Perturbative Construction of General Relativity

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the perturbative construction of General Relativity from the Linear Field Equations, as proposed by Steven Weinberg. The process involves generating a stress-energy pseudo-tensor from the Linear Field Approximation of the gravitational field, which is then iteratively used to create higher-level gravitational fields. Despite the seemingly straightforward approach, challenges arise regarding the validity of standard gravitational field pseudo-tensors in the chosen gauge. The conversation also touches on the implications of including curvature-related stress-energy in Einstein's field equations, raising questions about adherence to the Einstein Equivalence Principle.

PREREQUISITES
  • Linear Field Equations in General Relativity
  • Stress-Energy Pseudo-Tensors
  • Einstein's Field Equations
  • Einstein Equivalence Principle
NEXT STEPS
  • Research Steven Weinberg's contributions to General Relativity
  • Study the construction and application of stress-energy pseudo-tensors
  • Explore the implications of curvature coupling in General Relativity
  • Examine the gauge choices in gravitational field theories
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Physicists, researchers in gravitational theory, and students of General Relativity seeking to understand the perturbative methods in constructing gravitational fields.

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I remember reading a long time ago that there was a straightforward (but operationally difficult) way of constructing General Relativity from the Linear Field Equations. Essentially you start with the Linear Field Equations solution and then generate a stress energy pseudo-tensor for this Linear Field Approximation of the gravitational field, and use that stress-energy pseudo-tensor to generate a second level gravitational field. Then you use the stress energy pseudo-tensor the second level gravitational field to get to the third level etc. Eventually it converges to General Relativity.

This seems at first to be easy, but it is not clear that it is. The stress energy pseudo-tensors of the gravitational field are constructed solely such that the divergence of the sum of {the gravitational field stress-energy pseudo-tensor plus the stress-energy of matter} is zero. I am not sure the standard gravitational field pseudo-tensors ones will work on this procedure in the gauge that is used.

It was Weinberg that did this. If anyone can provide me with the Weinberg reference I would be very grateful.
 
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That sounds kind of weird to me because the SET on the RHS of Einstein's field equations should only be the SET for matter...if you included the SET due to curvature, wouldn't that be "curvature coupling" and therefore forbidden by the Einstein Equivalence Principle?
 

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