Problem with killing vectors

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In summary, the conversation discusses the relation for departure from geodesity and the use of a unit vector and Killing vector in calculations. The final result is derived and presented for review. Further assistance is requested for clarification on the hyperrelation and confirmation of the approach for the departure from geodesity.
  • #1
Nikos
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Here is a piece http://www.photodump.com/direct/Bbking22/departurefromgeodesity.jpg from "The large scale structure of spacetime" and there is noway for me to reproduce the relation for departure from geodesity and the previous relation :cry: . Is there any idea about the right process for the calculations. Thanks for your time!
 
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  • #2
Did you use the fact that V is a unit vector?
 
  • #3
Since [itex]K[/itex] is a Killing vector, it satisfies the antisymmetry property [itex]K_{a;b}=-K_{b;a}[/itex]. From [itex]f^{2}=-K^{c}K_{c}[/itex] and antisymmetry,

[tex]
ff_{;b}=-K_{c;b}K^{c}=K_{b;c}K^{c}
[/tex]

From [itex]V^{a}=f^{-1}K^{a}[/itex],

[tex]
\begin{align*}
V^{a}{}_{;b}V^{b} & =-f^{-3}f_{;b}K^{a}K^{b}+f^{-2}K^{a}{}_{;b}K^{b}\\
& =-f^{-4}K_{b;c}K^{b}K^{c}K^{a}+f^{-2}K_{c;b}K^{b}g^{ca}.
\end{align*}
[/tex]

The first term on the left vanishes because of the combination of antisymmetry and symmetry in [itex]K_{b;c}K^{b}K^{c}[/itex]. The second term on the left, when used with the [itex]ff_{;b}[/itex] equation, gives the desired result.

Regards,
George
 
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  • #4
Thank you guys for your time . George thank you very much for the help and the nice derivation of the relation! Here is my answear for the previous relation http://www.photodump.com/direct/Bbking22/hyperrelation.jpg . I would like you to check it out and tell me if you agree.
 
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  • #5
Can someone give some further help about the http://www.photodump.com/direct/Bbking22/hyperrelation.jpg , and tell me if that is the right way for the http://www.photodump.com/direct/Bbking22/departurefromgeodesity.jpg
 
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1. What are killing vectors in physics?

Killing vectors are vector fields in a given space that preserve the metric structure of the space. In other words, they are vector fields that do not change the distance between points in a space, making them important in understanding symmetries and conservation laws in physics.

2. What is the problem with killing vectors?

The problem with killing vectors arises when studying certain types of spacetimes, such as those with singularities or non-trivial topology. In these cases, it may not be possible to find a complete set of killing vectors, making it difficult to analyze the symmetries and conservation laws of the system.

3. How are killing vectors related to Noether's theorem?

Noether's theorem states that for every continuous symmetry of a physical system, there is a corresponding conservation law. Killing vectors play an important role in Noether's theorem, as they are the generators of symmetries and therefore determine the conserved quantities in a system.

4. Can killing vectors be used in other areas of science?

Yes, killing vectors have applications in various fields such as differential geometry, general relativity, and fluid mechanics. They are also used in computer graphics and animation to model and simulate natural movements and deformations.

5. How are killing vectors calculated?

Calculating killing vectors involves solving a set of differential equations known as the Killing equation. This equation relates the metric tensor of a space to its symmetries and can be solved to find the killing vectors of a given system.

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