W2019 Eduardo Martı́n-Martı́nez AMATH 475/AMATH 675/PHYS 476

Review problem 2

In this review, we will generically consider problems where the spacetime M is not flat
(unless otherwise specified), i.e. the metric tensor has components gab in the dual basis
{Υa }. That is, the spacetime is given by (M, gab ).

Problem 1 (Level: Block 2)

Let γ : R → M be a trajectory of a particle, i.e. a curve with timelike tangent vectors

parametrized by an affine parameter (namely, proper time τ ), i.e.

dγ(τ )
v(τ ) := is timelike. (1)
dτ
Consider coordinate system {xµ }, so that every point along the curve is given by coordi-
nates1 xµ (τ ). Also, let w(τ ) be another vector field defined along the curve.

(a) Fill in the steps leading to

dwρ
∇v w = 0 =⇒ + Γρµν v µ wν = 0 . (2)
dτ

Solution: Firstly, we get

0 = ∇v w = v µ ∇µ (wν Υν )
= v µ ((∇µ wν )Υν + wν ∇µ Υν )
= v µ ∂µ wν Υν + wν Γρµν Υρ

= v µ ∂µ wρ + wν Γρµν Υρ

1
Recall from previous review that the shorthand xµ (τ ) ≡ xµ (γ(τ )) is standard.

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W2019 Eduardo Martı́n-Martı́nez AMATH 475/AMATH 675/PHYS 476

and we get the result using the fact that the coefficient on the right hand side
must be zero and
dxµ ∂ ρ dwρ
v µ ∂µ w ρ = w = .
dτ ∂xµ dτ
You should notice this is is nothing but the parallel transport equation: a vector w
is parallel transported along the trajectory if and only if the covariant derivative
along the trajectory is zero.

(b) Fill in the steps leading to

d2 xµ dxρ dxσ
∇v v = 0 =⇒ 2
+ Γµρσ = 0. (3)
dτ dτ dτ

Solution: This is nothing but setting w = v in the previous equation, and rec-
ognizing that
dxµ
= vµ , (4)
dτ
which gets you to

d2 xρ µ
ρ dx dx
ν
+ Γ µν =0
dτ 2 dτ dτ
and then what remains is to first relabel µ → ρ, ν → σ. Once done, you can
simply relabel ρ → µ (since it originally appears as contraction with Υρ ). This
is nothing but geodesic equation: it says that a geodesic is precisely the curve
which parallel transports its own tangent vector.

Problem 2 (Level: Block 3)

Consider the line element of a static spherically symmetric spacetime M given by

dr2
ds2 = −f (r)dt2 + + r2 (dθ2 + sin2 θ dϕ2 ) , (5)
g(r)

where xµ = {t, r, θ, φ} are Schwarzschild-like coordinates. Note that f 6= g in general (since

we could rescale Schwarzschild time t → N t where N is a constant). Consider a particle
at rest in this coordinate system with 4-velocity components uµ .

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W2019 Eduardo Martı́n-Martı́nez AMATH 475/AMATH 675/PHYS 476

(a) Calculate the components uµ .

Solution: Since the particle is at rest, only u0 ≡ ut is not identically zero. Then

−1 = uµ uµ = gµν uµ uν = g00 u0 u0 = −f (r)(u0 )2 .

p
In particular, this means that u0 6= 1: it is u0 = 1/ f (r). Hence a particle at
rest has 4-velocity with components
p
(uµ ) = (1/ f (r), 0, 0, 0) . (6)

(b) From part (a), conclude whether ∂t is 4-velocity of the particle.

Solution: The answer is no, since (∂t ) = (1, 0, 0, 0). This is the short answer.
Another way to think about this is that 4-velocity u is generated by the proper
time derivative:
d dxµ dt 1
u = ∂τ = = ∂µ = ∂t = p ∂t . (7)
dτ |dτ{z } dτ f (r)
uµ Υµ

Here we have used the fact that ds2 = −dτ 2 and hence
 2  2  2  2
dt 1 dr 2 dθ 2 2 dϕ
−1 = −f (r) + +r + r sin θ
dτ g(r) dτ dτ dτ

and since the particle is at rest, the last three terms vanish and only the first
remains. This result is expected, since particles travel along geodesics which
necessarily imply that the unit tangent vector along the curve, which is ∂τ , is
precisely the definition of 4-velocity.
Remark: for students who are more familiar with differential geometry, you may
notice that “∂τ ” is written as d/dτ and not ∂/∂τ . This follows from the fact that
the trajectory of a particle is a curve (1-dimensional submanifold of M) and hence
the tangent space is one-dimensional (and consequently all partial derivatives are
total derivatives). This is the same as calculus, where in 1-dimensional case we
never needed partial derivatives.

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W2019 Eduardo Martı́n-Martı́nez AMATH 475/AMATH 675/PHYS 476

Problem 3 (Level: Block 3)

Let (M, gab ) be a four-dimensional black hole spacetime (for our case we take Λ = 0), i.e.
solution to the vacuum Einstein field equation (Gab = 0). Show that all uncharged2 black
hole spacetimes are Ricci-flat, i.e.
Rµν = 0 . (8)
Note: Recall that x − y = 0 does not imply that x = y = 0. Therefore Gµν = 0 does not
imply trivially that the spacetime is Ricci-flat. In a spacetime that is Ricci-flat, gravity
does not distort volumes but distorts shapes (i.e. gravity only causes tidal effects).
Hint: take trace (contraction) on the most general Einstein field equations using the
inverse metric.

Solution: Einstein field equation reads

1
Rµν − gµν R = 8πGTµν .
2
Note that setting the right hand side to zero only implies that the Ricci tensor is
proportional to Ricci scalar times the metric, so it does not obviously imply that they
vanish separately. To take trace on both sides, apply g µν :
1
Rµµ − g µν gµν R = 8πGT µµ
2
1
=⇒ R − δµµ R = 8πGT
2
=⇒ −R = 8πGT .

Putting this back into the field equations, we get

1
Rµν = 8πGTµν + gµν (−8πGT )
 2 
1
= 8πG Tµν − gµν T
2

which looks surprisingly similar to the original Einstein field equations. Since black
hole spacetimes are vacuum solutions (Tµν = 0), the right hand side vanishes and hence
we have that the spacetime is Ricci-flat.

2
The most general asymptotically flat black hole spacetimes with electric charge and rotation in four
dimensions in Einstein gravity are known as the Kerr-Newman black holes.

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