GR Sheet 2

Example Sheet 2 Part III: General Relativity
Claude Warnick Michaelmas 2022
Exercise 2.1. Suppose {eµ } and {e0µ } are two bases related by e0µ = (A 1 )⌫ µ e⌫ . Show that the
components of a connection in the new basis are related to its components in the old basis by
0µ µ 1
⇥ ⇤
⌫⇢ = A ⌧ (A ) ⌫ (A 1 ) ⇢ ⌧ + Aµ ⌧ (A 1 ) ⇢ e (A 1 )⌧ ⌫ .
Exercise 2.2. Let r be a connection that is not torsion-free. Let T (X, Y ) = rX Y rY X [X, Y ]
where X and Y are vector fields. Show that this defines a (1,2)-tensor field T . This is called the
torsion tensor. Show that 2r[a rb] f = T c ab rc f , where f is any smooth function.
Exercise 2.3. Let (M, g) be a Riemannian manifold. A vector field Y is parallely transported
with respect to the Levi-Civita connection along an affinely parameterized geodesic with tangent
vector X. Show that the magnitudes of X, Y and the angle between them are constant along the
geodesic.
On the unit sphere a unit vector Y is initially tangent to the line = 0 at a point on the
equator. It is then moved by parallel transport first along the equator to the point = 0 , from
there along the line = 0 to the North Pole, and then back along the line = 0 to its original
position. By how much has it changed and why?
Exercise 2.4. Let r be a torsion-free connection. Derive the analogue of the Ricci identity for
a covector field: rc rd !a rd rc !a = Rb acd !b .
Exercise 2.5. Use the Bianchi identity to show that the Levi-Civita connection satisfies the
contracted Bianchi identity: Ga b;a = 0, where Gab = Rab 12 Rgab is the Einstein tensor.
Exercise 2.6 (Optional). How many independent components does the Riemann tensor of the
Levi-Civita connection have in two, three and four dimensions. Show that in two dimensions
1
Rabcd = R(gac gbd gad gbc ).
2
Deduce that the Einstein tensor vanishes in two dimensions.
Exercise 2.7. Consider a Lorentzian manifold with the Levi-Civita connection. In normal
coordinates centred at p, the geodesic starting at p with initial tangent vector X µ is given by
µ
(t) = tX µ , so the geodesic equation is µ⌫⇢ ( (t))X ⌫ X ⇢ = 0. Differentiate this equation with
respect to t and show that µ(⌫⇢, ) vanishes at p. Deduce that at p, Rµ (⌫⇢) = 32 µ⌫⇢, . Substitute
the expression for the Christoffel symbols in terms of the metric and symmetrize on an appropriate
pair of indices to deduce gµ⌫,⇢ = 23 Rµ(⇢|⌫| ) at p. Hence show that in normal coordinates at p
1
gµ⌫ (x) = ⌘µ⌫ Rµ⇢⌫ (p)x⇢ x + O(|x|3 ).
3
Exercise 2.8. a) Consider R3 with coordinates y A (A = 0, 1, 2) and Minkowski metric ⌘AB =
diag( 1, 1, 1). Let M denote the hyperboloid ⌘AB y A y B = H 2 where H > 0 is a constant.
Sketch M . Show that one can define global coordinates (t, ) on M as follows
y0 = H 1
sinh(Ht), y1 = H 1
cosh(Ht) cos , y2 = H 1
cosh(Ht) sin ,
where ⇠ + 2⇡. now view the above expressions as defining a map : M ! R3 . Calculate
the components of g = ⇤ (⌘) in the (t, ) coordinate basis. [This is the metric of 2d de Sitter
spacetime].
Please send any corrections to [email protected]
2
b) Now let ⌘AB = diag( 1, 1, 1) and let M be the hyperboloid ⌘AB y A y B = L2 where L > 0
is a constant. Sketch M . Show that one can define global coordinates (t, x) on M as follows:
y 0 = L cosh(x/L) cos(t/L), y 1 = L cosh(x/L) sin(t/L), y 2 = L sinh(x/L),
where t ⇠ t + 2⇡L. Use these expressions to define a map : M ! R3 as above and calculate
the components of g = ⇤ (⌘) in the (t, x) coordinate basis. [This is the metric of 2d anti-de
Sitter spacetime].
Exercise 2.9. a) i) Use the Liebniz rule to derive the formula for the Lie derivative of a
covector field !, valid in any coordinate basis:
(LX !)µ = X ⌫ @⌫ !µ + !⌫ @µ X ⌫ .
[Hint. consider (LX !)(Y ) for a vector field Y ].
ii) Let r be a torsion-free connection. Use normal coordinates to obtain the basis-independent
result
(LX !)a = X b rb !a + !b ra X b .
b) i) Show that the Lie derivative of a metric tensor is given in a coordinate basis by
(LX g)µ⌫ = X ⇢ @⇢ gµ⌫ + gµ⇢ @⌫ X ⇢ + g⇢⌫ @µ X ⇢ .
ii) Show that this can be written in the basis-independent form
(LX g)ab = ra Xb + rb Xa
where r is the Levi-Civita connection.
Exercise 2.10. a) Let X and Y be two vector fields. Show that
LX (LY Q) LY (LX Q) = L[X,Y ] Q,
when Q is either a function or a vector field. Deduce that the result holds if Q is any tensor
field.
b) Demonstrate that if a Riemannian or Lorentzian manifold has two ‘independent’ isometries
then it has a third, and define what is meant by independent here.
c) Consider the unit sphere with metric ds2 = d✓2 + sin2 ✓d 2
. Show that
@ @ @
and sin + cot ✓ cos
@ @✓ @
are Killing vectors. What is the third? Are there any more?
Exercise 2.11. a) Show that a Killing vector field K a satisfies the equation ra rb K c = Rc bad K d .
[Hint. Use the identity Ra [bcd] = 0.]
b) Deduce that in Minkowski spacetime the components of the Killing vector are linear functions
of the inertial coordinates.
Exercise 2.12. Consider Minkowski spacetime in an inertial frame, i.e. ⌘µ⌫ = diag( 1, 1, 1, 1).
a) Let K a be a Killing vector field. Write down Killing’s equation in the inertial frame coordinates.
b) Using the result of Exercise 2.11, show that the general solution for Kµ can be written in
terms of a constant antisymmetric matrix aµ⌫ and a constant covector bµ .
c) Identify the isometries corresponding to Killing fields with i) aµ⌫ = 0; ii) a0i = 0, bµ = 0ii)
aij = 0, bµ = 0 (where i, j = 1, 2, 3).
d) Identify the conserved quantities along a timelike geodesic corresponding to cases i) iii).

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Example Sheet 2 Part III: General Relativity

Claude Warnick Michaelmas 2022

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