General Relativity and Cosmology

Problem Sheet 3
João G. Rosa

Universidade de Coimbra

1. Show that the Schwarzschild metric:

ds2 = f (r)c2 dt2 − f −1 (r)dr2 − r2 dθ2 − r2 sin2 θdφ2

where f (r) = 1 − r/rS , rS = 2GM/c2 , describes a Ricci-flat spacetime, i.e. that Rµν = 0.

2. Consider the energy-momentum tensor for the electromagnetic field in the Minkowski space-
time:
 
1 ρ 1 ρσ
Tµν = −Fµρ Fν + ηµν Fρσ F .
µ0 4

(a) Show that it is conserved, i.e. that ∂µ T µν = 0, in the absence of sources.

(b) Compute explicitly its different components:
1 1
T00 = ρ = 0 |E|2 + |B|2 ,
2 2µ0
1
T0i = − Si
c    
1 2 1 1 2
Tij = −0 Ei Ej − |E| δij − Bi Bj − |B| δij
2 µ0 2

where ρ is the electromagnetic energy density and S = (E × B)/µ0 is the Poynting vector
describing the electromagnetic momentum density.
(c) Using the above results verify that conservation of the energy-momentum tensor is equiva-
lent to conservation of both the electromagnetic energy and electromagnetic momentum
densities.
(d) Show that the electromagnetic energy-momentum tensor is traceless T µ µ = η µν Tµν = 0.

1
3. Consider the energy-momentum tensor for a perfect fluid of 4-velocity uµ , energy density ρ
and pressure p, in Minkowski spacetime:

T µν = (ρ + p)uµ uν − pη µν .

(a) Show that its conservation yields the relativistic continuity and Euler equations.
(b) Determine the equation of state p(ρ) for the electromagnetic field using the results from
the previous problem.

4. Consider the de Sitter space-time, defined as a hyperboloid in 5-dimensional Minkowski space

with coordinates (τ, x, y, z, v) such that (in natural units):

τ 2 − x2 − y 2 − z 2 − v 2 = −H −2 .

where H is a constant.

(a) Show that in the following coordinate system:

τ = H −1 f (r)1/2 sinh(Ht) , v = H −1 f (r)1/2 cosh(Ht) ,

x = r sin θ cos φ , y = r sin θ sin φ , z = r cos θ

the de Sitter line element is given by:

1
ds2 = f (r)dt2 − dr2 − r2 dΩ2 ,
f (r)

where f (r) = 1 − H 2 r2 .
(b) Using the results previously obtained for the Schwarzschild metric, show that the de Sitter
space-time has a constant curvature, i.e. that:

Rµν = −Λgµν

and determine the cosmological constant Λ.

(c) Verify that the corresponding Riemann tensor is of the form Rµνρσ = α (gµρ gνσ − gνρ gµσ ),
for constant α.
(d) Write the de Sitter metric using the alternative coordinate system (t0 , ρ, θ, φ):

H −1  2 2Ht0  0
t = t0 − ln ρ e − H −2 , r = ρeHt .
2
Comment on the obtained result.

5. Compute the components of the energy-momentum tensor of a scalar field φ(xµ ) described by
the Lagrangian density:
1
Lφ = g µν ∇µ φ∇ν φ − V (φ) .
2

2
6. Consider the Schwarzschild space-time.

(a) Show that radial null geodesics (constant θ, φ) satisfy:

dt
= ±1 ,
dr∗
where the Regge-Wheeler radial coordinate is given by:

r − rS
r∗ = r + rS ln , −∞ < r∗ < +∞ .
rS

Argue that the plus/minus sign corresponds to ougoing/ingoing light rays.

(b) Show that the metric can be written in Eddington-Finkelstein coordinates (v, r, θ, φ),
where v = t + r∗ (in natural units where c = 1), as:

ds2 = f (r)dv 2 − 2dvdr − r2 dΩ2 .

Hence, explain why r = rS is only a coordinate singularity in the (t, r, θ, φ) chart. Is there
a physical singularity in this space-time?
(c) Define t∗ = v − r such that ingoing radial null geodesics correspond to lines at 45◦ in the
(t∗ , r) plane. Determine t∗ (r) for outgoing radial null geodesics to obtain the Finkelstein
diagram:
t*

ingoing

r
rS

outgoing

Draw light cones in this diagram and hence conclude that any matter or light at r < rS
cannot reach r > rS , such that r = rS defines a black hole event horizon. Explain why
this acts as a one-way membrane.
(d) Show explicitly that drdv ≤ 0 for all time-like and null geodesics inside the event horizon,
r < rS . Thus, since dv > 0 for any future-directed geodesics, dr ≤ 0 and all matter or
light inside the black hole will eventually reach r = 0.

7. Determine the four Killing vector fields of the Schwarzschild space-time by explicitly solving
Killing’s equation ∇µ kν + ∇ν kµ = 0 and indicate the corresponding isometries of the metric.

Hint: To simplify the calculation, assume ∂t kµ = 0 for all Killing vector fields.