We study the mechanisms of the non properness of the action of the group of diffeomorphisms on the space of Lorentzian metrics of a compact manifold. In particular, we prove that nonproperness entails the presence of lightlike geodesic foliations of codimension 1. On the 2-torus, we prove that a metric with constant curvature along one of its lightlike foliation is actually flat. This allows us to show that the restriction of the action to the set of non-flat metrics is proper and that on the set of flat metrics of volume 1 the action is ergodic. Finally, we show that, contrarily to the Riemannian case, the space of metrics without isometries is not always open.
We study the problem of diagonalization of the metric of 3-dimensional Lorentzian manifold. Applying the technique of moving frames, we prove that every smooth Lorentzian 3-manifold admits an atlas in which the metric assumes a diagonal form.
We consider Lie groups equipped with a left-invariant cyclic Lorentzian metric. As in the Riemannian case, in terms of homogeneous structures, such metrics can be considered as different as possible from bi-invariant metrics. We show that several results concerning cyclic Riemannian metrics do not extend to their Lorentzian analogues, and obtain a full classification of three- and four-dimensional cyclic Lorentzian metrics.
For each connected and simply connected three-dimensional non-unimodular Lie group, we classify the left invariant Lorentzian metrics up to automorphism, and study the extent to which curvature can be altered by a change of metric. Thereby we obtain the Ricci operator, the scalar curvature, and the sectional curvatures as functions of left invariant Lorentzian metrics on the three-dimensional non-unimodular Lie groups. Our study is a continuation and extension of the previous studies done in \cite{HL2009_MN} for Riemannian metrics on three-dimensional Lie groups and in \cite{BC} for Lorentzian…
All candidates to the weakly-irreducible not irreducible holonomy algebras of Lorentzian manifolds are known. In the present paper metrics that realize all these candidates as holonomy algebras are given. This completes the classification of the Lorentzian holonomy algebras. Also new examples of metrics with the holonomy algebras $g_2\zr\Real^7\subset\so(1,8)$ and $\spin(7)\zr\Real^8\subset\so(1,9)$ are constructed.
We construct normal forms for Lorentzian metrics on Engel distributions under the assumption that abnormal curves are timelike future directed Hamiltonian geodesics. Then we indicate some cases in which the abnormal timelike future directed curve initiating at the origin is geometrically optimal. We also give certain estimates for reachable sets from a point.
Given a Lorentzian manifold $(M,g_L)$ and a timelike unitary vector field $E$, we can construct the Riemannian metric $g_R=g_L+2ω\otimesω$, being $ω$ the metrically equivalent one form to $E$. We relate the curvature of both metrics, especially in the case of $E$ being Killing or closed, and we use the relations obtained to give some results about $(M,g_L)$.
It has been known that there exist exactly three left-invariant Lorentzian metrics up to scaling and automorphisms on the three dimensional Heisenberg group. In this paper, we classify left-invariant Lorentzian metrics on the direct product of three dimensional Heisenberg group and the Euclidean space of dimension $n-3$ with $n \geq 4$, and prove that there exist exactly six such metrics on this Lie group up to scaling and automorphisms. Moreover we show that only one of them is flat, and the other five metrics are Ricci solitons but not Einstein. We also characterize this flat metric as the u…
We study the neutral Kähler metric on the space of time-like lines in Lorentzian ${\Bbb{E}}^3_1$, which we identify with the total space of the tangent bundle to the hyperbolic plane. We find all of the infinitesimal isometries of this metric, as well as the geodesics, and interpret them in terms of the Lorentzian metric on ${\Bbb{E}}^3_1$. In addition, we give a new characterisation of Weingarten surfaces in Euclidean ${\Bbb{E}}^3$ and Lorentzian ${\Bbb{E}}^3_1$ as the vanishing of the scalar curvature of the associated normal congruence in the space of oriented lines. Finally, we relate our …
Two Kähler metrics on a complex manifold are called c-projectively equivalent if their $J$-planar curves coincide. These curves are defined by the property that the acceleration is complex proportional to the velocity. We give an explicit local description of all pairs of c-projectively equivalent Kähler metrics of arbitrary signature and use this description to prove the classical Yano-Obata conjecture: we show that on a closed connected Kähler manifold of arbitrary signature, any c-projective vector field is an affine vector field unless the manifold is $CP^n$ with (a multiple of) the Fubini…
We present in this paper a $C^1$-metric on an open neighbourhood of the origin in $\RR^{5}$. The metric is of Lorentzian signature $(1,4)$ and admits a solution to the twistor equation for spinors with a unique isolated zero at the origin. The metric is not conformally flat in any neighbourhood of the origin. The construction is based on the Eguchi-Hanson metric with parallel spinors on Riemannian 4-space.
There are five unimodular simply connected three dimensional unimodular non abelian Lie groups: the nilpotent Lie group $\mathrm{Nil}$, the special unitary group $\mathrm{SU}(2)$, the universal covering group $\widetilde{\mathrm{PSL}}(2,\mathbb{R})$ of the special linear group, the solvable Lie group $\mathrm{Sol}$ and the universal covering group $\widetilde{\mathrm{E}_0}(2)$ of the connected component of the Euclidean group. For each $G$ among these Lie groups, we give explicitly the list of all Lorentzian left invariant metrics on $G$, up to un automorphism of $G$. Moreover, for any Lorentz…
The local classification of conformally flat Lorentzian manifolds with special holonomy groups is obtained. The corresponding local metrics are certain extensions of Riemannian spaces of constant sectional curvature to Walker metrics.
In this work it is shown that a necessary condition for the completeness of the geodesics of left invariant pseudo-Riemannian metrics on Lie groups is also sufficient in the case of 3-dimensional unimodular Lie groups, and not sufficient for 3-dimensional non unimodular Lie groups. As a consequence it is possible to identify, amongst the compact locally homogeneous Lorentzian 3-manifolds with non compact (local) isotropy group, those that are geodesically complete.
We describe the structure of $d$-dimensional homogeneous Lorentzian $G$-manifolds $M=G/H$ of a semisimple Lie group $G$. Due to a result by N. Kowalsky, it is sufficient to consider the case when the group $G$ acts properly, that is the stabilizer $H$ is compact. Then any homogeneous space $G/\bar H$ with a smaller group $\bar H \subset H$ admits an invariant Lorentzian metric. A homogeneous manifold $G/H$ with a connected compact stabilizer $H$ is called a minimal admissible manifold if it admits an invariant Lorentzian metric, but no homogeneous $G$-manifold $G/\tilde H$ with a larger connec…
In this paper, we study Lorentzian left invariant Einstein metrics on nilpotent Lie groups. We show that if the center of such Lie groups is degenerate then they are Ricci-flat and their Lie algebras can be obtained by the double extension process from an abelian Euclidean Lie algebra. We show that all nilpotent Lie groups up to dimension $5$ endowed with a Lorentzian Einstein left invariant metric have degenerate center and we use this fact to give a complete classification of these metrics. We show that if $\mathfrak{g}$ is the Lie algebra of a nilpotent Lie group endowed with a Lorentzian l…
Let E be the Engel group and D be a rank 2 bracket generating left invariant distribution with a Lorentzian metric, which is a nondegenerate metric of index 1. In this paper, we first prove that timelike normal extremals are locally maximizing. Second, we obtain a parametrization of timelike, spacelike, lightlike normal extremal trajectories by Jacobi functions. Third, a discrete symmetry group and its fixed points which are Maxwell points of of timelike and spacelike normal extremals, are described. An estimate for the cut time (the time of loss of optimality) on extremal trajectories is deri…
It is known that all left-invariant pseudo-Riemannian metrics on $H_3$ are algebraic Ricci solitons. We consider generalizations of Riemannian $H$-type, namely pseudo$H$-type and $pH$-type. We study algebraic Ricci solitons of left-invariant Lorentzian metrics on 2-step nilpotent Lie groups of both types.
On a smooth $n$-manifold $M$ with $n \geq 3$, we study pairs $(g,T)$ consisting of a Riemannian metric $g$ and a unit length closed vector field $T$. Motivated by how Ricci solitons generalize Einstein metrics via a distinguished vector field, we propose to generalize space forms by considering those pairs $(g,T)$ whose corresponding Lorentzian metric $g_{\scriptscriptstyle L} = g - 2T^{\flat} \otimes T^{\flat}$ has constant curvature. We show by examples that such pairs exist when $M$ is noncompact, and that complete metrics exist among them. When $M$ is compact, however, the situation is mor…
We consider a class of $S^{1}$-bundles whose total space admits a nowhere vanishing recurrent lightlike vector field with respect to a Lorentzian metric. This metric can be modified such that its restricted holonomy group is indecomposable and reducible. We apply Hodge theory to construct examples with Hermitian screen holonomy. Finally, we construct complete pp-waves.
We call a connected Lie group endowed with a left-invariant Lorentzian flat metric Lorentzian flat Lie group. In this Note, we determine all Lorentzian flat Lie groups admitting a timelike left-invariant Killing vector field. We show that these Lie groups are 2-solvable and unimodular and hence geodesically complete. Moreover, we show that a Lorentzian flat Lie group $(\mathrm{G},μ)$ admits a timelike left-invariant Killing vector field if and only if $\mathrm{G}$ admits a left-invariant Riemannian metric which has the same Levi-Civita connection of $μ$. Finally, we give an useful characteriza…
The b-boundary is a mathematical tool used to attach a topological boundary to incomplete Lorentzian manifolds using a Riemaniann metric called the Schmidt metric on the frame bundle. In this paper, we give the general form of the Schmidt metric in the case of Lorentzian surfaces. Furthermore, we write the Ricci scalar of the Schmidt metric in terms of the Ricci scalar of the Lorentzian manifold and give some examples. Finally, we discuss some applications to general relativity.
We give some properties of semi-symmetric pseudo-Riemannian manifolds. These are foliated manifolds and for the Lorentzian metric, the Ricci operator has only real eigenvalues.
A Lorentzian flat Lie group is a Lie group $G$ with a flat left invariant metric $μ$ with signature $(1,n-1)=(-,+,\ldots,+)$. The Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}=T_eG$ of $G$ endowed with $\langle\;,\;\rangle=μ(e)$ is called flat Lorentzian Lie algebra. It is known that the metric of a flat Lorentzian Lie group is geodesically complete if and only if its Lie algebra is unimodular. In this paper, we characterise nonunimodular Lorentzian flat Lie algebras as double extensions (in the sense of Aubert-Medina \cite{Aub-Med}) of Riemannian flat Lie algebras. As application of this result, we give all nonu…
We determine, for all three-dimensional non-unimodular Lie groups equipped with a Lorentzian metric, the set of homogeneous geodesics through a point. Together with the results of [C] and [CM2], this leads to the full classification of three-dimensional Lorentzian g.o. spaces and naturally reductive spaces.
We consider examples of the $\mathbb H$-type groups with the natural horizontal distribution generated by the commutation relations of the group. In the contrast with the previous studies we furnish the horizontal distribution with the Lorentzian metric, which is nondegenerate metric of index 1 instead of a positive definite quadratic form. The causal character is defined. We study the reachable set by timelike future directed curves. The parametric equations of geodesics are obtained.
We consider three-dimensional Lorentzian metrics that locally admit four independent Killing vectors. Their classification is summarized, and conditions for characterizing them are found. These consist of algebraic classification of the traceless Ricci tensor, and other conditions satisfied by the curvature and its derivative.
In this note, we construct new examples of Lorentzian Sasaki-Einstein (LSE) metrics on Smale manifolds $M.$ It has already been established in \cite{Gmz2} that such metrics exist on the so-called torsion free Smale manifolds, i.e. the $k$-fold connected sum of $S^{2}\times S^{3}.$ Now, we show that LSE metrics exist on Smale manifolds for which $H_{2}(M,\mathbb{Z})_{tor}$ is nontrivial. In particular, we show that most simply-connected positive Sasakian rational homology 5-spheres are also negative Sasakian (hence Lorentzian Sasaki-Einstein). Moreover, we show that for each pair of positive in…
Negative Sasakian manifolds, where the first Chern class of the contact subbundle is a torsion class, can be viewed as Seifert-$S^1$ bundles where the base orbifold has an ample orbifold canonical class. We use this framework to settle completely an open problem formulated by C.Boyer and K.Galicki which asks whether or not arbitrary connected sums of $S^2\times S^3$ are negative Sasakian manifolds. As a consequence of the affirmative answer to this problem, there exists so-called Sasaki eta-Einstein and Lorentzian Sasaki-Einstein metrics on all of these five-manifolds and moreover all of these…
We study curvature properties of four-dimensional Lorentzian manifold with two-symmetry property. We then consider Einstein-like metrics, Ricci solitons and homogeneity over these spaces.
In the compact setting, Aazami and Ream \cite{Aazami:2022th} proved that Riemannian metrics dual to a class of Lorentzian metrics, called (compact) general plane-fronted waves, are almost-Kähler. In this note, we explain how to construct extremal and second-Chern-Einstein non-Kähler almost-Kähler metrics dual to those general plane-fronted waves.
In this paper we investigate geodesic completeness of left-invariant Lorentzian metrics on a simple Lie group $G$ when there exists a left-invariant Killing vector field $Z$ on $G$. Among other results, it is proved that if $Z$ is timelike, or $G$ is strongly causal and $Z$ is lightlike, then the metric is complete. We then consider the special complex Lie group $SL_2(\mathbb{C})$ in more details and show that the existence of a lightlike vector field $Z$ on it, implies geodesic completeness. We also consider the existence of a spacelike vector field $Z$ on $SL_2(\mathbb{C})$ and provide an eq…
In this work, we study helix spacelike and timelike surfaces in the Lorentzian Berger sphere $\s_{\varepsilon}^3$, that is the three-dimensional sphere endowed with a $1$-parameter family of Lorentzian metrics, obtained by deforming the round metric on $\s^3$ along the fibers of the Hopf fibration $\s^3\to \s^2({1}/{2})$ by $-\varepsilon^2$. Our main result provides a characterization of the helix surfaces in $\s_{\varepsilon}^3$ using the symmetries of the ambient space and a general helix in $\s_{\varepsilon}^3$, with axis the infinitesimal generator of the Hopf fibers. Also, we construct so…
The notion of $Γ$-symmetric space is a natural generalization of the classical notion of symmetric space based on $\z_2$-grading of Lie algebras. In our case, we consider homogeneous spaces $G/H$ such that the Lie algebra $\g$ of $G$ admits a $Γ$-grading where $Γ$ is a finite abelian group. In this work we study Riemannian metrics and Lorentzian metrics on the Heisenberg group $\mathbb{H}_3$ adapted to the symmetries of a $Γ$-symmetric structure on $\mathbb{H}_3$. We prove that the classification of $\z_2^2$-symmetric Riemannian and Lorentzian metrics on $\mathbb{H}_3$ corresponds to the class…
A mixed type surface is a connected regular surface in a Lorentzian 3-manifold with non-empty spacelike and timelike point sets. The induced metric of a mixed type surface is a signature-changing metric, and their lightlike points may be regarded as singular points of such metrics. In this paper, we investigate the behavior of Gaussian curvature at a non-degenerate lightlike point of a mixed type surface. To characterize the boundedness of Gaussian curvature at a non-degenerate lightlike points, we introduce several fundamental invariants along non-degenerate lightlike points, such as the ligh…
We describe the local conformal geometry of a Lorentzian spin manifold $(M,g)$ admitting a twistor spinor $ϕ$ with zero. Moreover, we describe the shape of the zero set of $ϕ$. If $ϕ$ has isolated zeros then the metric $g$ is locally conformally equivalent to a static monopole. In the other case the zero set consists of null geodesic(s) and $g$ is locally conformally equivalent to a Brinkmann metric. Our arguments utilise tractor calculus in an essential way. The Dirac current of $ϕ$, which is a conformal Killing vector field, plays an important role for our discussion as well.
k-Curvature homogeneous three-dimensional Walker metrics are described for k=0,1,2. This allows a complete description of locally homogeneous three-dimensional Walker metrics, showing that there exist exactly three isometry classes of such manifolds. As an application one obtains a complete description of all locally homogeneous Lorentzian manifolds with recurrent curvature. Moreover, potential functions are constructed in all the locally homogeneous manifolds resulting in steady gradient Ricci and Cotton solitons.
We determine all Ricci flat left invariant Lorentzian metrics on simply connected 2-step nilpotent Lie groups. We show that the $2k+1$-dimensional Heisenberg Lie group $H_{2k+1}$ carries a Ricci flat left invariant Lorentzian metric if and only if $k=1$. We show also that for any $2\leq q\leq k$, $H_{2k+1}$ carries a Ricci flat left invariant pseudo-Riemannian metric of signature $(q,2k+1-q)$ and we give explicite examples of such metrics.
We investigate projective properties of Lorentzian surfaces. In particular, we prove that if T is a non flat torus, then the index of its isometry group in its projective group is at most two. We also prove that any topologically finite noncompact surface can be endowed with a metric having a non isometric projective transformation of infinite order.
We show that many standard results of Lorentzian causality theory remain valid if the regularity of the metric is reduced to $C^{1,1}$. Our approach is based on regularisations of the metric adapted to the causal structure.
We call the Lie algebra of a Lie group with a left invariant pseudo-Riemannian flat metric pseudo-Riemannian flat Lie algebra. We give a new proof of a classical result of Milnor on Riemannian flat Lie algebras. We reduce the study of Lorentzian flat Lie algebras to those with trivial center or those with degenerate center. We show that the double extension process can be used to construct all Lorentzian flat Lie algebras with degenerate center generalizing a result of Aubert-Medina on Lorentzian flat nilpotent Lie algebras. Finally, we give the list of Lorentzian flat Lie algebras with degene…
We prove that any metric of non-positive curvature in the sense of Alexandrov on a compact surface can be isometrically embedded as a convex spacelike Cauchy surface in a flat spacetime of dimension (2+1). The proof follows from polyhedral approximation.
We present a systematic study of causality theory on Lorentzian manifolds with continuous metrics. Examples are given which show that some standard facts in smooth Lorentzian geometry, such as light-cones being hypersurfaces, are wrong when metrics which are merely continuous are considered. We show that existence of time functions remains true on domains of dependence with continuous metrics, and that $C^{0,1}$ differentiability of the metric suffices for many key results of the smooth causality theory.
The 2-parameter family of certain homogeneous Lorentzian 3-manifolds which includes Minkowski 3-space and anti-de Sitter 3-space is considered. Each homogeneous Lorentzian 3-manifold in the 2-parameter family has a solvable Lie group structure with left invariant metric. A generalized integral representation formula which is the unification of representation formulas for maximal spacelike surfaces in those homogeneous Lorentzian 3-manifolds is obtained. The normal Gauß map of maximal spacelike surfaces in those homogeneous Lorentzian 3-manifolds and its harmonicity are discussed.
The maximal analytic Schwarzschild spacetime is manifestly inextendible as a Lorentzian manifold with a twice continuously differentiable metric. In this paper, we prove the stronger statement that it is even inextendible as a Lorentzian manifold with a continuous metric. To capture the obstruction to continuous extensions through the curvature singularity, we introduce the notion of the spacelike diameter of a globally hyperbolic region of a Lorentzian manifold with a merely continuous metric and give a sufficient condition for the spacelike diameter to be finite. The investigation of low-reg…
