Rigid Quasilocal Frames

In this thesis, I examine in detail the properties of rigid quasilocal frames (RQF), which have been proposed as a geometrically natural way to define spatially extended reference frames in general relativity. I also explore their usefulness, in particular, as a tool for constructing completely general conservation laws that do not rely on the presence of spacetime symmetries and include both matter and gravitational contributions without the need for any ad hoc structures such as pseudotensors. In doing so, I show how the RQF approach affords a deeper understanding of the nature of gravitational fluxes via the equivalence principle. Finally, I apply the RQF formalism to explore Ehrenfest's rotating disk paradox, a generalization of Archimedes' law to curved spacetime, tidal interactions for Earth's and Jupiter's moons, and more.

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