Colliding Plane Waves in General Relativity (Oxford Mathematical Monographs) - Hardcover

Griffiths, J. B.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0198532091 ISBN 13: 9780198532095

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1991

Synopsis

The collision and non-linear interaction of plane waves in Einstein's general theory of relativity has received considerable attention in recent years. Initially, it was widely thought that such collisions inevitable produce curvature singularities. More recently, however, a surprisingly rich structure of such space-times has been discovered. This volume presents a unified and comprehensive survey to the current research in this topic which will be suitable for graduate students and research workers whose research lies in general relativity. The first eight chapters present the background to the subject, introduce the field equations, and include a discussion of some qualitative aspects of their solution. A detailed account is included of the Kahn-Penrose solution since it exhibits the general character of most colliding plane wave solutions. The latter half of the book is devoted to a catalogue of further exact solutions describing the collision of both gravitational and electromagnetic plane waves. This includes a discussion of the significance of known solutions and a summary of topics of current research interest. As a result, the book will serve both as an invaluable research reference and also as the means to teach and study this active area of research in general relativity.

About this title

From the Back Cover

This monograph surveys recent research on the collision and interaction of gravitational and electromagnetic waves. "This is a particularly important topic in general relativity," the author notes, "since the theory predicts that there will be a nonlinear interaction between such waves." Geared toward graduate students and researchers in general relativity, the text offers a comprehensive and unified review of the vast literature on the subject.
The first eight chapters offer background, presenting the field equations and discussing some qualitative aspects of their solution. Subsequent chapters explore further exact solutions for colliding plane gravitational waves and the collision and interaction of electromagnetic waves. The final chapters summarize all related results for the collision of plane waves of different types and in non-flat backgrounds. A new postscript updates developments since the book's initial 1991 publication.
Dover (2016) republication of the edition originally published by the Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1991.
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About the Author

J. B. Griffiths is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, England.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 0198532091
• ISBN 13: 9780198532095
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 246