Exact Space-times in Einstein's General Relativity

by Griffiths, Jerry B.; Podolsky, Jiri

• ISBN13: 9781107406186
• ISBN10: 1107406188
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-08-09
• Publisher: Cambridge Univ Pr

Summary

Einstein's theory of general relativity is a theory of gravity and, as in the earlier Newtonian theory, much can be learned about the character of gravitation and its effects by investigating particular idealized examples. This book describes the basic solutions of Einstein's equations with a particular emphasis on what they mean, both geometrically and physically. New concepts, such as big bang and big crunch-types of singularities, different kinds of horizons and gravitational waves, are described in the context of the particular space-times in which they naturally arise. These notions are initially introduced using the most simple and symmetric cases. Various important coordinate forms of each solution are presented, thus enabling the global structure of the corresponding space-time and its other properties to be analyzed. The book is an invaluable resource both for graduate students and academic researchers working in gravitational physics.

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

Basic tools and concepts

Minkowski space-time

de Sitter space-time

Anti-de Sitter space-time

Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker space-times

Electrovacuum and related background space-times

Schwarzchild space-time

Space-times related to Schwarzchild

Static axially symmetric space-times

Rotating black holes

Taub-NUT space-time

Stationary, axially symmetric space-times

Accelerating black holes

Further solutions for uniformly accelerating particles

Plebanski-Demianski solutions

Plane and pp-waves

Kundt solutions

Robinson-Trautman solutions

Impulsive waves

Colliding plane waves

A final miscellany

2-spaces of constant curvature

3-spaces of constant curvature

References

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.