Lecture 4
Topics
- The metric
- Index raising/lowering
- Eigenvalues of the metric
- Local Frames - Inertial Observers
- The metric and (local) causal structure. Local light cone and "speed of light" limit in GR.
- Examples: wormholes, flat space cosmology, closed timelike curves+Cauchy horizons (Misner spacetimes), faster than c travel, Penrose diagram of the Minkowski spacetime.
Bibliography
Practicing
- Problems (solutions, mathematica notebook+ pdf)
- Penrose diagram of Minkowski spacetime: draw it using Mathematica, compute the metric components in the \( (t',r') \) coordinate system (pdf)
- Misner space exercise Mathematica notebook (pdf)
Videos
Related video lectures by the instructor. There is partial overlap with the course curriculum, use at your own discretion! Check the video lectures page for details...