English

Covariant double-null dynamics: $(2+2)$-splitting of the Einstein equations

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology 2009-10-28 v1 High Energy Physics - Theory

Abstract

The paper develops a (2+2)(2+2)-imbedding formalism adapted to a double foliation of spacetime by a net of two intersecting families of lightlike hypersurfaces. The formalism is two-dimensionally covariant, and leads to simple, geometrically transparent and tractable expressions for the Einstein field equations and the Einstein-Hilbert action, and it should find a variety of applications. It is applied here to elucidate the structure of the characteristic initial-value problem of general relativity.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.gr-qc/9510040,
  title  = {Covariant double-null dynamics: $(2+2)$-splitting of the Einstein equations},
  author = {P. R. Brady and S. Droz and W. Israel and S. M. Morsink},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:gr-qc/9510040},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

22 pages, latex, one figure in a separate file

R2 v1 2026-07-22T12:50:43.512Z