Question on General Relativity

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on the Newtonian limit of linearized gravity as presented in chapter 4.4a of "General Relativity" by Wald. It clarifies that in weak gravitational fields, the energy-momentum tensor T_{ab} can be approximated as T_{ab} ≈ ρ t_a t_b, where t_a represents the time direction in a global inertial coordinate system. The participant questions the equivalence of the time direction with the observer's velocity vector, v_a, and highlights the implications of this relationship in the context of non-relativistic limits.

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eoghan
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Hi!
I'm reading General Relativity by Wald. In chpater 4.4a about Newtonian limit of linearized gravity, it says:
"When gravity is weak, the linear approximation to GR should be valid. The assumptions about the sources (relative motion << c and material stresses << mass-energy density) then can be formulated more precisely as follows: there exists a global inertial coordinate system of [itex]\eta_{ab}[/itex] such that:
[tex] T_{ab} \approx \rho t_a t_b[/tex]
where [itex]t_a=(\frac{\partial}{\partial x^0})_a[/itex] is the "time direction" of this coordinate system."

I've always thought that
[tex] T_{ab} \approx \rho v_a v_b[/tex]
where v is the velocity of the observer (or in other words, the relative velocity between the source and the observer). So, how can I say that
[tex] v_a=(\frac{\partial}{\partial x^0})_a[/tex]
?
 
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That means that the components [itex]v^{\mu}[/itex] of the velocity vector are given by

[tex] v^{\mu} = \frac{dx^{\mu}}{d\tau} \approx (1,0,0,0)[/tex]

This is the same as saying

[tex] \frac{dx^0}{d\tau} > > \frac{dx^i}{d\tau}[/tex]

which is the non-relativistic limit.
 
Thank you!
 

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