An interpretation of Robinson-Trautman type N solutions

Article

An interpretation of Robinson-Trautman type N solutions

Griffiths, J. B; Podolský, J; Docherty, P.

Class. Quantum Grav. 19(0), 4649-4662 (2002)

doi ↗ arXiv:gr-qc/0208022 ↗ link ↗

Abstract

The Robinson-Trautman type N solutions, which describe expanding gravitational waves, are investigated for all possible values of the cosmological constant Lambda and the curvature parameter epsilon. The wave surfaces are always (hemi-)spherical, with successive surfaces displaced in a way which depends on epsilon. Explicit sandwich waves of this class are studied in Minkowski, de Sitter or anti-de Sitter backgrounds. A particular family of such solutions which can be used to represent snapping or decaying cosmic strings is considered in detail, and its singularity and global structure is presented.

Institute authors

Podolský, Jiří

Supported by

GACR 202/02/0735 — Relativistic physics and astrophysics 2002-04
GAUK 141/2000 — Relativistická teorie gravitace, astrofyzika a kosmologie

BibTeX

@article{UTF164,
  author        = {Griffiths, J. B and Podolský, J and Docherty, P.},
  title         = {{An interpretation of Robinson-Trautman type N solutions}},
  journal       = {Class. Quantum Grav.},
  volume        = {19},
  number        = {0},
  pages         = {4649-4662},
  year          = {2002},
  doi           = {10.1088/0264-9381/19/18/302},
  eprint        = {gr-qc/0208022},
  archivePrefix = {arXiv},
  url           = {http://www.iop.org/EJ/article/0264-9381/19/18/302/q21802.pdf},
}