Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8954761 | Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics | 2018 | 14 Pages |
Abstract
We consider various curious features of general relativity, and relativistic field theory, in two spacetime dimensions. In particular, we discuss: the vanishing of the Einstein tensor; the failure of an initial-value formulation for vacuum spacetimes; the status of singularity theorems; the non-existence of a Newtonian limit; the status of the cosmological constant; and the character of matter fields, including perfect fluids and electromagnetic fields. We conclude with a discussion of what constrains our understanding of physics in different dimensions.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Physics and Astronomy
Physics and Astronomy (General)
Authors
Samuel C. Fletcher, J.B. Manchak, Mike D. Schneider, James Owen Weatherall,