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Colliding gravitational waves in expanding cosmologies

Journal Article · · Phys. Rev. D; (United States)
We discuss the singularity behavior and causal structure of expanding vacuum plane-symmetric cosmologies containing colliding gravitational waves. Penrose's theorem excluding global Cauchy hypersurfaces in plane-wave spacetimes does not hold for our expanding cosmologies. The singularity in our solutions occurs in the past and can be identified with the big-bang singularity. Analytical estimates based on a Green's-function analysis near the collision provide an explicit example which is verified by numerical computation.
Research Organization:
Relativity Center, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712
OSTI ID:
5522339
Journal Information:
Phys. Rev. D; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. D; (United States) Vol. 25:4; ISSN PRVDA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English