Schwarzschild Solution using Cartan's Equations

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around finding the six independent connection 1-forms using Cartan's formalism in the context of the Schwarzschild solution. The original poster is working with a specific metric and has outlined their attempts to derive the necessary forms.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster describes their choice of an orthonormal basis and dual basis, and they present the structural relations derived from Cartan's equations. They express uncertainty about simplifying these equations to find the connection 1-forms.
  • Some participants question the validity of the derivatives computed for the dual basis and discuss the implications of the results, particularly regarding the simplifications that can be made.
  • Others suggest that recognizing specific coefficients in the equations may lead to simplifications, but they express confusion about the underlying reasoning.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring various interpretations of the equations and offering hints for simplification. There is no explicit consensus yet, but some guidance has been provided regarding the recognition of coefficients in the equations.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the complexity of the equations and the need for further clarification on certain steps in the derivation process. There is also a suggestion to seek additional help in a more specialized forum related to Differential Geometry.

Oxymoron
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Im having some trouble coming up with my six independent connection 1-forms.

I have been given a metric:

[tex]g = -H_0(r)^2dt\otimes dt + H_1(r)^2 dr\otimes dr + r^2 d\theta\otimes d\theta + r^2\sin^2\theta d\phi \otimes d\phi[/tex].

I need to find [itex]H_0(r)[/itex] and [itex]H_1(r)[/itex], which are functions of r and not t, so the solutions are static. I must calculate everything using Cartan's formalism.

So the first thing I did was choose my orthonormal basis:
[tex]e_0 = \frac{1}{H_0(r)}\partial_t \quad e_1 = \frac{1}{H_1(r)}\partial_r \quad e_2 = \frac{1}{r}\partial_{\theta} \quad e_3 = \frac{1}{r\sin\theta}\partial_{\phi}[/tex]

so that my dual basis is:
[tex]\varepsilon^0 = H_0(r)\mbox{d}t \quad \varepsilon^1 = H_1(r)\mbox{d}r \quad \varepsilon^2 = r\mbox{d}\theta \quad \varepsilon^3 = r\sin\theta\mbox{d}\phi[/tex]

Now, using Cartan's structural relations I calculated:

[tex]\mbox{d}\varepsilon^0 = -\omega_{10}\wedge\varepsilon^1 - \omega_{20}\wedge\varepsilon^2 - \omega_{30}\wedge \varepsilon^3\quad [1][/tex]
[tex]\mbox{d}\varepsilon^1 = -\omega_{12}\wedge\varepsilon^2 - \omega_{13}\wedge\varepsilon^3 - \omega_{10}\wedge\varepsilon^0\quad [2][/tex]
[tex]\mbox{d}\varepsilon^2 = \omega_{12}\wedge\varepsilon^1 - \omega_{23}\wedge\varepsilon^3 - \omega_{20}\wedge \varepsilon^0\quad [3][/tex]
[tex]\mbox{d}\varepsilon^3 = \omega_{13}\wedge\varepsilon^1 + \omega_{23}\wedge\varepsilon^2 - \omega_{30}\wedge\varepsilon^0\quad [4][/tex]

But now I am stuck. I should be able to find 6 independent connection 1-forms but I don't know how to simplify all the above equations. Any guidance from here would be very helpful.
 
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I tried computing the derivatives of the dual basis directly, but I am not sure if that helps me:

[tex]\mbox{d}\varepsilon^1 = \mbox{dd}\varepsilon^1 = 0[/tex]

since [itex]\mbox{d}\circ\mbox{d}=0[/itex].

[tex]\mbox{d}\varepsilon^2 = \mbox{d}r\wedge\mbox{d}\theta + r\wedge \mbox{dd}\theta[/tex]
[tex]= \mbox{d}r \wedge\mbox{d}\theta[/tex]
[tex]= \frac{1}{H_1(r)}\varepsilon^1 \wedge \frac{1}{r}\varepsilon^2[/tex]
[tex]= \frac{1}{rH_1(r)}\varepsilon^1\wedge\varepsilon^2[/tex]

Similarly,

[tex]\mbox{d}\varepsilon^3 = \frac{1}{rH_1(r)}\varepsilon^1 \wedge \varepsilon^3 + \frac{\cot\theta}{r}\varepsilon^2 \wedge \varepsilon^3[/tex]

[tex]\mbox{d}\varepsilon^0 = \mbox{d}(H_0(r)\mbox{d}t)[/tex]
[tex]= \mbox{d}H_0(r)\mbox{d}t \wedge H_0(r) \mbox{d}r\mbox{d}[/tex]
[tex]= \frac{H_0(r)'}{H_0(r)}\varepsilon^0 \wedge \frac{H_0(r)}{H_1(r)}\varepsilon^1[/tex]
[tex]= \frac{H_0(r)'}{H_1(r)}\varepsilon^1 \wedge \varepsilon^0[/tex]

Note: The prime refers to differentiation with respect to r
 
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To summarize:

[tex]\mbox{d}\varepsilon^0 = \frac{H_0(r)'}{H_1(r)}\varepsilon^1 \wedge \varepsilon^0 = -\omega_{10}\wedge\varepsilon^1 - \omega_{20}\wedge\varepsilon^2 - \omega_{30}\wedge \varepsilon^3 \quad [1][/tex]

[tex]\mbox{d}\varepsilon^1 = 0 = -\omega_{12}\wedge\varepsilon^2 - \omega_{13}\wedge\varepsilon^3 - \omega_{10}\wedge\varepsilon^0\quad [2][/tex]

[tex]\mbox{d}\varepsilon^2 = \frac{1}{rH_1(r)}\varepsilon^1\wedge\varepsilon^2 = \omega_{12}\wedge\varepsilon^1 - \omega_{23}\wedge\varepsilon^3 - \omega_{20}\wedge \varepsilon^0\quad [3][/tex]

[tex]\mbox{d}\varepsilon^3 = \frac{1}{rH_1(r)}\varepsilon^1 \wedge \varepsilon^3 + \frac{\cot\theta}{r}\varepsilon^2 \wedge \varepsilon^3 = \omega_{13}\wedge\varepsilon^1 + \omega_{23}\wedge\varepsilon^2 - \omega_{30}\wedge\varepsilon^0\quad [4][/tex]

Do these look right to anyone?
 
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Perhaps I could help this process along with a further hint which I really like some explanation of:

Apparently in the next step of my calculations I should be able to recognize that from [4] we have

[tex]\omega_{30} = \Gamma_{300}\varepsilon^0[/tex]

and substituting into [1] we see that [itex]\Gamma_{300} = 0[/itex] since it is the sole coefficient of the 2-form basis element [itex]\varepsilon^3 \wedge \varepsilon^4[/itex].

All of this, I don't get :( If anyone is willing to explain how this all works, then I may be able to do a lot of simplification and come up with, hopefully, 6 independent connection 1-forms.
 
Oxymoron said:
Perhaps I could help this process along with a further hint which I really like some explanation of:

Apparently in the next step of my calculations I should be able to recognize that from [4] we have

[tex]\omega_{30} = \Gamma_{300}\varepsilon^0[/tex]

and substituting into [1] we see that [itex]\Gamma_{300} = 0[/itex] since it is the sole coefficient of the 2-form basis element [itex]\varepsilon^3 \wedge \varepsilon^4[/itex].

All of this, I don't get :( If anyone is willing to explain how this all works, then I may be able to do a lot of simplification and come up with, hopefully, 6 independent connection 1-forms.

Just a suggestion, Oxymoron...You may want to post this on the Differential Geometry boards. There are very knowledgeable people there that will surely help you out.

Patrick
 
Ok, I have posted a similar thread in the Diff. Geometry and Tensor board.
 

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