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Solutions to MTH6132 Problem Set 8

This document contains solutions to problems from Relativity (MTH6132). Problem 1 solves for the Christoffel symbols and Ricci tensor for a metric describing motion in 1+1 dimensions. It finds Γttr = A, Rtt = A2e-2Ar, and other nonzero components. Problem 2 verifies properties of the Christoffel symbols and computes the Ricci scalar for a space of constant curvature K. Problem 3 shows the Riemann tensor is antisymmetric on its last two indices and vanishes when those indices are symmetrized or antisymmetrized. It notes a typo in the problem statement.

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135 views2 pages

Solutions to MTH6132 Problem Set 8

This document contains solutions to problems from Relativity (MTH6132). Problem 1 solves for the Christoffel symbols and Ricci tensor for a metric describing motion in 1+1 dimensions. It finds Γttr = A, Rtt = A2e-2Ar, and other nonzero components. Problem 2 verifies properties of the Christoffel symbols and computes the Ricci scalar for a space of constant curvature K. Problem 3 shows the Riemann tensor is antisymmetric on its last two indices and vanishes when those indices are symmetrized or antisymmetrized. It notes a typo in the problem statement.

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ShootingStarPhotons
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RELATIVITY (MTH6132)

SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM SET 8


1. In this case one has that
L = e
2Ar

t
2
+ r
2
.
Now, for the t components one has that
L
t
= 0,
L

t
= 2e
2Ar

t,
d
d

2e
2Ar

=

te
2Ar
+ 2Ae
2Ar
r

t = 0.
Thus, the Euler-Lagrange equation is given by

t + 2A r

t = 0.
Now, comparing with th geodesic equation
x
a
+
a
bc
x
b
x
c
=

t +
t
tt

t
2
+ 2
t
tr

t r +
t
rr
r
2
= 0.
Comparing one gets

t
tt
= 0,
t
tr
=
t
rt
= A,
t
rr
= 0.
For the r components one has that
L
r
= 2Ae
2Ar

t
2
,
L
r
= 2 r,
d
d

L
r

= 2 r.
Hence, the Euler-Lagrange equation is given by
r + Ae
2Ar

t
2
= 0.
Again, comparison with the geodesic equation gives

r
rr
= 0,
r
rt
=
r
tr
= 0.
r
tt
= Ae
2Ar
.
Using the formula for the Ricci tensor one has that
R
tt
= R
00
=
a

a
00

a
0a
+
a
ea

e
00

a
e0

e
0a
,
=
0

0
00
+
1

1
00

0
00

1
01
+
0
e0

e
00
+
1
e1

e
00

0
e0

e
00

1
e0

e
01
,
=
1

1
00
+
0
e0

e
00
+
1
e1

e
00

0
e0

e
00

1
e0

e
01
,
=
1

1
00
+
0
00

0
00
+
0
10

1
00
+
1
01

0
00
+
1
11

1
00

0
00

0
00

0
10

1
00

1
00

0
01

1
10

1
01
,
=
1

1
00
+
0
10

1
00

0
10

1
00

1
00

0
01
,
= A
r

e
2ar

A
2
e
2Ar
= A
2
e
2Ar
.
2. (i) Starting from the denition of the Christoel symbols:

abc
g
af

f
bc
= g
af

f
bc
=
1
2
g
af
g
fe
(
b
g
ec
+
c
g
be

e
g
bc
)
=
1
2

a
e
(
b
g
ec
+
c
g
be

e
g
bc
)
=
1
2
(
b
(
a
e
g
ec
) +
c
(
a
e
g
be
)
a
g
bc
)
=
1
2
(
b
g
ac
+
c
g
ba

a
g
bc
).
(ii) One can verify this by direct inspection. For example,
R
bacd
= K(g
bc
g
ad
g
bd
gca) = K(g
ac
g
bd
g
ad
g
cb
) = R
abcd
,
where it has been used that g
ab
= g
ba
. To compute
e
R
abcd
one uses the Leibnitz
rule:

e
R
abcd
= K((
e
g
ac
)g
bd
+ g
ac
(
e
g
bd
) (
e
g
ac
)g
bd
g
ac
(
e
g
bd
)) = 0.
To compute R
bd
proceed as folows:
R
bd
= g
ac
R
abcd
= Kg
ac
(g
ac
g
bd
g
ad
g
cb
) = K(g
ac
g
ac
g
bd
g
ac
g
ad
g
cb
)
= K(
a
a
g
bd

d
c
g
cb
)
= K(4g
bd
g
bd
) = 3Kg
bd
,
where it has been used that
a
a
= 4 see Coursework 6. Finally
R = g
bd
R
bd
= 3Kg
bd
g
bd
= 12K.
3. (i) Start from the expression for the Riemann tensor in locally inertial coordinates:
R
abcd
=
1
2
(
d

a
g
bc
+
c

b
g
ad

a
g
bd

b
g
ac
).
Now, performing the substitutions b c d b twice one obtains
R
acdb
=
1
2
(
b

a
g
cb
+
d

c
g
ab

a
g
cb

c
g
ad
),
R
adbc
=
1
2
(
c

a
g
dc
+
b

d
g
ac

a
g
dc

d
g
ab
).
Now, adding and recalling that partial derivatives commute and that g
ab
is symmetric
one obtains the desired result.
(ii) There is a typo in this expression and it should read
R
a[bcd]
= 0.
Note that (see notes on symmetric and atisymmetric parts of a tensor):
R
a[bcd]
=
1
6
(R
abcd
+ R
acdb
+ R
adbc
R
acbd
R
adcb
R
abdc
) .
Recall, however, that the Riemann tensor is antisymmetric under the interchange of
the last two indices e.g. R
abcd
= R
abdc
. Thus,
R
a[bcd]
=
1
3
(R
abcd
+ R
acdb
+ R
adbc
) = 0.
Also notice that the wrong expression
R
a(bcd)
= 0
is also true. This again follows from the antisymmetry of the Riemann tensor on the
last two indices:
R
abcd
= R
abdc
R
a(bcd)
= R
a(bdc)
= R
a(bcd)
,
from where it follows that
R
a(bcd)
= 0.

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