Relativity Seminar
of the Institute of Theoretical Physics


Seminar is held on Tuesdays at 13:10 pm in the lecture room of the Institute
on the 10th floor of the department building at Trója, V Holešovičkách 2, Prague 8


January 13, 2026
Gauged linear sigma models and Ricci flat metrics
Prof. Rikard von Unge
Masaryk University

I will describe a new construction of Ricci flat metrics using gauged linear sigma models satisfying the Calabi-Yau condition. The approach will be introductory using elementary examples to illustrate the main points and to underline the connection between physical and mathematical concepts.

February 24, 2026
Perturbations of Vaidya spacetime and the cosmic censorship hypothesis
Prof. Brien Nolan
School of Mathematical Sciences, Dublin City University

The Vaidya spacetime is a spherically symmetric solution of the Einstein equations with a null dust source. This can be used to model the gravitational collapse of a thick shell of radiation: a flat interior region is matched at an inner boundary to the null dust filled region, which is then matched at an outer boundary to Schwazschild spacetime. A central singularity inevitably forms, and depending on the profile of the energy density of the null dust, this singularity can be globally naked. Motivated by the cosmic censorship hypothesis, we consider perturbations of this configuration. We review previous work, and describe recent work where the perturbation of the inner boundary - the past null cone of the central singularity - is analysed using a framework for studying perturbations of general hypersurfaces. This sets boundary conditions for perturbations at the past null cone, and we then consider the evolutionary problem, focussing on the question of the stability of the Cauchy horizon of the naked singularity.


David Kubizňák                                                                                                  Oldřich Semerák