English

Uniqueness and Non-uniqueness in the Einstein Constraints

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology 2009-11-11 v2

Abstract

The conformal thin sandwich (CTS) equations are a set of four of the Einstein equations, which generalize the Laplace-Poisson equation of Newton's theory. We examine numerically solutions of the CTS equations describing perturbed Minkowski space, and find only one solution. However, we find {\em two} distinct solutions, one even containing a black hole, when the lapse is determined by a fifth elliptic equation through specification of the mean curvature. While the relationship of the two systems and their solutions is a fundamental property of general relativity, this fairly simple example of an elliptic system with non-unique solutions is also of broader interest.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.gr-qc/0504142,
  title  = {Uniqueness and Non-uniqueness in the Einstein Constraints},
  author = {Harald P. Pfeiffer and James W. York},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:gr-qc/0504142},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

4 pages, 4 figures; abstract and introduction rewritten

R2 v1 2026-07-22T12:42:36.329Z