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Tensor[BelRobinson] - calculate the Bel-Robinson tensor

Calling Sequences

     BelRobinson(g, W, indexlist)

Parameters

   g         - a metric tensor on a 4-dimensional manifold

   W         - (optional) the Weyl tensor of the metric g

   indexlist - (optional) the keyword argument indexlist = ind, where ind is a list of 4 index types "con" or "cov"

 

Description

Examples

See Also

Description

• 

The Bel-Robinson tensor Bijhk is a covariant rank 4 tensor defined in terms of the Weyl tensor Wijhk on a 4-dimensional manifold by (see, for example, Penrose and Rindler Vol. 1)

Bijhk=14WilhmWj   k  l   m−12gijWlmhn+gilWmjhn+ gimWjlhnW    klm  n.

The Bel-Robinson tensor is totally symmetric: Bijhk=Bjihk=Bhjik=Bkjhi . The Bel-Robinson tensor is trace-free: gijBijhk=0. If gij is an Einstein metric, that is, Rij=Λgij (where Rij is the Ricci tensor for the metric gij and Λ is a constant), then the covariant divergence of Bel-Robinson vanishes: gil ∇l Bijhk=0.  Here ∇l denotes the covariant derivative with respect to the Christoffel connection for gij.

• 

The keyword argument indexlist = ind allows the user to specify the index structure for the Bel-Robinson tensor. For example, with indexlist = ["con", "con", "con", "con"], the contravariant form Bijhk is returned. The default output is the purely covariant form (as above).

• 

This command is part of the DifferentialGeometry:-Tensor package, and so can be used in the form BelRobinson(...) only after executing the commands with(DifferentialGeometry); with(Tensor); in that order. It can always be used in the long form DifferentialGeometry:-Tensor:-BelRobinson.

Examples

> 

with⁡DifferentialGeometry:with⁡Tensor:

 

Example 1.

First create a 4-dimensional manifold M and define a metric gon M. The metric shown below is a homogenous Einstein metric (see (12.34) in Stephani, Kramer et al).

> 

DGsetup⁡x,y,z,u,M

frame name: M

(2.1)
M > 

g≔evalDG⁡exp⁡z⁢dx&tdx+exp⁡−2⁢z⁢dy&tdy+dx&sdu−3Λ⁢dz&tdz

g:=ⅇz⁢dx⁢dx+ⅇ−2⁢z2⁢dx⁢du+ⅇ−2⁢z⁢dy⁢dy−3Λ⁢dz⁢dz+ⅇ−2⁢z2⁢du⁢dx

(2.2)

 

Calculate the Bel-Robinson tensor for the metric g.  The result is clearly a symmetric tensor.

M > 

B≔BelRobinson⁡g

B:=Λ2⁢ⅇ2⁢z4⁢dx⁢dx⁢dx⁢dx

(2.3)

 

Use the optional keyword argument indexlist to calculate the contravariant form of the Bel-Robinson tensor.

M > 

B1≔BelRobinson⁡g,indexlist=con,con,con,con

B1:=4⁢ⅇ10⁢z⁢Λ2⁢D_u⁢D_u⁢D_u⁢D_u

(2.4)

 

The tensor B is trace-free.

> 

h≔InverseMetric⁡g

h:=2⁢ⅇ2⁢z⁢D_x⁢D_u+ⅇ2⁢z⁢D_y⁢D_y−Λ3⁢D_z⁢D_z+2⁢ⅇ2⁢z⁢D_u⁢D_x−4⁢ⅇ5⁢z⁢D_u⁢D_u

(2.5)
> 

ContractIndices⁡h,B,1,1,2,2

0⁢dx⁢dx

(2.6)

 

The covariant divergence of the tensor B1 vanishes.  To check this, first calculate the Christoffel connection C for the metric g and then calculate the covariant derivative of B1.

> 

C≔Christoffel⁡g

C:=−D_x⁢dx⁢dz−D_x⁢dz⁢dx−D_y⁢dy⁢dz−D_y⁢dz⁢dy+Λ⁢ⅇz6⁢D_z⁢dx⁢dx−Λ⁢ⅇ−2⁢z6⁢D_z⁢dx⁢du−Λ⁢ⅇ−2⁢z3⁢D_z⁢dy⁢dy−Λ⁢ⅇ−2⁢z6⁢D_z⁢du⁢dx+3⁢ⅇ3⁢z⁢D_u⁢dx⁢dz+3⁢ⅇ3⁢z⁢D_u⁢dz⁢dx−D_u⁢dz⁢du−D_u⁢du⁢dz

(2.7)
> 

nablaB1≔CovariantDerivative⁡B1,C

nablaB1:=−2⁢Λ3⁢ⅇ8⁢z3⁢D_z⁢D_u⁢D_u⁢D_u⁢dx−2⁢Λ3⁢ⅇ8⁢z3⁢D_u⁢D_z⁢D_u⁢D_u⁢dx−2⁢Λ3⁢ⅇ8⁢z3⁢D_u⁢D_u⁢D_z⁢D_u⁢dx−2⁢Λ3⁢ⅇ8⁢z3⁢D_u⁢D_u⁢D_u⁢D_z⁢dx+24⁢ⅇ10⁢z⁢Λ2⁢D_u⁢D_u⁢D_u⁢D_u⁢dz

(2.8)
> 

Divergence≔ContractIndices⁡nablaB1,1,5

Divergence:=0⁢D_x⁢D_x⁢D_x

(2.9)

 

The divergence of the Bel-Robinson tensor is not automatically zero; the divergence vanishes when the metric g is an Einstein metric.  To check this, compute the Ricci tensor of g.

> 

R≔RicciTensor⁡g

R:=Λ⁢ⅇz⁢dx⁢dx+Λ⁢ⅇ−2⁢z2⁢dx⁢du+Λ⁢ⅇ−2⁢z⁢dy⁢dy−3⁢dz⁢dz+Λ⁢ⅇ−2⁢z2⁢du⁢dx

(2.10)
M > 

evalDG⁡R−Λ⁢g

0⁢dx⁢dx

(2.11)

 

The Weyl tensor, if already calculated, can be used to quickly compute the Bel-Robinson tensor.

> 

W≔WeylTensor⁡g

W:=−Λ⁢ⅇ−z2⁢dx⁢dy⁢dx⁢dy+Λ⁢ⅇ−z2⁢dx⁢dy⁢dy⁢dx−3⁢ⅇz2⁢dx⁢dz⁢dx⁢dz+3⁢ⅇz2⁢dx⁢dz⁢dz⁢dx+Λ⁢ⅇ−z2⁢dy⁢dx⁢dx⁢dy−Λ⁢ⅇ−z2⁢dy⁢dx⁢dy⁢dx+3⁢ⅇz2⁢dz⁢dx⁢dx⁢dz−3⁢ⅇz2⁢dz⁢dx⁢dz⁢dx

(2.12)
> 

BelRobinson⁡g,W

Λ2⁢ⅇ2⁢z4⁢dx⁢dx⁢dx⁢dx

(2.13)

See Also

DifferentialGeometry, Tensor, Christoffel, CovariantDerivative, CurvatureTensor, RicciTensor, WeylTensor