Evaluating Quasilocal Energy and Solving Optimal Embedding Equation at Null Infinity

We study the limit of quasilocal energy defined in Wang and Yau (Phys Rev Lett 102(2):021101, 2009; Commun Math Phys 288(3):919–942, 2009) for a family of spacelike 2-surfaces approaching null infinity of an asymptotically flat spacetime. It is shown that Lorentzian symmetry is recovered and an energy-momentum 4-vector is obtained. In particular, the result is consistent with the Bondi–Sachs energy-momentum at a retarded time. The quasilocal mass in Wang and Yau (Phys Rev Lett 102(2):021101, 2009; Commun Math Phys 288(3):919–942, 2009) is defined by minimizing quasilocal energy among admissible isometric embeddings and observers. The solvability of the Euler-Lagrange equation for this variational problem is also discussed in both the asymptotically flat and asymptotically null cases. Assuming analyticity, the equation can be solved and the solution is locally minimizing in all orders. In particular, this produces an optimal reference hypersurface in the Minkowski space for the spatial or null exterior region of an asymptotically flat spacetime.     

QUASILOCAL ENERGY FOR STATIONARY AXISYMMETRIC EMDA BLACK HOLE

By using Brown-York quasilocal energy theory we calculate the quasilocal energy of a stationary axisymmetic EMDA black hole and explore the universality of Martinez's conjecture in string theory. We show that the energy is positive and monotonically decreases to the ADM mass at spatial infinity, and the Martinez's conjecture, the Brown-York quasilocal energy at the outer horizon reduces to twice its irreducible mass, is still valid for stationary axisymmetric EMDA black hole. From the result we also find that the Kerr-Sen spacetime keeps up with Martinez's conjecture. This is different from the Bose-Naing result that the quasilocal energy of the Kerr-Sen spacetime does not approach the Martinez's conjecture.     

Limit of Quasilocal Mass at Spatial Infinity

We study the limit of quasilocal mass defined in [4 and 5] for a family of spacelike 2-surfaces in spacetime. In particular, we show the limit coincides with the ADM mass at spatial infinity. The limit for coordinate spheres of a boosted slice of the Schwarzchild solution is computed explicitly and shown to give the expected energy-momentum four-vector.     

Boundary sources in the Doran-Lobo-Crawford spacetime

We take a null hypersurface (causal horizon) generated by a congruence of null geodesics as the boundary of the Doran-Lobo-Crawford spacetime to be the place where the Brown-York quasilocal energy is located. The components of the outer and inner stress tensors are computed and shown to depend on time and on the impact parameter b of the test-particle trajectory. The spacetime is a solution of Einstein’s equations with an anisotropic fluid as source. The surface energy density σ on the boundary is given by the same expression as that obtained previously for the energy stored on a Rindler horizon. For time intervals long compared to b (when the stretched horizon tends to the causal one), the components of the stress tensors become constant.      

Some estimates for the curvatures of complete spacelike hypersurfaces in generalized Robertson–Walker spacetimes

In this paper we obtain some estimates for the higher order mean curvatures, the scalar curvature and the Ricci curvature of a complete spacelike hypersurface in a generalized Robertson–Walker spacetime, under certain assumptions on the warped function of the ambient space. Our results will be an application of a generalized maximum principle due to Omori.     

Constraint equations for general hypersurfaces and applications to shells

Hypersurfaces of arbitrary causal character embedded in a spacetime are studied with the aim of extracting necessary and sufficient free data on the submanifold suitable for reconstructing the spacetime metric and its first derivative along the hypersurface. The constraint equations for hypersurfaces of arbitrary causal character are then computed explicitly in terms of this hypersurface data, thus providing a framework capable of unifying, and extending, the standard constraint equations in the spacelike and in the characteristic cases to the general situation. This may have interesting applications in well-posedness problems more general than those already treated in the literature. As a simple application of the constraint equations for general hypersurfaces, we derive the field equations for shells of matter when no restriction whatsoever on the causal character of the shell is imposed.     

On Level Sets of Lorentzian Distance Function

Level sets of Lorentzian distance functions with respect to a point and with respect to an achronal spacelike hypersurface, are analyzed. Some bounds for the Laplacian of such Lorentzian distance functions are obtained and, in relation to them, some spacetime singularity theorems are given.Supported by project BFM2001-3778-C03-01 (Spain).     

Generalized Inverse Mean Curvature Flows in Spacetime

Motivated by the conjectured Penrose inequality and by the work of Hawking, Geroch, Huisken and Ilmanen in the null and the Riemannian case, we examine necessary conditions on flows of two-surfaces in spacetime under which the Hawking quasilocal mass is monotone. We focus on a subclass of such flows which we call uniformly expanding, which can be considered for null as well as for spacelike directions. In the null case, local existence of the flow is guaranteed. In the spacelike case, the uniformly expanding condition leaves a 1-parameter freedom, but for the whole family, the embedding functions satisfy a forward-backward parabolic system for which local existence does not hold in general. Nevertheless, we have obtained a generalization of the weak (distributional) formulation of this class of flows, generalizing the corresponding step of Huisken and Ilmanen’s proof of the Riemannian Penrose inequality.     

Uniqueness of complete spacelike hypersurfaces of constant mean curvature in generalized Robertson-Walker spacetimes

A new technique is introduced in order to solve the following question:When is a complete spacelike hypersurface of constant mean curvature in a generalized Robertson-Walker spacetime totally umbilical and a slice? (Generalized Robertson-Walker spacetimes extend classical Robertson-Walker ones to include the cases in which the fiber has not constant sectional curvature.) First, we determine when this hypersurface must be compact. Then, all these compact hypersurfaces in (necessarily spatially closed) spacetimes are shown to be totally umbilical and, except in very exceptional cases, slices. This leads to proof of a new Bernstein-type result. The power of the introduced tools is also shown by reproving and extending several known results.     

Isotropie focusing of light rays in cosmology

It is shown that if the past light cone of an observer is isotropic and has a caustic (i.e., contains points which are conjugate to the observer along a null geodesic) then the spacetime admits a compact (S³) spacelike hypersurface. The result is valid for space-times with dimension 4.     

Black Holes Without Spacelike Singularities

It is shown that for small, spherically symmetric perturbations of asymptotically flat two-ended Reissner–Nordström data for the Einstein–Maxwell-real scalar field system, the boundary of the dynamic spacetime which evolves is globally represented by a bifurcate null hypersurface across which the metric extends continuously. Under additional assumptions, it is shown that the Hawking mass blows up identically along this bifurcate null hypersurface, and thus the metric cannot be extended twice differentiably; in fact, it cannot be extended in a weaker sense characterized at the level of the Christoffel symbols. The proof combines estimates obtained in previous work with an elementary Cauchy stability argument. There are no restrictions on the size of the support of the scalar field, and the result applies to both the future and past boundary of spacetime. In particular, it follows that for an open set in the moduli space of solutions around Reissner–Nordström, there is no spacelike component of either the future or the past singularity.     

Further Results on the Smoothability of Cauchy Hypersurfaces and Cauchy Time Functions

Recently, folk questions on the smoothability of Cauchy hypersurfaces and time functions of a globally hyperbolic spacetime M, have been solved. Here we give further results, applicable to several problems:

The Inner Structure of Black Holes

We study the gravitational collapse of a self-gravitating charged scalar-field. Starting with a regular spacetime, we follow the evolution through the formation of an apparent horizon, a Cauchy horizon and a final central singularity. We find a null, weak, mass-inflation singularity along the Cauchy horizon, which is a precursor of a strong, spacelike singularity along the r = 0 hypersurface. The inner black hole region is bounded (in the future) by singularities. This resembles the classical inner structure of a Schwarzschild black hole and it is remarkably different from the inner structure of a charged static Reissner-Nordström or a stationary rotating Kerr black holes.     

On Smooth Cauchy Hypersurfaces and Geroch’s Splitting Theorem

Given a globally hyperbolic spacetime M, we show the existence of a smooth spacelike Cauchy hypersurface S and, thus, a global diffeomorphism between M and ×S.The second-named author has been partially supported by a MCyT-FEDER Grant BFM2001-2871-C04-01.     

Lorentz cobordism. II

It is shown that ‘changes of topology’ (of spacelike sections) in the spacetime of classical general relativity are consistent with the following requirements: (i) stable causality, (ii) future causal geodesic completeness, and (iii) finite, positive energy density. This amounts to showing that the framework of classical general relativity encompasses ‘changes of topology’.     

On uniqueness of the foliation by comoving observers restspaces of a Generalized Robertson–Walker spacetime

A characterization of the foliation by spacelike slices of an \((n+1)\)-dimensional spatially closed Generalized Robertson–Walker spacetime is given by means of studying a natural mean curvature type equation on spacelike graphs. Under some natural assumptions, of physical or geometric nature, all the entire solutions of such an equation are obtained. In particular, the case of entire spacelike graphs in de Sitter spacetime is faced and completely solved by means of a new application of a known integral formula.     

The upperbound of the volume expansion rate in a Lorentzian manifold

Using the differential equation obtained from spacelike level hypersurfaces in a Lorentzian manifold, the volume expansion rate of an achronal spacelike hypersurface orthogonal to a timelike geodesic is investigated in terms of the integral Ricci and scalar curvature bound.     

Local existence of dynamical and trapping horizons

Given a spacelike foliation of a spacetime and a marginally outer trapped surface S on some initial leaf, we prove that under a suitable stability condition S is contained in "horizon" i.e., a smooth 3-surface foliated by marginally outer trapped slices which lie in the leaves of the given foliation. We also show that under rather weak energy conditions this horizon must be either achronal or spacelike everywhere. Furthermore, we discuss the relation between "bounding" and "stability" properties of marginally outer trapped surfaces.