Spherical shock waves in general relativity

Journal Article · Fri Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Physical Review, D (Particles Fields); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.44.3164· OSTI ID:6104673

Nutku, Y ^[1]

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1. Department of Mathematics, Bilkent University, 06533 Bilkent, Ankara (Turkey)

We present the metric appropriate to a spherical shock wave in the framework of general relativity. This is a Petrov type-{ital N} vacuum solution of the Einstein field equations where the metric is continuous across the shock and the Riemann tensor suffers a step-function discontinuity. Spherical gravitational waves are described by type-{ital N} Robinson-Trautman metrics. However, for shock waves the Robinson-Trautman solutions are unacceptable because the metric becomes discontinuous in the Robinson-Trautman coordinate system. Other coordinate systems that have so far been introduced for describing Robinson-Trautman solutions also suffer from the same defect. We shall present the {ital C}{sup 0}-form of the metric appropriate to spherical shock waves using Penrose's approach of identification with warp. Further extensions of Penrose's method yield accelerating, as well as coupled electromagnetic-gravitational shock-wave solutions.

• OSTI ID: 6104673
• Journal Information: Physical Review, D (Particles Fields); (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review, D (Particles Fields); (United States) Vol. 44:10; ISSN PRVDA; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661310* -- Relativity & Gravitation-- (1992-)
662110 -- General Theory of Particles & Fields-- Theory of Fields & Strings-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
COUPLING
EINSTEIN FIELD EQUATIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EQUATIONS
FIELD EQUATIONS
FIELD THEORIES
GENERAL RELATIVITY THEORY
GRAVITATIONAL WAVES
MATHEMATICAL SPACE
METRICS
MINKOWSKI SPACE
RADIATIONS
SHOCK WAVES
SPACE
VACUUM STATES