Transverse Frames for Petrov Type I Spacetimes: A General Algebraic Procedure

Author: Re V.   Bruni M.   Matravers D.R.   White F.T.  

Publisher: Springer Publishing Company

ISSN: 0001-7701

Source: General Relativity and Gravitation, Vol.35, Iss.8, 2003-08, pp. : 1351-1363

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Abstract

We develop an algebraic procedure to rotate a general Newman-Penrose tetrad in a Petrov type I spacetime into a frame with Weyl scalars Ψ1 and Ψ3 equal to zero, assuming that initially all the Weyl scalars are non vanishing. The new frame highlights the physical properties of the spacetime. In particular, in a Petrov type I spacetime, setting Ψ1 and Ψ3 to zero makes apparent the superposition of a Coulomb-type effect Ψ2 with transverse degrees of freedom Ψ0 and Ψ4.