Cosmological singularities in electrovacuum spacetimes with two-parameter spacelike isometry groups

Thesis/Dissertation · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:6061771

Mansfield, P A

The big bang singularities occurring in an infinite-dimensional class of solutions to the source-free Einstein-Maxwell equations are presented. These solutions are essentially Gowdy three-torus universes (not necessarily polarized) with electromagnetic radiation added. The problem is reformulated in terms of complex potentials analogous to those used by Ernst in the study of stationary axisymmetric metrics. It is shown that in these new variables the problem admits a harmonic map formulation. Its general solution is written as a perturbation series, where the background solutions being perturbed are a special class of real analytic functions obtained by evolving analytic data specified right at the singularity. The perturbation problem is solved to all orders, and terms which dominate as the singularity is approached are identified at each order. It is possible to sum the dominant terms, and thereby obtain explicit expressions representing the asymptotic structure of the singularities. This representation of asymptotic structure is developed into a simple geometric model. Specializing to the case of no electromagnetic fields, the model is then used to determine asymptotic metric and curvature properties in Gowdy spacetimes. The Gowdy metrics are Kasner-like near their singularity, which is generically a curvature singularity. Curvature-nonsingular solutions can be constructed, and extended into the past beyond a Cauchy horizon. However, such solutions are unstable, a fact which is consistent with Strong Cosmic Censorship.

• Research Organization: Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6061771
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640106* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Cosmology
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANALYTIC FUNCTIONS
CAUCHY PROBLEM
COSMOLOGICAL MODELS
DATA
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FUNCTIONS
INFORMATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NUMERICAL DATA
PERTURBATION THEORY
RADIATIONS
SINGULARITY
THEORETICAL DATA