A weird spherically symmetric metric

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on a modified Minkowski metric in spherical polar coordinates, specifically the alteration of the angular coefficient from r² to a constant value. The resulting metric, ds² = -dt² + dr² + (dθ² + sin²(θ) dφ²), raises questions about its classification as 'spherically symmetric' since the angular part is independent of the radius. The curvature scalar is identified as R-2, with non-zero components of the Einstein tensor being G00 = R-2 and G11 = -R-2. The metric is concluded to not represent a vacuum solution and is suggested to describe a peculiar form of spacetime that may not correspond to any physical reality.

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  • Understanding of Minkowski metric in general relativity
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a weird "spherically symmetric" metric

Minkowski metric in spherical polar coordinates [t, r, theta, phi] is

ds^2 = - dt^2 + dr^2 + r^2\,(d\theta^2 + sin^2(\theta)\, d\phi^2).

The question is what happens when the coefficient of the angular part is set to constant, say 1, instead of r^2:

ds^2 = - dt^2 + dr^2 + (d\theta^2 + sin^2(\theta)\, d\phi^2).

Supposedly this is still 'spherically symmetric' spacetime since it contains the spherically symmetric angular part but strangely the angular part doesn't depend on the radius anymore - the 'angles' are not influenced by how far from the 'center' you are anymore.

Can someone explain what kind of spacetime, the above metric describes and can it still pass for 'spherically symmetric'? A reference would be nice, since I've never seen that discussed anywhere.
 
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Rewriting your metric as -

ds^2 = - dt^2 + dr^2 + R^2(d\theta^2 + sin^2(\theta)\, d\phi^2)

where R is a constant, the curvature scalar is R-2 and the non-zero components of the Einstein tensor are G00= R-2 and G11= -R-2.

One should work out the Killing vectors, but that's beyond me right now.

So, it's not a vacuum solution, and the 'matter' is pretty weird. I doubt if it represents anything that can exist.

M
 

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