Syllabus
Einstein’s linearized gravitational waves versus exact pp-waves. Discussion of measurable properties and effects (Ricci and Weyl tensors, algebraic structure, geodesic deviation in a general dimension, including any cosmological constant).
Standard methods of 1960s, asymptotic behaviour of radiative spacetimes (Bondi-Sachs, optical scalars, news, peeling, Penrose conformal methods etc.). Exact solutions to Einstein’s equations describing gravitational waves (main classes: Kundt and Robinson-Trautman, impulsive waves, collision of plane waves, further exact solutions and their properties).
Principal perturbation methods (Isaacson’s high-frequency approximation, geometrical optics, Efroimsky, PPN, EOB etc.).
Annotation
The course is a continuation of NTMF089 Gravitational Waves which is an introduction to an extensive field of study of gravitational waves in Einstein’s general relativity. In this part, selected topics in theory of gravitational waves and radiation will be studied in more detail.