The retarded solution of the scalar wave equation by means of Green's functions

Journal Article · Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1975 · Annals of Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-4916(75)90171-2· OSTI ID:4033279

Bird, J. M.; Dixon, W. G.

A formula is obtained for the retarded solution of the scalar wave equation in a curved space-time, with boundary conditions appropriate to the case of asymptotic flatness. By means of a conformal transformation, the retarded solution is evaluated in the slow-motion expansion. It is shown that it is necessary to impose further asymptotic restrictions on the source for the usual iterative method to give the correct retarded solution to the given degree of approximation. The weak field case is briefly considered, with the same result.

• Research Organization: Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-33-025081
• OSTI ID: 4033279
• Journal Information: Annals of Physics, Vol. 94, Issue 2; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-76; ISSN 0003-4916
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
*GENERAL RELATIVITY THEORY- ASYMPTOTIC SOLUTIONS
EINSTEIN FIELD EQUATIONS
GRAVITATION
GREEN FUNCTION
ITERATIVE METHODS
METRICS
SPACE-TIME