It is believed that in any number of dimensions the off-shell Kerr-NUT-(A)dS metric represents a unique geometry admitting the principal (rank 2, non-degenerate, closed conformal Killing-Yano) tensor. The original proof relied on the Euclidean signature and therein natural assumption that the eigenvalues of the principal tensor have gradients of spacelike character. In this paper we evade this common wisdom and construct new classes of Lorentzian (and other signature) off-shell metrics admitting the principal tensor with null eigenvalues, uncovering so a much richer structure of spacetimes with principal tensor in four and higher dimensions. A few observations regarding the Kerr-Schild ansatz are also made.
New geometries were obtained by adding a suitable surface term involving the components of the angular momentum to the corresponding free Lagrangians. Killing vectors, Killing-Yano and Killing tensors of the obtained manifolds were investigated.
From the metric and one Killing-Yano tensor of rank D-2 in any D-dimensional spacetime with such a principal Killing-Yano tensor, we show how to generate k=[(D+1)/2] Killing-Yano tensors, of rank D-2j for all j=0,...,k-1, and k rank-2 Killing tensors, giving k constants of geodesic motion that are in involution. For the example of the Kerr-NUT-AdS spacetime (hep-th/0604125) with its principal Killing-Yano tensor (gr-qc/0610144), these constants and the constants from the k Killing vectors give D independent constants in involution, making the geodesic motion completely integrable (hep-th/06110…
We present a brief overview of black hole spacetimes admitting Killing-Yano tensors. In vacuum these include Kerr-NUT-(A)dS metrics and certain black brane solutions. In the presence of matter fields, (conformal) Killing-Yano symmetries are known to exist for the Plebanski-Demianski solution and (trivially) for any spacetime with spherical symmetry. Special attention is devoted to generalized Killing-Yano tensors of black holes in minimal gauged supergravity. Several aspects directly related to the existence of Killing-Yano tensors, such as the Kerr-Schild form, algebraic type of spacetimes, a…
Assuming the existence of a single rank-2 closed conformal Killing-Yano tensor with a certain symmetry we show that there exist mutually commuting rank-2 Killing tensors and Killing vectors. We also discuss the condition of separation of variables for the geodesic Hamilton-Jacobi equations.
In this paper we derive the most general first-order symmetry operator commuting with the Dirac operator in all dimensions and signatures. Such an operator splits into Clifford even and Clifford odd parts which are given in terms of odd Killing-Yano and even closed conformal Killing-Yano inhomogeneous forms respectively. We study commutators of these symmetry operators and give necessary and sufficient conditions under which they remain of the first-order. In this specific setting we can introduce a Killing-Yano bracket, a bilinear operation acting on odd Killing-Yano and even closed conformal…
Using a Kaluza-Klein-type lift, it is shown how Killing-Yano forms with torsion can remain symmetries of a higher-dimensional geometry, subject to an algebraic condition between the Kaluza-Klein field strength and the Killing-Yano form. The lift condition's significance is highlighted, and is satisfied by examples of black holes in supergravity.
The supersymmetric extension of charged point particle's motion is applied to investigate symmetries of gravitational fields and electromagnetic fields. We mainly focus on the role of the Killing- Yano tensors of both usual and generalized types. Results obtained by systematic analysis strengthen the connection of the Killing- Yano tensor and superinvariants (functions commuting with the supercharge).
We propose a generalization of the (conformal) Killing-Yano equations relevant to D=5 minimal gauged supergravity. The generalization stems from the fact that the dual of the Maxwell flux, the 3-form *F, couples naturally to particles in the background as a `torsion'. Killing-Yano tensors in the presence of torsion preserve most of the properties of the standard Killing-Yano tensors, exploited recently for the higher-dimensional rotating black holes of vacuum gravity with cosmological constant. In particular, the generalized closed conformal Killing-Yano 2-form gives rise to the tower of gener…
The generalized Killing equations for the configuration space of spinning particles (spinning space) are analysed. Solutions of these equations are expressed in terms of Killing-Yano tensors. In general the constants of motion can be seen as extensions of those from the scalar case or new ones depending on the Grassmann-valued spin variables.
We construct the Killing(-Yano) tensors for a large class of charged black holes in higher dimensions and study general properties of such tensors, in particular, their behavior under string dualities. Killing(-Yano) tensors encode the symmetries beyond isometries, which lead to insights into dynamics of particles and fields on a given geometry by providing a set of conserved quantities. By analyzing the eigenvalues of the Killing tensor, we provide a prescription for constructing several conserved quantities starting from a single object, and we demonstrate that Killing tensors in higher dime…
The integrability conditions for the existence of a conformal Killing-Yano tensor of arbitrary order are worked out in all dimensions and expressed in terms of the Weyl tensor. As a consequence, the integrability conditions for the existence of a Killing-Yano tensor are also obtained. By means of such conditions, it is shown that in certain Einstein spaces one can use a conformal Killing-Yano tensor of order p to generate a Killing-Yano tensor of order (p-1). Finally, it is proved that in maximally symmetric spaces the covariant derivative of a Killing-Yano tensor is a closed conformal Killing…
We investigate the hidden symmetries of the Kerr-Newman, of the D=5 minimal gauged supergravity which admits a Killing-Maxwell system in the sense of Carter and of higher dimensional spacetimes in the presence of Killing-Yano torsion. We note that when an electromagnetic tensor is present and an associated Killing-Maxwell system can be constructed in the sense of Carter, the Killing- Maxwell field becomes a PCKY (primary conformal Killing-Yano) tensor or a PGCKY (primary generalized conformal Killing-Yano) tensor, the latter in the presence of torsion. We point out the structure of the Dirac-t…
A necessary condition that a Stäckel-Killing tensor of valence 2 be the contracted product of a Killing-Yano tensor of valence 2 with itself is re-derived for a Riemannian manifold. This condition is applied to the generalized Euclidean Taub-NUT metrics which admit a Kepler type symmetry. It is shown that in general the Stäckel-Killing tensors involved in the Runge-Lenz vector cannot be expressed as a product of Killing-Yano tensors. The only exception is the original Taub-NUT metric.
We present the explicit expressions for the conformal Killing-Yano tensors for the Plebanski-Demianski family of type D solutions in four dimensions. Some physically important special cases are discussed in more detail. In particular, it is demonstrated how the conformal Killing-Yano tensor becomes the Killing-Yano tensor for the solutions without acceleration. A possible generalization into higher dimensions is studied. Whereas the transition from the nonaccelerating to accelerating solutions in four dimensions is achieved by the conformal rescaling of the metric, we show that such a procedur…
Using a generalised Killing-Yano equation in the presence of torsion, spacetime metrics admitting a rank-2 generalised Killing-Yano tensor are investigated in five dimensions under the assumption that its eigenvector associated with the zero eigenvalue is a Killing vector field. It is shown that such metrics are classified into three types and the corresponding local expressions are given explicitly. It is also shown that they cover some classes of charged, rotating Kaluza-Klein black hole solutions of minimal supergravity and abelian heterotic supergravity.
We formulate several criteria under which the symmetries associated with the Killing and Killing-Yano tensors on the base space can be lifted to the symmetries of the full warped geometry. The procedure is explicitly illustrated on several examples, providing new prototypes of spacetimes admitting such tensors. In particular, we study a warped product of two Kerr-NUT-(A)dS spacetimes and show that it gives rise to a new class of highly symmetric vacuum (with cosmological constant) black hole solutions that inherit many of the properties of the Kerr-NUT-(A)dS geometry.
We construct an asymptotic conserved charge for a current that has been defined using Killing-Yano tensors. We then calculate the corresponding conserved charges of of the Kerr and AdS-Kerr black holes, and their higher-dimensional generalizations, Myers-Perry and Gibbons-Lü-Page-Pope black holes. The new charges all turn out to be proportional to the angular momenta of their parent black holes.
The integrability conditions for the existence of Killing-Yano tensors or, equivalently, covariantly closed conformal Killing-Yano tensors, in the presence of torsion are worked out. As an application, all metrics and torsions compatible with the existence of a Killing-Yano tensor of order n-1 are obtained. Finally, the issue of defining a maximally symmetric space with respect to connections with torsion is addressed.
Symmetry algebras of Killing vector fields and conformal Killing vectors fields can be extended to Killing-Yano and conformal Killing-Yano superalgebras in constant curvature manifolds. By defining $\mathbb{Z}$-gradations and filtrations of these superalgebras, we show that the second cohomology groups of them are trivial and they cannot be deformed to other Lie superalgebras. This shows the rigidity of Killing-Yano and conformal Killing-Yano superalgebras and reveals the fact that they correspond to geometric invariants of constant curvature manifolds. We discuss the structures and dimensions…
The asymptotic conformal Yano--Killing tensor proposed in J. Jezierski, On the relation between metric and spin-2 formulation of linearized Einstein theory [GRG, in print (1994)] is analyzed for Schwarzschild metric and tensor equations defining this object are given. The result shows that the Schwarzschild metric (and other metrics which are asymptotically ``Schwarzschildean'' up to O(1/r^2) at spatial infinity) is among the metrics fullfilling stronger asymptotic conditions and supertranslations ambiguities disappear. It is also clear from the result that 14 asymptotic gravitational charges …
The properties of a Killing-Yano tensor of order n-1 in an n-dimensional manifold are investigated. The integrability conditions are worked out and all metrics admitting a Killing-Yano tensor of order n-1 are found. It is pointed out a connection between such tensors and a generalization of the concept of angular momentum. A theorem on how to generate closed conformal Killing vectors using the symmetries of a manifold is proved and used to find all Killing-Yano tensors of order n-1 of a maximally symmetric space.
Symmetric conformal Killing tensors and (skew-symmetric) conformal Yano-Killing tensors for Euclidean Taub-NUT metric are given in explicit form. Relations between Yano and CYK tensors in terms of conformal rescaling are discussed.
In this paper we initiate a classification of local metrics admitting the principal Killing--Yano tensor with a skew-symmetric torsion. It is demonstrated that in such spacetimes rank-2 Killing tensors occur naturally and mutually commute. We reduce the classification problem to that of solving a set of partial differential equations, and we present some solutions to these PDEs. In even dimensions, three types of local metrics are obtained: one of them naturally generalizes the torsionless case while the others occur only when the torsion is present. In odd dimensions, we obtain more varieties…
We present the conditions when a Killing-Yano tensor becomes a Nambu tensor. We have shown that in the flat space case all Killing-Yano tensors are Nambu tensors. In the case of Taub-NUT metric and Kerr-Newmann metric we found that a Killing-Yano tensor of order two generate a Nambu tensor of order three.
Methods are presented for finding Killing-Yano tensors, conformal Killing-Yano tensors, and conformal Killing vectors in spacetimes with a hypersurface orthogonal Killing vector. These methods are similar to a method developed by the authors for finding Killing tensors. In all cases one decomposes both the tensor and the equation it satisfies into pieces along the Killing vector and pieces orthogonal to the Killing vector. Solving the separate equations that result from this decomposition requires less computing than integrating the original equation. In each case, examples are given to illust…
We show how, for all dimensions and signatures, a symmetry operator for the massless Dirac equation can be constructed from a conformal Killing-Yano tensor of arbitrary degree.
By using conformal Killing-Yano tensors, and their generalisations, we obtain scalar potentials for both the source-free Maxwell and massless Dirac equations. For each of these equations we construct, from conformal Killing-Yano tensors, symmetry operators that map any solution to another.
We provide a generalization of the Lie algebra of conformal Killing vector fields to conformal Killing-Yano forms. A new Lie bracket for conformal Killing-Yano forms that corresponds to slightly modified Schouten-Nijenhuis bracket of differential forms is proposed. We show that conformal Killing-Yano forms satisfy a graded Lie algebra in constant curvature manifolds. It is also proven that normal conformal Killing-Yano forms in Einstein manifolds also satisfy a graded Lie algebra. The constructed graded Lie algebras reduce to the graded Lie algebra of Killing-Yano forms and the Lie algebras of…
The Rainich problem for the Killing-Yano tensors posed by Collinson \cite{col} is solved. In intermediate steps, we first obtain the necessary and sufficient conditions for a 2+2 almost-product structure to determine the principal 2--planes of a skew-symmetric Killing-Yano tensor and then we give the additional conditions on a symmetric Killing tensor for it to be the square of a Killing-Yano tensor.We also analyze a similar problem for the conformal Killing-Yano and the conformal Killing tensors. Our results show that, in both cases, the principal 2--planes define a maxwellian structure. The …
We show that the Euclidean Kerr-NUT-(A)dS metric in $2m$ dimensions locally admits $2^m$ hermitian complex structures. These are derived from the existence of a non-degenerate closed conformal Killing-Yano tensor with distinct eigenvalues. More generally, a conformal Killing-Yano tensor, provided its exterior derivative satisfies a certain condition, algebraically determines $2^m$ almost complex structures that turn out to be integrable as a consequence of the conformal Killing-Yano equations. In the complexification, these lead to $2^m$ maximal isotropic foliations of the manifold and, in Lor…
New relations involving the Riemann, Ricci and Einstein tensors that have to hold for a given geometry to admit Killing-Yano tensors are described. These relations are then used to introduce novel conserved "currents" involving such Killing-Yano tensors. For a particular current based on the Einstein tensor, we discuss the issue of conserved charges and consider implications for matter coupled to gravity. The condition on the background geometry to allow asymptotic conserved charges for a current introduced by Kastor and Traschen is found and a number of other new aspects of this current are c…
The existence of Killing-Yano tensors on space-times can be probed by spinning particles. Specifically, Dirac particles possess new fermionic constants of motion corresponding to non-standard supersymmetries on the particle worldline. A geometrical duality connects space-times with Killing-Yano structure, but without torsion, to other space-times with Killing-Yano structure and torsion. A relation between the indices of the Dirac operators on the dual space-times allows to express the index on the space-time with torsion in terms of that of the space-time without torsion.
We study the space-times admitting a null conformal Killing-Yano tensor whose divergence defines a Killing vector. We analyze the similitudes and differences with the recently studied non null case (Gen. Relativ. Grav. (2015) {\bf 47} 1911). The results by Barnes concerning the Birkhoff theorem for the case of null orbits are analyzed and generalized.
In this paper we investigate a class of basic super-energy tensors, namely those constructed from Killing-Yano tensors, and give a generalization of super-energy tensors for cases when we start not with a single tensor, but with a pair of tensors.
Properties of (skew-symmetric) conformal Yano--Killing tensors are reviewed. Explicit forms of three symmetric conformal Killing tensors in Kerr spacetime are obtained from the Yano--Killing tensor. The relation between spin-2 fields and solutions to the Maxwell equations is used in the construction of a new conserved quantity which is quadratic in terms of the Weyl tensor. The formula obtained is similar to the functional obtained from the Bel--Robinson tensor and is examined in Kerr spacetime. A new interpretation of the conserved quantity obtained is proposed.
We analyze the main geometric conditions imposed by the hypothesis of the Jebsen-Birkhoff theorem. We show that the result (existence of an additional Killing vector) does not necessarily require a three-dimensional isometry group on two-dimensional orbits but only the existence of a conformal Killing-Yano tensor. In this approach the (additional) isometry appears as the known invariant Killing vector that the ${\cal D}$-metrics admit.
Conformal rescaling of conformal Yano--Killing tensors and relations between Yano and CYK tensors are discussed. Pullback of these objects to a submanifold is used to construct all solutions of a CYK equation in anti-de Sitter and de Sitter spacetimes. Properties of asymptotic conformal Yano--Killing tensors are examined for asymptotic anti-de Sitter spacetimes. Explicit asymptotic forms of them are derived. The results are used to construct asymptotic charges in asymptotic AdS spacetime. Well known examples like Schwarzschild-AdS, Kerr-AdS and NUT-AdS are examined carefully in the constructio…
A possible generalization of plane fronted waves with parallel rays (gpp-wave) fall into a more general class of metrics admitting parallel null 1-planes. For gpp-wave metric, the zero-curvature condition is given, the Killing-Yano tensors of order two and three are found and the corresponding Killing tensors are constructed. Henceforth, the compatibility between geometric duality and non-generic symmetries is presented.
We present a new method for constructing conformal Yano-Killing tensors in five-di\-men\-sio\-nal Anti-de Sitter space-time. The found tensors are represented in two different coordinate systems. We also discuss, in terms of CYK tensors, global charges which are well defined for asymptotically (five-dimensional) Anti-de Sitter space-time. Additionally in Appendix we present our own derivation of conformal Killing one-forms in four-dimensional Anti-de Sitter space-time as an application of the Theorem presented in the paper.
We construct the first-order symmetry operators of Killing spinor equation in terms of odd Killing-Yano forms. By modifying the Schouten-Nijenhuis bracket of Killing-Yano forms, we show that the symmetry operators of Killing spinors close into an algebra in AdS_5 spacetime. Since the symmetry operator algebra of Killing spinors corresponds to a Jacobi identity in extended Killing superalgebras, we investigate the possible extensions of Killing superalgebras to include higher-degree Killing-Yano forms. We found that there is a superalgebra extension but no Lie superalgebra extension of the Kill…
The role of Killing and Killing-Yano tensors for studying the geodesic motion of the particle and the superparticle in a curved background is reviewed. Additionally the Papadopoulos list [74] for Killing-Yano tensors in G structures is reproduced by studying the torsion types these structures admit. The Papadopoulos list deals with groups G appearing in the Berger classification, and we enlarge the list by considering additional G structures which are not of the Berger type. Possible applications of these results in the study of supersymmetric particle actions and in the AdS/CFT correspondence…
This work is constructed on two main concepts: Killing-Yano symmetry and the Kaluza-Klein theory. Those concepts are reviewed in the first three chapters. In the fourth chapter firstly Killing-Yano equations of valence-2 are obtained for a general 5-dimensional metric and then reduced for the Minkowski metric. It is seen that in order to save the existence of Killing-Yano tensors with the fifth components some conditions must be satisfied
Killing-Yano one forms (duals of Killing vector fields) of a class of spherically symmetric space-times characterized by four functions are derived in a unified and exhaustive way. For well-known space-times such as those of Minkowski, Schwarzschild, Reissner-Nordstrom, Robertson-Walker and several forms of de Sitter, these forms arise as special cases in a natural way. Besides its two well-known forms, four more forms of de Sitter space-time are also established with ten independent Killing vector fields for which four different time evolution regimes can explicitly be specified by the symmet…
We show that the Killing spinor equations of all supergravity theories which may include higher order corrections on a (r,s)-signature spacetime are associated with twisted covariant form hierarchies. These hierarchies are characterized by a connection on the space of forms which may not be degree preserving. As a consequence we demonstrate that the form Killing spinor bi-linears of all supersymmetric backgrounds satisfy a suitable generalization of conformal Killing-Yano equation with respect to this connection. To illustrate the general proof the twisted covariant form hierarchies of some su…
General higher-dimensional rotating black hole spacetimes of any dimensions admit the Killing and Killing-Yano tensors, which generate the hidden symmetries just as in four-dimensional Kerr spacetime. We study these properties of the black holes using the formalism of supersymmetric mechanics of pseudo-classical spinning point particles. We present two nontrivial supercharges, corresponding to the Killing-Yano and conformal Killing-Yano tensors of the second rank. We demonstrate that an unusual extended Poisson-Dirac algebra of these supercharges results in two independent Killing tensors in s…
This paper presents a simple method for investigating spacetime symmetry for a given metric. The method makes use of the curvature conditions that are obtained from the Killing equations. We use the solutions of the curvature conditions to compute an upper bound on the number of Killing vector fields, as well as Killing-Yano tensors and closed conformal Killing-Yano tensors. We also use them in the integration of the Killing equations. By means of the method, we thoroughly investigate Killing-Yano symmetry of type D vacuum solutions such as the Kerr metric in four dimensions. The method is als…
It has been shown that for each Killing-Yano (KY)-form accepted by an $n$-dimensional (pseudo)Riemannian manifold of arbitrary signature, two basic gravitational currents can be defined. Conservation of the currents are explicitly proved by showing co-exactness of the one and co-closedness of the other. Some general geometrical facts implied by these conservation laws are also elucidated. In particular, the conservation of the one-form currents implies that the scalar curvature of the manifold is a flow invariant for all of its Killing vector fields. It also directly follows that, while all KY…
It is well known that 4-dimensional Kerr-NUT-AdS spacetime possesses the hidden symmetry associated with the Killing-Yano tensor. This tensor is "universal" in the sense that there exist coordinates where it does not depend on any of the free parameters of the metric. Recently the general higher dimensional Kerr-NUT-AdS solutions of the Einstein equations were obtained. We demonstrate that all these metrics with arbitrary rotation and NUT parameters admit a universal Killing-Yano tensor. We give an explicit presentation of the Killing-Yano and Killing tensors and briefly discuss their properti…
We present the properties of new Dirac-type operators generated by real or complex-valued special Killing-Yano tensors that are covariantly constant and represent roots of the metric tensor. In the real case these are just the so called complex or hyper-complex structures of the K\" ahlerian manifolds. Such a Killing-Yano tensor produces simultaneously a Dirac-type operator and the generator of a one-parameter Lie group connecting this operator with the standard Dirac one. In this way the Dirac operators are related among themselves through continuous transformations associated with specific d…
The continuous and discrete symmetries of the Dirac-type operators produced by particular Killing-Yano tensors are studied in manifolds of arbitrary dimensions. The Killing-Yano tensors considered are covariantly constant and realize certain square roots of the metric tensor. Such a Killing-Yano tensor produces simultaneously a Dirac-type operator and the generator of a one-parameter Lie group connecting this operator with the standard Dirac one. The Dirac operators are related among themselves through continuous or discrete transformations. It is shown that the groups of the continuous symmet…
Benefiting from the index spinorial formalism, the Killing spinor equation is integrated in six-dimensional spacetimes. The integrability conditions for the existence of a Killing spinor are worked out and the Killing spinors are classified in two algebraic types, in the first type the scalar curvature of the spacetime must be negative, while in the second type the spacetime must be an Einstein manifold. In addition, the equations that define Killing-Yano (KY) and closed conformal Killing-Yano (CCKY) tensors are expressed in the index notation and, as consequence, all non-vanishing KY and CCKY…
In spacetimes admitting Yano tensors the classical theory of the spinning particle possesses enhanced worldline supersymmetry. Quantum mechanically generators of extra supersymmetries correspond to operators that in the classical limit commute with the Dirac operator and generate conserved quantities. We show that the result is preserved in the full quantum theory, that is, Yano symmetries are not anomalous. This was known for Yano tensors of rank two, but our main result is to show that it extends to Yano tensors of arbitrary rank. We also describe the conformal Yano equation and show that is…
We elaborate on basic properties of generalized Killing-Yano tensors which naturally extend Killing-Yano symmetry in the presence of skew-symmetric torsion. In particular, we discuss their relationship to Killing tensors and the separability of various field equations. We further demonstrate that the Kerr-Sen black hole spacetime of heterotic string theory, as well as its generalization to all dimensions, possesses a generalized closed conformal Killing-Yano 2-form with respect to a torsion identified with the 3-form occuring naturally in the theory. Such a 2-form is responsible for complete i…
We present the twisted covariant form hierarchies (TCFH) of type IIA and IIB 10-dimensional supergravities and show that all form bilinears of supersymmetric backgrounds satisfy the conformal Killing-Yano equation with respect to a TCFH connection. We also compute the Killing-Stäckel, Killing-Yano and closed conformal Killing-Yano tensors of all spherically symmetric type II brane backgrounds and demonstrate that the geodesic flow on these solutions is completely integrable by giving all independent charges in involution. We then identify all form bilinears of common sector and D-brane backgro…
We investigate the hidden symmetries and existence of Killing spinors of D=5 minimal gauged supergravity solutions which admit a Killing-Maxwell system in the sense of Carter, such as the Chong-Cveti$\check{c}$-Lü-Pope (CCLP) Kerr-dS black hole spacetime and a 5-dimensional minimal gauged supergravity solution endowed with a Sasaki structure deformed by torsion, a limiting case of the generalization of the 5-dimensional toric Sasaki-Einstein $L^{a,b,c}$ spacetime. We note that when an electromagnetic tensor is present and an associated Killing-Maxwell system can be constructed in the sense of …
