Covariance Group for Null Geodesic Expansion Calculations, and its Application to the Apparent Horizon

We show that the recipe for computing the expansions $θ_\ell$ and $θ_n$ of outgoing and ingoing null geodesics normal to a surface admits a covariance group with nonconstant scalar $κ(x)$, corresponding to the mapping $θ_\ell \to κθ_\ell$, $θ_n \to κ^{-1} θ_n$. Under this mapping, the product $θ_\ell θ_n$ is invariant, and thus the marginal surface computed from the vanishing of $θ_\ell$, which is used to define the apparent horizon, is invariant. This covariance group naturally appears in comparing the expansions computed with different choices of coordinate system.

No reviews yet.

No comments yet.