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Tensor[CongruenceProperties] - calculate properties of a congruence of curves
Calling Sequences
CongruenceProperties()
Parameters
g - a metric tensor
U - a unit vector
K,L - normalized null vectors, the vector defines an affinely parameterized, geodesic null congruence.
NT - a list of 4 vectors, defining a null tetrad, the first vector in the tetrad defines the geodesic null congruence.
Description
The command CongruenceProperties returns a table of properties associated to a line congruence defined by a unit (time-like or space-like) vector field or a null vector field .
Let , set . The following scalar and tensor fields are calculated by the first calling sequence.
- Acceleration:
- Expansion: Θ = .
- Rotation Tensor : 1/2 (
- Shear Tensor: 1/2 (
The left-hand side of the Raychaudhuri equation valid when the congruence is geodesic (0), where is the Ricci tensor and is also calculated.
The first calling sequence returns a table with indices "Acceleration", "Expansion", "RotationTensor", "ShearTensor", "Raychaudhuri".
The remaining three calling sequences apply only to an affinely parameterized, geodesic null congruence , that is, and
The second calling sequence requires where Set and
- Rotation Tensor:
- Rotation Scalar:
- Complex expansion: .
- Shear Tensor:
The Raychaudhuri equation is as above but using these definitions of and and with
The second calling sequence returns a table with 8 indices "Expansion", "RotationNormSquared" "ShearNormSquared", "RotationTensor", "RotationScalar", "ShearTensor" , "ComplexExpansion" and "Raychaudhuri".
The third calling sequence calculates: Expansion: Θ = Rotation norm squared = and Shear norm squared = The definitions are as in the second calling sequence but, as these scalars do not in fact depend upon the choice of L, only the vector K is needed as input. The third calling sequence returns a table with indices "Expansion", "RotationNormSquared", "ShearNormSquared" and "Raychaudhuri".
Finally, from the 4th calling sequence we set and and calculate, in addition to the 8 quantities calculated for the second calling sequence , Newman-Penrose Spin Coefficients.
Examples
Example 1.
For our first example we use the standard metric on the sphere.
Define a unit vector field .
We see that the congruence is geodesic on the equator () but is accelerating elsewhere. It is shearing, rotating and non-expanding.
Example 2.
For the next example we consider a class of Robinson-Trautman metrics. These are of Petrov type II and admit a null congruence which is shear-free.
Here is a null tetrad for this metric.
The null congruence is very simple:
First calling sequence:
Third calling sequence:
Fourth calling sequence
Example 3.
Here is an example of a Newman-Tamburino metric of Petrov type I and which admits a null geodesic congruence with non-vanishing shear.
Again we consider the first leg of this tetrad.
Fourth calling sequence:
See Also
DifferentialGeometry, Tensor, AdaptedSpinorDyad, AdaptedNullTetrad, NPCurvatureScalars, NullVector, PetrovType, PrincipalNullDirections
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