Behavior of Asymptotically Flat Empty Spaces

Abstract

The asymptotic behavior of the Weyl tensor and metric tensor is investigated for probably all asymptotically flat solutions of the empty space Einstein field equations. The systematic investigation utilizes a set of first order differential equations which are equivalent to the empty space Einstein equations. These are solved asymptotically, subject to a condition imposed on a tetrad component of the Riemann tensor ψ0 which ensures the approach to flatness at spatial infinity of the space-time. If ψ0 is assumed to be an analytic function of a suitably defined radial coordinate, uniqueness of the solutions can be proved. However, this paper makes considerable progress toward establishing a rigorous proof of uniqueness in the nonanalytic case. A brief discussion of the remaining coordinate freedom, with certain topological aspects, is also included.