A. Polnarev. (SPA7019 ). 2014. Course Works.

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I. COURSE WORKS
Time table Last updated 07.10.2014

is due to

CW1 Lecture 3

CW2 Lecture 5

CW3 Lecture 7

CW4 Lecture 9

CW5 Lecture 11

CW6 one week after Lecture 11

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 A. Polnarev. (SPA7019 ). 2014. Course work 1.
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A. Course work 1

Q1
a) Formulate the equivalence principle and explain what is the difference in interpretation of this principle in Newtonian
theory and in General relativity.
b) Explain the similarity between an ”actual” gravitational field and a non-inertial reference system. Give the
definition of a locally Galilean coordinate system.
c) Explain why an ”actual” gravitational field cannot be eliminated by any transformation of coordinates over all
space-time.
0 0 0
d) Show that in a uniformly rotating system of coordinates x , y , z , such that
0 0 0 0 0
x = x cos Ωt − y sin Ωt, y = x sin Ωt + y cos Ωt, z = z , (A.1)
the interval ds has the following form:
0 0 0
ds2 = gik dxi dxk = gik dx i dx k =
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
= [c2 − Ω2 (x 2 + y 2 )]dt2 − dx 2 − dy 2 − dz 2 + 2Ωy dx0 dt − 2Ωx dy 0 dt. (A.2)

Q2
a) Formulate the covariance principle and explain the relationship between this principle and the principle of equiva-
lence.
b) Give the definition of a contravariant vector in terms of the transformation of curvilinear coordinates.
c) Give the definition of a covariant vector in terms of the transformation of curvilinear coordinates.
d) What is the mixed tensor of the second rank in terms of the transformation of curvilinear coordinates (you can
assume that a mixed tensor of the second rank is transformed as a product of covariant and contrvariant vectors).
e) Explain why the principle of covariance implies that all physical equations should contain only tensors.
Q3
a) Prove that the metric tensor is symmetric. Give a rigorous proof that the interval is a scalar.
b) Give the definition of the reciprocal tensors of the second rank. What is the contravariant metric tensor g ik .
c) Show that in an arbitrary non-inertial frame
g ik = S(0)0
i k
S(0)0 i
− S(0)1 k
S(0)1 i
− S(0)2 k
S(0)2 i
− S(0)3 k
S(0)3 , (A.3)
i
where S(0)k is the transformation matrix from locally inertial frame of reference (galilean frame) to this non-inertial
frame.
d) Demonstrate how using the reciprocal contravariant metric tensor g ik and the covariant metric tensor gik you can
form contravariant tensor from covariant tensors and vice versa.
Q4
a) In the local Galilean frame xi[G] of reference a mixed tensor of the second rank, Cki has the only one non-vanishing
0
component, C0[G] = 1, and all other components are equal to zero. Write down all components of this mixed tensor
in arbitrary frame of reference. Express your result in terms of transformation matrix.
b) In the non-rotating system of Cartesian coordinates (x, y, z) the only non-vanishing component of some tensor
Aik is A11 = 1 and all other components vanish. Using coordinate transformation from Cartesian to the uniformly
rotating cylindrical coordinates (r, θ, φ)
x = r cos(θ + Ωt), y = r sin(θ + Ωt), z = Z, (A.4)
show that in the latter coordinates
0 rΩ
A01 = − sin 2(θ + Ωt). (A.5)
2c

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 A. Polnarev. (SPA7019 ). 2014. Course work 2.
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B. Course work 2

Q1
a) What is meant by proper time and what is the relationship between proper time and coordinate
time?
b) A light signal emitted at time coordinate x0 + ∆x0(1) (∆x0(1) < 0) propagates from some point
B with spatial coordinates xα + ∆xα to a point A with spatial coordinates xα . After reflection at
time coordinate x0 , the signal propagates back over the same path and is detected at point B at
time coordinate x0 + ∆x0(2) (∆x0(2) > 0). Given that g0α = 0, express the physical distance between
A and B, lAB , in terms of the metric tensor gik and ∆xα . You may assume that gik is the same at
points A and B.
Q2
a) Motivate the necessity to introduce parallel translation for proper differentiation of tensors and
explain the geometrical and physical meaning of the Christoffel symbols.
b) List all physical and geometrical arguments, you know, to demonstrate that the Christoffel symbols
do not form a tensor.
Q3
a) Write down the covariant derivative of the mixed tensor of the second rank in terms of Christoffel
symbols.
b) Explain why for the derivation of physical equations in the presence of a gravitational field one
can simply replace partial derivatives by covariant derivatives. Take any physical equation by your
own choice and write down it in the presence of gravitational field.
Q4
Show by straightforward calculations that
√
1 ∂g ∂ ln −g
Γiki = = . (B.1)
2g ∂xk ∂xk
You can use here without proof that the differential of g can be expressed as

dg = gg ik dgik = −ggik dg ik . (B.2)

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 A. Polnarev. (SPA7019 ). 2014. Course work 3.
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C. Course work 3

Q1
a) Give the definition of a test particle. Consider a test particle of mass m moving in arbitrary
gravitational field. Derive the Hamilton-Jacobi equation. Explain how using this equation one can
obtain the world line of the test particle.
b) In some gravitational field the transformation from the local galilean frame of reference xi(0) to
some non-inertial frame xi is given by the following transformation matrix: S(0)k
i
= F δki , where F is
a scalar field. Consider propagation of light using mentioned above non-inertial frame of reference
to show that the solution of the Eikonal equation does not depend on F and can be written as
Ψ = (δ αβ Bα Bβ )1/2 x0 + Bα xα , where Bα is a constant 3-vector.
Q2
Using the locally-inertial coordinate system prove that the Riemann tensor has the following sym-
metry properties:
Riklm = −Rkilm = −Rikml ,

Riklm = Rlmik ,

Riklm + Rimkl + Rilmk = 0.

Q3
Show that

Rik = Γlik,l − Γlil,k + Γlik Γm m l

Q4
a) Using a locally-inertial coordinate system prove the Bianchi identity:
n n n
Rikl;m + Rimk;l + Rilm;k = 0.

b) Using the Bianchi identity, prove that the Ricci tensor and the scalar curvature R = g ik Rik satisfy
the following identity:

l 1
Rm;l = R,m .
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 A. Polnarev. (SPA7019 ). 2014. Course work 4.
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D. Course work 4

Q1
Starting from the Einstein equations in the form
1 8πG
Rik − gik R = 4 Tik , (D.1)
2 c
where G is the gravitational constant, prove that
c4
 
i i 1 i
Tk = Rk − δk R . (D.2)
8πG 2

Q2
The stress-energy tensor of ideal fluid has the following form:
Tki = ( + P )ui uk − P δki , (D.3)

where  is energy density, P is pressure (if P > 0) or tension (if P < 0) and ui is 4-velocity of the
fluid. Using the Einstein equations express the scalar curvature in terms of  and P .
Q3
Prove that the covariant divergence of an arbitrary contravariant vector can be written as
1 √
Ai;i = √ ( −gAi ),i . (D.4)
−g

Q4
Let φ is an arbitrary scalar field. Prove that
1 √
g ik φ;k;i = √ −gg ik φ,k ,i .


(D.5)
−g

Q5
Let Aik is a symmetric tensor. Prove that
1 √ 1
Aki;k = √ −gAki ,k − gkl,i Akl .


(D.6)
−g 2

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 A. Polnarev. (SPA7019 ). 2014. Course work 5.
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E. Course work 5

Q1
A photon emitted outward from r = r0 at time t = 0 propagates radially in the Schwarzschild
space-time. Show that the world-line of the photon is given by the following equation
r − rg
ct = r − r0 + rg ln .
r0 − rg

Q2
A particle starts to fall freely from infinity and moves along a radial geodesic in the Schwarzschild
metric. Using the expression for ds and an appropriate component of geodesic equation, show that
 2/3
3/2 3 1/2
r(τ ) = r (τ0 ) − crg (τ − τ0 ) ,
2
where τ is the proper time (ds = cdτ ).
Q3
Using the coordinate transformations
Z 1/2 1/2
r3/2 dr
Z
rg r dr
cτ = ct + , R = ct + 1/2
r − rg rg (r − rg )
show that the Schwarzschild metric takes the form
rg
ds2 = c2 dτ 2 − dR2 − r2 (dθ2 + sin2 θdφ2 ).
r
Expressing r in terms of R − cτ , demonstrate that the latter metric is non-stationary. What can be
said about the true character of the Schwarzschild space-time metric at r = rg ?
Q4
A rotating black hole is described by the Kerr metric.
a) Find the location of the event horizon and the limit of stationarity. Sketch the rotating black hole
as projected on i) the equatorial plane, θ = π/2, and ii) the perpendicular plane, φ = 0 (indicate
the event horizon, the limit of stationarity and the ergosphere).
b) Explain qualitatively why it is possible to extract the energy of a rotating black hole despite the
fact that no signal can escape outside from within the black hole horizon.

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 A. Polnarev. (SPA7019 ). 2014. Course work 6.
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F. Course work 6

Q1
A weak gravitational wave is a small perturbation of the Minkowski metric, gik = ηik + hik . Show
that, to terms of first order in hik , the contravariant metric tensor is g ik = η ik − η in η km hmk . Consider
a linear transformation xi = x0i +ξ i , where ξ i are small functions of xi . Show that hik = h0ik −ξi,k −ξk,i .
Prove that it is always possible to find such ξ i that the Ricci tensor takes the following simple form:
1
Rik = − η lm hik,l,m .
2
Q2
Two bodies of equal mass, m1 = m2 = m, attracting each other according to Newton’s law,
move in circular orbits around their common centre of mass with orbital period P . Using the
quadrupole formula for the generation of gravitational waves, show that in order of magnitude,
h ∼ (rg /R)(rg /cP )2/3 , where R is the distance to the system and rg = 2Gm
c2
is the gravitational
radius.
Q3
The quadrupole formula for the metric perturbation associated with gravitational waves is given by
2G d2 Dαβ
hαβ = − (t − R/c),
3c4 R dt2
where R is the distance to the source of the gravitational waves and
Z
Dαβ = (3xα xβ − r2 δαβ )dM

is the quadrupole tensor of the source. Consider a mass m moving along circular orbit around the
black hole of mass M , assuming that m  M .
a) Show that all the amplitudes hαβ of gravitational wave, emitted by such system, are periodic
functions of time with ω = 2ω0 , where ω0 = 2π/T , and T is the orbital period.
b) Show that, to an order of magnitude (omitting the indices α and β)

 2/3
rg Rg ω
h≈ ,
R c
where rg is the gravitational radius of the mass m and Rg is the gravitational radius of the black
hole.
Q4
The future LISA mission will be able to detect gravitational waves with h > 10−23 , if 10−4 Hz <
ω < 3 · 10−3 Hz. From what distance will it be possible to detect gravitational radiation from the
binary system, containing the black hole of mass m = 3M , moving along a circular orbit with
radius r = 104 Rg around the massive black hole of mass M = 103 M ?