GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using

Mathematica
George E. Hrabovsky
MAST

Midwest Relativity Meeting, 2015

CIERA, Norwestern University
2 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb

What I Will Cover

◼ Introduction
◼ How to Establish a Manifold
◼ How to Establish a Coordinate Chart
◼ How to Define a Metric
◼ How to Define a Tensor
◼ Computing the Christoffel Symbols
◼ The Riemann Tensor, The Ricci Tensor, The Ricci Scalar, and The Einstein Tensor
◼ The Stress-Energy Tensor
◼ Einstein’s Field Equations
 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb 3

Introduction
This is the third of an apparently endless series of talks on how to use Mathematica in general relativity.
Two years ago I talked about the built-in capabilities for handling tensors.
Last year I talked about the xAct package in general and how to apply it to perturbative general relativ-
ity, deriving the scalar and tensor field equations for a gravitational perturbation given a Lagrangian.
This year I am talking about performing calculations in specific coordinate bases.
Past talks can be found at the website:

http : // www.madscitech.org/tensors.html
This talk will appear there also.
4 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb

Establishing Your Manifold

The first thing too do is activate xAct.

<< xAct`xTensor`
------------------------------------------------------------

Package xAct`xPerm` version 1.2.2, {2014, 9, 28}

CopyRight (C) 2003-2014, Jose M. Martin-Garcia, under the General Public License.

Connecting to external MinGW executable...

Connection established.

------------------------------------------------------------

Package xAct`xTensor` version 1.1.1, {2014, 9, 28}

CopyRight (C) 2002-2014, Jose M. Martin-Garcia, under the General Public License.

------------------------------------------------------------

These packages come with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; for details type Disclaimer[]. This is free software, and you
are welcome to redistribute it under certain conditions. See the General Public License for details.

------------------------------------------------------------

Then you define your manifold.

 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb 5

DefManifold[M4, 4, {α, β, γ, μ, ν, λ, σ, η}]

** DefManifold: Defining manifold M4.

** DefVBundle: Defining vbundle TangentM4.

6 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb

DefMetric[- 1, metric[- α, - β], CD, {";", "∇"}, PrintAs → "g"]

** DefTensor: Defining symmetric metric tensor metric[- α, - β].

** DefTensor: Defining antisymmetric tensor epsilonmetric[- α, - β, - γ, - η].

** DefTensor: Defining tetrametric Tetrametric[- α, - β, - γ, - η].

** DefTensor: Defining tetrametric Tetrametric†[- α, - β, - γ, - η].

** DefCovD: Defining covariant derivative CD[- α].

** DefTensor: Defining vanishing torsion tensor TorsionCD[α, - β, - γ].

** DefTensor: Defining symmetric Christoffel tensor ChristoffelCD[α, - β, - γ].

** DefTensor: Defining Riemann tensor RiemannCD[- α, - β, - γ, - η].

** DefTensor: Defining symmetric Ricci tensor RicciCD[- α, - β].

** DefCovD: Contractions of Riemann automatically replaced by Ricci.

** DefTensor: Defining Ricci scalar RicciScalarCD[].

** DefCovD: Contractions of Ricci automatically replaced by RicciScalar.

** DefTensor: Defining symmetric Einstein tensor EinsteinCD[- α, - β].

** DefTensor: Defining Weyl tensor WeylCD[- α, - β, - γ, - η].

** DefTensor: Defining symmetric TFRicci tensor TFRicciCD[- α, - β].

** DefTensor: Defining Kretschmann scalar KretschmannCD[].

** DefCovD: Computing RiemannToWeylRules for dim 4

** DefCovD: Computing RicciToTFRicci for dim 4

** DefCovD: Computing RicciToEinsteinRules for dim 4

** DefTensor: Defining weight +2 density Detmetric[]. Determinant.

 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb 7

Establishing Your Chart

<< xAct`xCoba`
------------------------------------------------------------

Package xAct`xCoba` version 0.8.2, {2014, 9, 28}

CopyRight (C) 2005-2014, David Yllanes

and Jose M. Martin-Garcia, under the General Public License.

------------------------------------------------------------

These packages come with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; for details type

Disclaimer[]. This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute
it under certain conditions. See the General Public License for details.

------------------------------------------------------------
8 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb

$DefInfoQ = False;
$PrePrint = ScreenDollarIndices;
$CVSimplify = Simplify;
 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb 9

DefChart[cb, M4, {0, 1, 2, 3}, {t[], r[], θ[], ϕ[]}]

cb /: CIndexForm[0, cb] := "t";

cb /: CIndexForm[1, cb] := "r";

cb /: CIndexForm[2, cb] := "θ";

cb /: CIndexForm[3, cb] := "ϕ";

You should then define any scalar functions and constants you will need for your metric.

DefConstantSymbol[M]

DefConstantSymbol[G]
10 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb

Two Ways to Define Your Metric

2M 2M -1
MatrixFormmet = DiagonalMatrix1 - , 1- , - r[]2 , 2 r[] Sin[θ[]]2 
r[] r[]
2M
1- r
0 0 0
1
0 2M 0 0
1- r
0 0 - r2 0
0 0 0 2 r Sin[θ]2
 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb 11

MetricInBasis[metric, - cb, met] // TableForm

2M
Added independent rule g → 1- for tensor metric
tt r
Added independent rule g → 0 for tensor metric
tr
Added independent rule g → 0 for tensor metric
tθ
Added independent rule g → 0 for tensor metric
tϕ
Added dependent rule g → g for tensor metric
rt tr
1
Added independent rule g → for tensor metric
rr 1- 2M
r

Added independent rule g → 0 for tensor metric

rθ
Added independent rule g → 0 for tensor metric
rϕ
Added dependent rule g → g for tensor metric
θt tθ
Added dependent rule g → g for tensor metric
θr rθ
Added independent rule g → - r2 for tensor metric
θθ
Added independent rule g → 0 for tensor metric
θϕ
Added dependent rule g → g for tensor metric
ϕt tϕ
Added dependent rule g → g for tensor metric
ϕr rϕ
Added dependent rule g → g for tensor metric
ϕθ θϕ
Added independent rule g → 2 r Sin[θ]2 for tensor metric
ϕϕ
2M
g tt → 1 - r
g tr → 0 g tθ → 0 g tϕ → 0
1
g rt → 0 g rr → 2M g rθ → 0 g rϕ → 0
1- r

g θt → 0 g θr → 0 g θθ → - r2 g θϕ → 0

g ϕt → 0 g ϕr → 0 g ϕθ → 0 g ϕϕ → 2 r Sin[θ]2
12 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb

TensorValues @ metric
FoldedRule
 g rt → g tr , g θt → g tθ , g θr → g rθ , g ϕt → g tϕ , g ϕr → g rϕ , g ϕθ → g θϕ ,
2M 1
 g tt → 1 - , g tr → 0, g tθ → 0, g tϕ → 0, g rr → ,
r 1- 2M r

g rθ → 0, g rϕ → 0, g θθ → - r2 , g θϕ → 0, g ϕϕ → 2 r Sin[θ]2 

MetricCompute[metric, cb, "Weyl"[- 1, - 1, - 1, - 1]]

 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb 13

Now we can explore the second method of defining the metric.

g = CTensor[met, {- cb, - cb}];

SetCMetric[g, - cb];

Here was can specify the gtt component,

g[{0, - cb}, {0, - cb}]

2M
1-
r

MetricCompute[g, cb, "Weyl"[- 1, - 1, - 1, - 1]];

14 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb

Here we define the covariant derivative,

cd = CovDOfMetric[g]
CCovDPDcb,
M M
CTensor0, - , 0, 0, - , 0, 0, 0, {0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0},
2 M r - r2 2 M r - r2
M (2 M - r) M
 , 0, 0, 0, 0, , 0, 0,
r3 2 M r - r2
(2 M - r) Sin[θ]2
{0, 0, - 2 M + r, 0}, 0, 0, 0, ,
r
1 1 Sin[2 θ]
{0, 0, 0, 0}, 0, 0, , 0, 0, , 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, ,
r r r
1 1
{0, 0, 0, 0}, 0, 0, 0, , {0, 0, 0, Cot[θ]}, 0, , Cot[θ], 0,
2r 2r
2M 1
{cb, - cb, - cb}, 0, CTensor1 - , 0, 0, 0, 0, , 0, 0,
r 1 - 2rM
0, 0, - r2 , 0, 0, 0, 0, 2 r Sin[θ]2 , {- cb, - cb}, 0
 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb 15

Christoffel Symbols in a Coordinate Basis

In general we can write the Christoffel symbols

Christoffel[CD, PDcb][α, - β, - γ]

Γ[∇,] α βγ

We can make a table of these in our coordinate basis.

Part[TensorValues @ ChristoffelCDPDcb, 2] // TableForm

Γ[∇,] t tt → 0

Γ[∇,] t tr → - 2 M r-r2
M

Γ[∇,] t tθ → 0

Γ[∇,] t tϕ → 0

Γ[∇,] t rr → 0

Γ[∇,] t rθ → 0

Γ[∇,] t rϕ → 0

Γ[∇,] t θθ → 0

Γ[∇,] t θϕ → 0

Γ[∇,] t ϕϕ → 0

Γ[∇,] r tt →
M (2 M-r)
r3

Γ[∇,] r tr → 0

Γ[∇,] r tθ → 0

Γ[∇,] r tϕ → 0

Γ[∇,] r rr →
M
2 M r-r2

Γ[∇,] r rθ → 0

Γ[∇,] r rϕ → 0

Γ[∇,] r θθ → - 2 M + r

Γ[∇,] r θϕ → 0

Γ[∇,] r ϕϕ →
(2 M-r) Sin[θ]2
r

Γ[∇,] θ tt → 0

Γ[∇,] θ tr → 0

Γ[∇,] θ tθ → 0

Γ[∇,] θ tϕ → 0
16 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb

Γ[∇,] θ rr → 0

Γ[∇,] θ rθ →
1
r

Γ[∇,] θ rϕ → 0

Γ[∇,] θ θθ → 0

Γ[∇,] θ θϕ → 0

Γ[∇,] θ ϕϕ →
Sin[2 θ]
r

Γ[∇,] ϕ tt → 0

Γ[∇,] ϕ tr → 0

Γ[∇,] ϕ tθ → 0

Γ[∇,] ϕ tϕ → 0

Γ[∇,] ϕ rr → 0

Γ[∇,] ϕ rθ → 0

Γ[∇,] ϕ rϕ →
1
2r

Γ[∇,] ϕ θθ → 0

Γ[∇,] ϕ θϕ → Cot[θ]

Γ[∇,] ϕ ϕϕ → 0
 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb 17

The Riemann Tensor

riemann = Riemann[cd]
CTensor{{0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0}},
2 M (- 2 M + r) 2M
0, , 0, 0,  , 0, 0, 0, {0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0},
r4 (2 M - r) r2
M (2 M - r) M
0, 0, , 0, {0, 0, 0, 0}, - , 0, 0, 0, {0, 0, 0, 0},
r 4 r
M (2 M - r) M Sin[θ]2
0, 0, 0, , {0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0},  , 0, 0, 0,
2 r4 r2
2 M (- 2 M + r) 2M
0, - , 0, 0, - , 0, 0, 0, {0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0},
r4 (2 M - r) r2
{{0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0}},
M M
{0, 0, 0, 0}, 0, 0, , 0, 0, - , 0, 0, {0, 0, 0, 0},
(2 M - r) r 2 r
-4 M + r Cot[θ]
{0, 0, 0, 0}, 0, 0, 0, , 0, 0, 0, ,
4 r2 (- 2 M + r) 2r
(4 M - r) Sin[θ]2 Cos[θ] Sin[θ]
0, , , 0,
2 r2 r2
M (2 M - r) M
0, 0, - , 0, {0, 0, 0, 0},  , 0, 0, 0, {0, 0, 0, 0},
r 4 r
M M
{0, 0, 0, 0}, 0, 0, - , 0, 0, , 0, 0, {0, 0, 0, 0},
(2 M - r) r2 r
{{0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0}},
Cot[θ] 3 M
{0, 0, 0, 0}, 0, 0, 0, , 0, 0, 0, - ,
2r 2 r
Cos[θ] (2 M - r) Sin[θ] (- 2 M + 3 r) Sin[θ]2
0, , , 0,
r r2
M (2 M - r) M Sin[θ]2
0, 0, 0, - , {0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0}, - , 0, 0, 0,
2r 4 r2
-4 M + r Cot[θ]
{0, 0, 0, 0}, 0, 0, 0, - , 0, 0, 0, - ,
4 r2 (- 2 M + r) 2r
(4 M - r) Sin[θ]2 Cos[θ] Sin[θ] Cot[θ]
0, - ,- , 0, {0, 0, 0, 0}, 0, 0, 0, - ,
2 r2 r2 2r
3 M Cos[θ] (2 M - r) Sin[θ] (- 2 M + 3 r) Sin[θ]2
0, 0, 0, - + , 0, - ,- , 0,
2 r r r2
{{0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0}}, {- cb, - cb, - cb, cb}, 0

riemann[{0, - cb}, {1, - cb}, {0, - cb}, {1, cb}]

2 M (- 2 M + r)
r4

riemann[{3, - cb}, {2, - cb}, {3, - cb}, {2, cb}]

(- 2 M + 3 r) Sin[θ]2
-
r2
18 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb

The Ricci Tensor and Ricci Scalar

Ricci[cd][- α, - β]
M (-2 M+r)
0 0 0
2 r4
1 Cot[θ]
0 - 0
8 M r-4 r2 2 r
Cot[θ] 3 M
0
2 r 2
+
r
0 αβ
(2 M+5 r) Sin[θ]2
0 0 0 -
2 r2

Ricci[cd][{0, - cb}, {0, - cb}]

M (- 2 M + r)
2 r4

rs = RicciScalar[cd][[1]]
2M+5r
-
2 r3
 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb 19

The Einstein Tensor

Einstein[cd][- α, - β]
(2 M-r) (4 M+5 r)
- 0 0 0
4 r4
M+3 r Cot[θ]
0 - 0
4 M r2 -2 r3 2 r
0
Cot[θ] 2 M+r
0
αβ
2 r 4 r
0 0 0 0

Einstein[cd][{0, - cb}, {0, - cb}]

(2 M - r) (4 M + 5 r)
-
4 r4
20 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb

The Stress Energy Tensor

We next need to calculate the stress-energy tensor. we begin by defining the density field.

DefTensor[ρ, M4]
DefTensor[ρ, M4, GenSet[]]

Here we define the 4-velocity.

U = CTensor[{1, 0, 0, 0}, {- cb}]

CTensor[{1, 0, 0, 0}, {- cb}, 0]
 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb 21

Here is the stress-energy tensor for a pressure-less dust

Td[α_, β_] := ρ[] U[- α] U[- β]

Td[α, β]

ρ[] 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 βα
0 0 0 0

Here we have the Ttt component.

Td[{0, cb}, {0, cb}]

ρ[]
22 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb

The pressure-less dust is very simple. A little more complicated is the perfect fluid. This requires us to
define a pressure field.

DefTensor[p, M4]
DefTensor[p, M4, GenSet[]]

The stress-energy tensor for this situation is,

Tf[α_, β_] := (ρ[] + p[]) U[- α] U[- β] + p[] g[- α, - β]

Tf[α, β]
2 M
p[]+p[] 1- +ρ[] 0 0 0
r
p[]
0 2 M
0 0
1-
r αβ
0 0 -p[] r2 0
0 0 0 2 p[] r Sin[θ]2

Tf[{- 0, cb}, {- 0, cb}]

2M
p[] + p[] 1 - + ρ[]
r

Tf[{- 1, cb}, {- 1, cb}]

p[]
2M
1- r
 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb 23

Einstein’s Field Equations

We will now try to write Einstein’s equation for the tt components of the Einstein and stress-energy
tensors. We begin with this formulation,
1
Rtt - R gtt = 8 π G Ttt
2
24 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb

1
tteq = Ricci[cd][{0, - cb}, {0, - cb}] - rs g[{0, - cb}, {0, - cb}] ⩵
2
8 π G Tf[{- 0, cb}, {- 0, cb}]
2M
M (- 2 M + r) 1 - r
 (2 M + 5 r) 2M
+ ⩵ 8 G π p[] + p[] 1 - + ρ[]
2 r4 4 r3 r

tteq // FullSimplify
(2 M - r) (4 M + 5 r) 2M
- ⩵ 8 G π p[] 2 - + ρ[]
4 r4 r

We can also write the equation,

Gtt = 8 π G Ttt

tteq2 = Einstein[cd][{0, - cb}, {0, - cb}] ⩵ 8 π G Tf[{- 0, cb}, {- 0, cb}] // FullSimplify

(2 M - r) (4 M + 5 r) 2M
- ⩵ 8 G π p[] 2 - + ρ[]
4 r4 r
 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb 25

We can genralize this

eineq[a_, b_] :=
Einstein[cd][{a, - cb}, {b, - cb}] - 8 π G Tf[{- a, cb}, {- b, cb}] // FullSimplify

eineq[0, 0]
(2 M - r) (4 M + 5 r) 2M
- - 8 G π p[] 2 - + ρ[]
4 r4 r

eineq[1, 1]
M + 3 r - 16 G π p[] r3
2 r2 (- 2 M + r)

eineq[0, 1]
0
26 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb

Table[eineq[a, b], {a, 0, 3}, {b, 0, 3}] // TableForm

(2 M-r) (4 M+5 r) 2M
- - 8 G π p[] 2 -  + ρ[] 0 0 0
4 r4 r
M+3 r-16 G π p[] r3 Cot[θ]
0 0
2 r2 (-2 M+r) 2r
Cot[θ] 1 M
0 + + 8 G π p[] r2 0
2r 4 2r
0 0 0 -16 G π p[] r Sin[θ]2
 GR Calculations in Specific Bases Using Mathematica.nb 27

Thank You!