Wald's definition of the Cauchy Horizon

In summary, Wald defines the future Cauchy Horizon of a set S as the closure of the future domain of dependence of S minus the chronological past of the future domain of dependence. There was confusion about whether this definition included all points in the chronological past or just the boundary. It was later clarified that the second term should be the interior of the future domain of dependence.
  • #1
Matterwave
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Hello, Wald defines, on page 203 the future Cauchy Horizon of a set [itex]S\subset M[/itex] as:

[tex]H^+(S)=\overline{D^+(S)}-I^-[D^+(S)][/tex]

Where the overline means the closure of the set. D+ is the future domain of dependence (i.e. all points in the manifold which can be connected to S by a past inextendible causal curve), and I- is the chronological past.

It seems to me that the closure of the set D+ does not include some parts of the set I-(D+) since the second term is the entire chronological past including the chronological past of the points on S.

Is there a mistake in this definition? I would have thought (intuitively) that the future Cauchy Horizon of a set S would simply be the boundary of the Future domain of dependence of S minus S itself. In that case, Wald defined the interior of D+ as:

[tex]int(D^+(S))=I^-[D^+(S)]\cap I^+(S)[/tex]

Perhaps he meant this as the second term? Am I missing something here?
 
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  • #2
Nevermind, I figured it out...my set theory knowledge was weak apparently haha.
 

1. What is Wald's definition of the Cauchy Horizon?

Wald's definition of the Cauchy Horizon is a mathematical concept used in general relativity that describes the boundary of the region in spacetime that can be predicted from a complete set of initial data. It is also known as the boundary of the "predictable universe."

2. How is the Cauchy Horizon different from the event horizon?

The Cauchy Horizon is different from the event horizon in that it is a boundary in spacetime that can be predicted from initial data, while the event horizon is a boundary in space that marks the point of no return for objects falling into a black hole.

3. What is the significance of the Cauchy Horizon in general relativity?

The Cauchy Horizon is significant because it marks the boundary of the region in spacetime that can be predicted from a set of initial data. It is used in the study of black holes and other phenomena in general relativity.

4. How is the Cauchy Horizon calculated?

The Cauchy Horizon is calculated using mathematical equations and principles from general relativity. It is often determined by solving the Einstein field equations for a given spacetime.

5. Can the Cauchy Horizon be observed or measured?

The Cauchy Horizon is a mathematical concept and cannot be directly observed or measured. However, its effects on surrounding spacetime and objects can be observed through indirect means, such as gravitational lensing or the motion of objects near a black hole.

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