On some Einstein-Maxwell fields of high symmetry

The literature on Einstein-Maxwell fields with high symmetry (including some work by the present author) abounds in errors and unwitting rediscoveries. In the present paper certain static axisymmetric, stationary cylindrically symmetric and nonstatic spatially homogeneous space-times which were previously investigated in a series of papers by Raychaudhuri, Datta, Bera, and De 1–11] are considered. In most cases the general solution of the problems tackled is now known, and is repeated here. The earlier papers are analyzed; while errors (some already pointed out by Carminati and McIntosh 12]) and duplications are found, it is believed that the papers discussed contain the first occurrences of three of the solutions. The calculations in this paper have been verified using the computer algebra system SHEEP.