a field equation on the local null surfaces which is equivalent to the vanishing of the Bach tensor. This field equation is written explicitly to second order in a perturbation expansion. The field equation is further simplified if asymptotic flatness is imposed on the underlying space-time. The resulting equation determines the global null surfaces of asymptotically flat, radiative space-times. It is also shown that the source term of this equation is constructed fr…
We present a system of coordinates deriving directly from the so-called Geodesic Light-Cone (GLC) coordinates and made of two null scalars intersecting on a 2-dimensional sphere parameterized by two constant angles along geodesics. These coordinates are shown to be equivalent to the well-known double-null coordinates. As GLC, they present interesting properties for cosmology and astrophysics. We discuss this latter topic for static black holes, showing simple descriptions for the metric or particles and photons trajectories. We also briefly comment on the time of flight of ultra-relativistic p…
It is shown that the main variable Z of the Null Surface Formulation of GR is the generating function of a constrained Lagrange submanifold that lives on the energy surface H=0 and that its level surfaces Z=const. are Legendre submanifolds on that energy surface. The behaviour of the variable Z at the caustic points is analysed and a genralization of this variable is discussed.
Linear zero-rest-mass fields generically develop logarithmic singularities at the critical sets where spatial infinity meets null infinity. Friedrich's representation of spatial infinity is ideally suited to study this phenomenon. These logarithmic singularities are an obstruction to the smoothness of the zero-rest-mass field at null infinity and, in particular, to peeling. In the case of the spin-2 field it has been shown that these logarithmic singularities can be precluded if the initial data for the field satisfies a certain regularity condition involving the vanishing, at spatial infinity…
The Kottler spacetime in isotropic coordinates is known where the metric is time-dependent. In this paper, the Kottler spacetime is given in isotropic static coordinates (i.e., the metric components are time-independent). The metric is found in terms of the Jacobian elliptic functions through coordinate transformations from the Schwarzschild-(anti-)de Sitter metric. In canonical coordinates, it is known that the unparameterized spatially projected null geodesics of the Kottler and Schwarzschild spacetimes coincide. We show that in isotropic static coordinates, the refractive indices of Kottler…
The multidimensional gravity on principal bundle with structural SU(2) gauge group is considered. The Lorentzian wormhole solution disposed between two null surfaces is founded in this case. As the nondiagonal components are similar to a gauge fields (in Kaluza - Klein's sense) then in some sense this solution is dual to the black hole in 4D Einstein - Yang - MIlls gravity: 4D black hole has the stationary area outside of event horizon but multidimensional wormhole inside null surface (on which $ds^2=0$).
The existence and stability of timelike and null circular orbits (COs) in the equatorial plane of general static and axisymmetric (SAS) spacetime are investigated in this work. Using the fixed point approach, we first obtained a necessary and sufficient condition for the non-existence of timelike COs. It is then proven that there will always exist timelike COs at large $ρ$ in an asymptotically flat SAS spacetime with a positive ADM mass and moreover, these timelike COs are stable. Some other sufficient conditions on the stability of timelike COs are also solved. We then found the necessary and…
Recently there has been developed a reformulation of General Relativity - referred to as {\it the null surface version of GR} - where instead of the metric field as the basic variable of the theory, families of three-surfaces in a four-manifold become basic. From these surfaces themselves, a conformal metric, conformal to an Einstein metric, can be constructed. A choice of conformal factor turns them into Einstein metrics. The surfaces are then automatically characteristic surfaces of this metric. In the present paper we explore the linearization of this {\it null surface theory} and compare i…
Given a (d+1)-dimensional spacetime (M,g), one can consider the set N of all its null geodesics. If (M,g) is globally hyperbolic then this set is naturally a smooth (2d-1)-manifold. The sky of an event x in M is the set X of all null geodesics through x, and is an embedded submanifold of N diffeomorphic to S^{d-1}. Low conjectured that if d=2 then x,y are causally related in M iff X,Y are linked in N. We prove Low's conjecture for a (large) class of static spacetimes.
The level surfaces of solutions to the eikonal equation define null or characteristic surfaces. In this note we study, in Minkowski space, properties of these surfaces. In particular we are interested both in the singularities of these ``surfaces'' (which can in general self-intersect and be only piece-wise smooth) and in the decomposition of the null surfaces into a one parameter family of two-dimensional wavefronts which can also have self-intersections and singularities. We first review a beautiful method for constructing the general solution to the flat-space eikonal equation; it allows fo…
Although wormholes can be treated as topological objects in spacetime and from a global point-of-view, a precise definition of what a wormhole throat is and where it can be located can be developed and treated entirely in terms of local geometry. This has the advantage of being free from unnecesary technical assumptions about asymptotic flatness, and other global properties of the spacetime containing the wormhole. We discuss our recent work proving that the violation of the null energy condition (NEC) is a generic feature of all wormholes, whether they be time-dependent or static, and demonst…
Einstein complex spacetimes admitting null Killing or null homothetic Killing vectors are studied. These vectors define totally null and geodesic 2-surfaces called the null strings or twistor surfaces. Geometric properties of these null strings are discussed. It is shown, that spaces considered are hyperheavenly spaces (HH-spaces) or, if one of the parts of the Weyl tensor vanishes, heavenly spaces (H-spaces). The explicit complex metrics admitting null Killing vectors are found. Some Lorentzian and ultrahyperbolic slices of these metrics are discussed.
The Null Surface Formulation of General Relativity is developed for 2+1 dimensional gravity. The geometrical meaning of the metricity condition is analyzed and two approaches to the derivation of the field equations are presented. One method makes explicit use of the conformal factor while the other only uses conformal information. The resulting set of equations contain the same geometrical meaning as the 4-D formulation without the technical complexities of the higher dimensional analog. A canonical family of null surfaces in this formulation, the light cone cuts of null infinity, are constru…
The general form of the surface stress tensor of an infinitesimally thin shell located on a rotating null horizon is derived, when different interior and exterior geometries are joined there. Although the induced metric on the surface must be the same approached from either side, the first derivatives of the metric need not be. Such discontinuities lead to a Dirac $δ$-distribution in the Einstein tensor localized on the horizon. For a general stationary axisymmetric geometry the surface stress tensor can be expressed in terms of two geometric invariants that characterize the surface, namely th…
In the Kerr geometry, we calculate various surfaces of constant curvature invariants. These extend well beyond the Kerr horizon, and we argue that they might be of observational significance in connection with non-minimally coupled matter fields. Moreover, we demonstrate that the principal null directions of the Kerr geometry can be obtained by projections involving either the Bel--Robinson or the Kummer tensor. We conjecture that this is also possible in more general settings.
A large family of inhomogeneous non-static spherically symmetric solutions of the Einstein equation for null fluid in higher dimensions has been obtained. It encompasses higher dimensional versions of many previously known solutions such as Vaidya, charged Vaidya and Husain solutions and also some new solutions representing global monopole or string dust. It turns out that physical properties of the solutions carry over to higher dimensions.
We analyze the relationship between $n$-dimensional conformal metrics and a certain class of partial differential equations (PDEs) that are in duality with the eikonal equation. In particular, we extend the Null Surface Formulation of General Relativity to higher dimensions and give explicit expressions for the components of the metric and the generalized Wünschmann-like metricity conditions. We also compute the equation that the conformal factor must satisfy in order the metric be a solution of the Einstein equations.
The spherically symmetric, static spacetime generated by a crossflow of non-interacting radiation streams, treated in the geometrical optics limit (null dust) is equivalent to an anisotropic fluid forming a radiation atmosphere of a star. This reference fluid provides a preferred / internal time, which is employed as a canonical coordinate. Among the advantages we encounter a new Hamiltonian constraint, which becomes linear in the momentum conjugate to the internal time (therefore yielding a functional Schrödinger equation after quantization), and a strongly commuting algebra of the new constr…
It is supposed that in our Universe with compactified extra dimensions (ED) the domains exist with noncompactified ED. Such domain can be a wormhole-like solution in multidimensional gravity (MD), located between two null surfaces. With the availability of compactification mechanism this MD domain can be joined on null surfaces with two black holes filled by gauge field. Solution of this kind in MD gravity on the principal bundle with structural group SU(3) is obtained. This solution is wormhole-like object located between two null surfaces $ds^2=0$. In some sense these solutions are dual to b…
The Hamiltonian formulation of general relativity on a null surface is established in the teleparallel geometry. No particular gauge conditons on the tetrads are imposed, such as the time gauge condition. By means of a 3+1 decomposition the resulting Hamiltonian arises as a completely constrained system. However, it is structurally different from the the standard Arnowitt-Deser-Misner (ADM) type formulation. In this geometrical framework the basic field quantities are tetrads that transform under the global SO(3,1) and the torsion tensor.
We define and discuss various quantum operators that describe the geometry of spacetime in quantum general relativity. These are obtained by combining the Null-Surface Formulation of general relativity, recently developed, with asymptotic quantization. One of the operators defined describes a ``fuzzy'' quantum light cone structure. Others, denoted ``spacetime-point operators'', characterize geometrically-defined physical points. We discuss the interpretation of these operators. This seems to suggest a picture of quantum spacetime as made of ``fuzzy'' physical points. We derive the commutation …
We use the canonical formalism developed together with David Robinson to st= udy the Einstein equations on a null surface. Coordinate and gauge conditions = are introduced to fix the triad and the coordinates on the null surface. Toget= her with the previously found constraints, these form a sufficient number of second class constraints so that the phase space is reduced to one pair of canonically conjugate variables: $\Ac_2\and\Sc^2$. The formalism is related to both the Bondi-Sachs and the Newman-Penrose methods of studying the gravitational field at null infinity. Asymptotic solutions in th…
Locally inertial coordinates are constructed by carrying Riemann normal coordinates on a codimension two spacelike surface along the geodesics normal to it. Since the normal tangents are labelled by components with respect to a null basis, these coordinates are referred to as null normal coordinates. They are convenient in the study of local causal horizons. As an application, the coordinate system is used to specify a vector field that satisfies the Killing equation approximately in a small region and the Killing identity exactly on a single null geodesic. We also construct a vector field on …
The null-surface formulation of general relativity -- recently introduced -- provides novel tools for describing the gravitational field, as well as a fresh physical way of viewing it. The new formulation provides ``local'' observables corresponding to the coordinates of points --- which constitute the spacetime manifold --- in a {\em geometrically defined chart\/}, as well as non-local observables corresponding to lightcone cuts and lightcones. In the quantum theory, the spacetime point observables become operators and the spacetime manifold itself becomes ``quantized'', or ``fuzzy''. This no…
We consider a wide class of static spherically symmetric black holes of arbitrary dimension with a photon sphere (a hypersurface on which a massless particle can orbit the black hole on unstable circular null geodesics). This class includes various spacetimes of physical interest such as Schwarzschild, Schwarzschild-Tangherlini and Reissner-Nordström black holes, the canonical acoustic black hole or the Schwarzschild-de Sitter black hole. For this class of black holes, we provide general analytical expressions for the Regge poles of the $S$-matrix associated with a massless scalar field theory…
We establish that boundary degrees of freedom associated with a generic co-dimension one null surface in $D$ dimensional pure Einstein gravity naturally admit a thermodynamical description. We expect the $\textit{null surface thermodynamics}$ to universally follow as a result of the diffeomorphism invariance of the theory, not relying on other special features of the null surface or the gravity theory. Using standard surface charge analysis and covariant phase space method, we formulate laws of null surface thermodynamics which are local equations over an arbitrary null surface paralleling loc…
The static spherically symmetric traversable wormholes are analysed in the Einstein- Cartan theory of gravitation. In particular, we computed the torsion tensor for matter fields with different spin S = 0; 1/2; 1; 3/2. Interestingly, only for certain values of the spin the torsion contribution to Einstein-Cartan field equation allows one to satisfy both faring-out condition and Null Energy Condition. In this scenario traversable wormholes can be produced by using usual (non-exotic) spinning matter.
We study the quantum analogue of the classical process of superradiance for a massless charged scalar field on a static charged black hole space-time. We show that an "in" vacuum state, which is devoid of particles at past null infinity, contains an outgoing flux of particles at future null infinity. This radiation is emitted in the superradiant modes only, and is nonthermal in nature.
The Einstein-Hilbert Lagrangian has no well-defined variational derivative with respect to the metric. This issue has to be tackled by adding a suitable surface term to the action, which is a peculiar feature of gravity. We also know that null surfaces in spacetime exhibit (observer-dependent) thermodynamic features. This suggests a possible thermodynamic interpretation of the boundary term when the boundary is a null surface. For timelike/spacelike surfaces it is easy to construct the boundary term but there are some subtleties in the case of the null surface. The correct form of boundary ter…
In the Cauchy problem for asymptotically flat vacuum data the solution-jets along the cylinder at space-like infinity develop in general logarithmic singularities at the critical sets at which the cylinder touches future/past null infinity. The tendency of these singularities to spread along the null generators of null infinity obstructs the development of a smooth conformal structure at null infinity. For the solution-jets arising from time reflection symmetric data to extend smoothly to the critical sets it is necessary that the Cotton tensor of the initial three-metric h satisfies a certain…
In this paper we study geodesic motion around a distorted Schwarzschild black hole. We consider both timelike and null geodesics which are confined to the black hole's equatorial plane. Such geodesics generically exist if the distortion field has only even interior multipole moments and so the field is symmetric with respect to the equatorial plane. We specialize to the case of distortions defined by a quadrupole Weyl moment. An analysis of the effective potential for equatorial timelike geodesics shows that finite stable orbits outside the black hole are possible only for $q\in(q_{\text{min}}…
The energy-momentum and angular momentum contained in a spacelike two-surface of spherical topology are estimated by joining the two-surface to null infinity via an approximate no-incoming-radiation condition. The result is a set of gauge-invariant formulas for energy-momentum and angular momentum which should be applicable to much numerical work; it also gives estimates of the finite-size effects.
In the (2+2) formulation of general relativity spacetime is foliated by a two-parameter family of spacelike 2-surfaces (instead of the more usual one-parameter family of spacelike 3-surfaces). In a partially gauge-fixed setting (double-null gauge), I write down the symplectic structure of general relativity in terms of intrinsic and extrinsic quantities associated with these 2-surfaces. This leads to an identification of the reduced phase space degrees of freedom. In particular, I show that the two physical degrees of freedom of general relativity are naturally encoded in a quantity closely re…
A canonical analysis for general relativity is performed on a null surface without fixing the diffeomorphism gauge, and the canonical pairs of configuration and momentum variables are derived. Next to the well-known spin-2 pair, also spin-1 and spin-0 pairs are identified. The boundary action for a null boundary segment of spacetime is obtained, including terms on codimension two corners.
We show that the diffeomorphisms, which preserve the null nature for a generic null metric very near to the null surface, provide {\it noncommutative} Heisenberg algebra. This is the generalization of the earlier work (Phys. Rev. D95, 044020 (2017)) \cite{Majhi:2017fua}, done for the Rindler horizon. The present analysis revels that the algebra is very general as it is obtained for a generic null surface and is applicable for any spacetime horizon. Finally using these results, the entropy of the null surface is derived in the form of the Cardy formula. Our analysis is completely {\it off-shell…
Bearing in mind our previous study on asymptotic behavior of null geodesics near future null infinity, we analyze the behavior of geometrical quantities such as a certain extrinsic curvature and Riemann tensor in the Bondi coordinates. In the sense of asymptotics, the condition for an $r$-constant hypersurface to be a photon surface is shown to be controlled by a key quantity that determines the fate of photons initially emitted in angular directions. As a consequence, in four dimensions, such a non-expanding photon surface can be realized even near future null infinity in the presence of enor…
We discuss the problem of the motion of classical strings in some black hole and cosmological spacetimes. In particular, the null string limit (zero tension) of tensile strings is considered. We present some new exact string solutions in Reissner-Nordström black hole background as well as in the Einstein Static Universe and in the Einstein-Schwarzschild (a black hole in the Einstein Static Universe) spacetime. These solutions can give some insight into a general nature of propagation of strings (cosmic and fundamental) in curved backgrounds.
We show that the equation of motion of scalar-tensor theory acquires thermodynamic identity when projected on a generic null surface. The relevant projection is given by $E_{ab}l^ak^b$, where $E_{ab} =8πT_{ab}^{(m)}$ represents the equation motion for gravitational field in presence of external matter, $l^a$ is the generator of the null surface and $k^a$ is the corresponding auxiliary null vector. Our analysis is done completely in a covariant way. Therefore all the thermodynamic quantities are in covariant form and hence can be used for any specific form of metric adapted to a null surface. W…
The Ryu-Takayanagi formula provides the entanglement entropy of quantum field theory as an area of the minimal surface (Ryu-Takayangi surface) in a corresponding gravity theory. There are some attempts to understand the formula as a flow rather than as a surface. In this paper, we propose that null rays emitted from the AdS boundary can be regarded as such a flow. In particular, we show that in spherical symmetric static spacetimes with a negative cosmological constant, wave fronts of null geodesics from a point on the AdS boundary become extremal surfaces and therefore they can be regarded as…
We extend previous proofs that violations of the null energy condition (NEC) are a generic and universal feature of traversable wormholes to completely non-symmetric time-dependent wormholes. We show that the analysis can be phrased purely in terms of local geometry at and near the wormhole throat, and do not have to make any technical assumptions about asymptotic flatness or other global properties. A key aspect of the analysis is the demonstration that time-dependent wormholes have two throats, one for each direction through the wormhole, and that the two throats coalesce only for the case o…
We discuss a sequence of numerically constructed geometries describing binary black hole event horizons -- providing the necessary input for characteristic evolution of the exterior spacetime. Our sequence approaches a single Schwarzschild horizon as one limiting case and also includes cases where the horizon's crossover surface is not hidden by a marginally anti-trapped surface (MATS).
We apply Cartan's method of equivalence to construct invariants of a given null hypersurface in a Lorentzian space-time. This enables us to fully classify the internal geometry of such surfaces and hence solve the local equivalence problem for null hypersurface structures in 4-dimensional Lorentzian space-times.
Einstein equations with $T_{μν} = k_μk_ν+ \ell_μ\ell_ν$ where $k, \ell$ are null are considered with spherical symmetry and staticity. The solution has naked singularity and is not asymptotically flat. However, it may be interpreted as an envelope for any static spherical body making it more massive. Such an interpretation and some of its implications are detailed.
