Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1892975 | Journal of Geometry and Physics | 2012 | 17 Pages |
Abstract
We discuss whether it is possible to reconstruct a metric from its nonparameterized geodesics, and how to do it effectively. We explain why this problem is interesting for general relativity. We show how to understand whether all curves from a sufficiently big family are nonparameterized geodesics of a certain affine connection, and how to reconstruct algorithmically a generic 4-dimensional metric from its nonparameterized geodesics. The algorithm works most effectively if the metric is Ricci-flat. We also prove that almost every metric does not allow nontrivial geodesic equivalence, and construct all pairs of 4-dimensional geodesically equivalent metrics of Lorentz signature.
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Physical Sciences and Engineering
Mathematics
Mathematical Physics
Authors
Vladimir S. Matveev,