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Generalized Kundt waves and their physical interpretation

J B Griffiths1, P Docherty1 and J Podolský2

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We present the complete family of spacetimes with a non-expanding, shear-free, twist-free, geodesic principal null congruence (Kundt waves) that are of algebraic type III and for which the cosmological constant (Λc) is non-zero. The possible presence of an aligned pure radiation field is also assumed. These spacetimes generalize the known vacuum solutions of type N with arbitrary Λc and type III with Λc = 0. It is shown that there are two, one and three distinct classes of solutions when Λc is respectively zero, positive and negative. The wave surfaces are plane, spherical or hyperboloidal in Minkowski, de Sitter or anti-de Sitter backgrounds respectively, and the structure of the family of wave surfaces in the background spacetime is described. The weak singularities which occur in these spacetimes are interpreted in terms of envelopes of the wave surfaces.


PACS

98.80.Es Observational cosmology (including Hubble constant, distance scale, cosmological constant, early Universe, etc)

04.20.Jb Exact solutions

MSC

83C05 Einstein's equations (general structure, canonical formalism, Cauchy problems)

83C15 Exact solutions

83F05 Cosmology

Subjects

Gravitation and cosmology

Astrophysics and astroparticles

Dates

Issue 1 (7 January 2004)

Received 5 September 2003

Published 20 November 2003



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