In this work we study properties of spacetimes with a high degree of symme- try. Particularly, we focus on geometries related to higher-dimensional rotating black-hole spacetimes described by the Kerr-NUT-(A)dS metric. In the first part, we examine spacetimes admitting a separable Klein-Gordon equation. Motivated by Carter's work in four dimensions, we introduce a separable met- ric ansatz in higher dimensions. Analyzing Einstein's equations, we obtain the Kerr-NUT-(A)dS and specific Einstein-K¨ahler metrics. Then we consider a metric ansatz in the form of warped geometries of two Klein-Gordon separable metrics and classify the corresponding solutions. In the second part, we in- vestigate a class of limits of the Kerr-NUT-(A)dS spacetimes where particular roots of metric functions degenerate. Our limiting procedure results in various NUT-like and near-horizon geometries such as the higher-dimensional Taub- NUT-(A)dS spacetime. We demonstrate that the symmetries of the resulting geometries are enhanced, which is manifested by decomposition of Killing ten- sors into Killing vectors. The third part of this work deals with generalized symmetry axes of the Kerr-NUT-(A)dS spacetimes that are formed by fixed points of isometries. We show that some parts of the symmetry axes are sin- gular for nonzero NUT charges....

Dumb holes (also known as acoustic black holes) are fluid flows which include an "acoustic horizon:" a surface, analogous to a gravitational horizon, beyond which sound may pass but never classically return. Soundwaves in these flows will therefore experience "effective geometries" which are identical to black hole spacetimes up to a conformal factor. By adjusting the parameters of the fluid flow, it is possible to create an effective geometry which is conformal to the Anti-de Sitter black hole spacetime- a geometry which has recieved a great deal of attention in recent years due to its conjectured holographic duality to Conformal Field Theories. While we would not expect an acoustic analogue of the AdS-CFT correspondence to exist, this dumb hole provides a means, at least in principle, of experimentally testing the theoretical properties of the AdS spacetime. In particular, I have calculated the quasinormal mode spectrum of this acoustic geometry. / Graduate / 0986 / 0753 / jpbabb@yahoo.ca

Elaboramos um estudo detalhado de alguns aspectos d(e uma versão d)a correspondência AdS/CFT, conjeturada por Maldacena e Witten, entre teorias quânticas de campo num fundo gravitacional dado por um espaço-tempo assintoticamente anti-de Sitter (AAdS), e teorias quânticas de campos conformalmente covariantes no infinito conforme (no sentido de Penrose) deste espaço-tempo, aspectos estes: (a) independentes d(o par d)e modelos específicos em Teoria Quântica de Campos, e (b) suscetíveis a uma reformulação em moldes matematicamente rigorosos. Adotamos como ponto de partida o teorema demonstrado por Rehren no contexto da Física Quântica Local (também conhecida como Teoria Quântica de Campos Algébrica) em espaços-tempos anti-de Sitter (AdS), denominado holografia algébrica ou dualidade de Rehren. O corpo do presente trabalho consiste em estender o resultado de Rehren para uma classe razoavelmente geral de espaços-tempos AAdS d-dimensionais (d>3), escrutinar como as propriedades desta extensão são enfraquecidas e/ou modificadas em relação ao espaço-tempo AdS, e como efeitos gravitacionais não-triviais se manifestam na teoria quântica no infinito conforme. Dentre os resultados obtidos, citamos: condições razoavelmente gerais sobre geodésicas nulas no interior (cuja plausibilidade justificamos por meio de resultados de rigidez geométrica) não só garantem que a nossa generalização é geometricamente consistente com causalidade, como também permite uma reconstrução ``holográfica\'\' da topologia do interior na ausência de horizontes e singularidades; a implementação das simetrias conformes na fronteira, que associamos explicitamente a uma família de isometrias assintóticas do interior construída de maneira intrínseca, ocorre num caráter puramente assintótico e é atingida dinamicamente por um processo de retorno ao equilíbrio, mediante condições de contorno adequadas no infinito; efeitos gravitacionais podem eventualmente causar obstruções à reconstrução da teoria quântica no interior, ou por torná-la trivial em regiões suficientemente pequenas ou devido à existência de múltiplos vácuos inequivalentes, que por sua vez levam à existência de excitações solitônicas localizadas ao redor de paredes de domínio no interior, similares a D-branas. As demonstrações fazem uso extensivo de geometria Lorentziana global. A linguagem empregada para as teorias quânticas relevantes para nossa generalização da dualidade de Rehren segue a formulação funtorial de Brunetti, Fredenhagen e Verch para a Física Quântica Local, estendida posteriormente por Sommer para incorporar condições de contorno. / We elaborate a detailed study of certain aspects of (a version of) the AdS/CFT correspondence, conjectured by Maldacena and Witten, between quantum field theories in a gravitational background given by an asymptotically anti-de Sitter (AAdS) spacetime, and conformally covariant quantum field theories in the latter\'s conformal infinity (in the sense of Penrose), aspects such that: (a) are independent from (the pair of) specific models in Quantum Field Theory, and (b) susceptible to a recast in a mathematically rigorous mould. We adopt as a starting point the theorem demonstrated by Rehren in the context of Local Quantum Physics (also known as Algebraic Quantum Field Theory) in anti-de Sitter (AdS) spacetimes, called algebraic holography or Rehren duality. The main body of the present work consists in extending Rehren\'s result to a reasonably general class of d-dimensional AAdS spacetimes (d>3), scrutinizing how the properties of such an extension are weakened and/or modified as compared to AdS spacetime, and probing how non-trivial gravitational effects manifest themselves in the conformal infinity\'s quantum theory. Among the obtained results, we quote: not only does the imposition of reasonably general conditions on bulk null geodesics (whose plausibility we justify through geometrical rigidity techniques) guarantee that our generalization is geometrically consistent with causality, but it also allows a ``holographic\'\' reconstruction of the bulk topology in the absence of horizons and singularities; the implementation of conformal symmetries in the boundary, which we explicitly associate to an intrinsically constructed family of bulk asymptotic isometries, have a purely asymptotic character and is dynamically attained through a process of return to equilibrium, given suitable boundary conditions at infinity; gravitational effects may cause obstructions to the reconstruction of the bulk quantum theory, either by making the latter trivial in sufficiently small regions or due to the existence of multiple inequivalent vacua, which on their turn lead to the existence of solitonic excitations localized around domain walls, similar to D-branes. The proofs make extensive use of global Lorentzian geometry. The language employed for the quantum theories relevant for our generalization of Rehren duality follows the functorial formulation of Local Quantum Physics due to Brunetti, Fredenhagen and Verch, extended afterwards by Sommer in order to incorporate boundary conditions. (An English translation of the full text can be found at arXiv:0712.0401)

Cette thèse se consacre premièrement à certains aspects de la définition de charges conservées en relativité générale pour les espaces asymptotiquement plats à l’infini spatial. À l’aide de la dualité gravitationnelle, présente au niveau linéarisé, on étudie également l’existence de charges topologiques, magnétiques, ainsi que leurs contributions aux superalgèbres dans les théories de supergravité N = 1 et N = 2 à quatre dimensions. La thèse est divisée en trois parties.<p>Dans la première partie, les espaces asymptotiquement plats à l’infini spatial sont décrits à l’aide d’une généralisation de la métrique de type Beig-Schmidt. La construction de charges à partir de l’étude des équations du mouvement et de la classification de tenseurs symétriques et de divergences nulles nous permet de démontrer l’unicité des charges de Poincaré pour l’ansatz non-généralisé en présence de conditions de parité. L’équivalence des charges de Ashtekar- Hansen et Mann-Marolf est ainsi revisitée. Dans le cas d’un ansatz généralisé, une régulation de la forme symplectique divergente, à l’aide de contre-termes rajoutés à l’action de Mann-Marolf, nous donne la possibilité de considérer un espace des phases sans conditions de parité, tout en gardant un principe variationnel bien défini. Le groupe asymptotique comprend alors, en plus des charges de Poincaré où les charges de Lorentz ne sont plus asymptotiquement linéaires, des charges non-triviales associées aux supertranslations et aux transformations logarithmiques.<p>Dans la deuxième partie, on étudie la dualité gravitationnelle et la définition de charges magnétiques en gravitation linéarisée. On revisite la dualité et on montre qu’une dualisation sur les indices de Lorentz facilite la compréhension de celle-ci. Les dix charges de Poincaré ainsi que leurs duales magnétiques sont alors exprimées en termes d’intégrales de surface. Nous illustrons ensuite nos résultats à travers l’étude des sources de certaines solutions électriques et de leur duales magnétiques. Les solutions électriques envisagées sont :les trous noirs de type Schwarzschild et de type Kerr ainsi que les ondes de chocs de type pp.<p>Dans la dernière partie, on établit la supersymétrie des espaces de type Taub-NUT lorentzien chargés électriquement et magnétiquement dans la supergravité N = 2. Motivé par l’existence d’une égalité BPS, on entreprend alors une recherche sur l’inclusion de la charge NUT dans l’algèbre de supersymétrie. Grâce à une complexification de la forme de Witten-Nester, cette contribution de la charge NUT à la superalgèbre est comprise comme une déformation topologique, symétrique, au crochet antisymétrique des super-charges. Ce résultat est alors appliqué à la superalgèbre N = 1 à travers l’étude des ondes de chocs de type pp.<p> / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

In this thesis we investigate Robinson-Trautman solutions of Einstein's gravity cou- pled to a matter field in higher dimensions, specifically a conformally invariant and non- linear electromagnetic field. The latter possesses in general a non-zero energy-momentum tensor, which provides a source term in Einstein's equations. We focus concretely on an electromagnetic field aligned with the null vector field generating the expanding con- gruence of Robinson-Trautman spacetimes. At the beginning, we review the concept of optical scalars for a null vector field in higher dimensions and we use those to define the higher-dimensional Robinson-Trautman class of spacetimes. Next, we solve the corre- sponding Einstein's equations and present the complete family of exact solutions of the theory under consideration. We then contrast the obtained results with the known ones for the linear Maxwell theory in higher dimensions. As a check, we also compare our results to the well-known results in D = 4, since in this case our matter theory reduces to the standard linear Maxwell theory. Finally, we study properties of a subfamily of solutions which represent the static black holes within our class. In particular, we ana- lyze the asymptotic behaviour, we show that a curvature singularity is always present for r → 0 and the...

Cosmology is the study of the universe as a whole, and attempts to describe the behaviour of the universe mathematically. The simplest relativistic cosmological models are derived from Einstein's field equations with the assumptions of isotropy and homogeneity. In this thesis, a few simple cosmological models will be derived and evaluated with respect to their description of our universe i.e., how well they match observational data from e.g., the cosmic background radiation and redshift from distant supernovae. The models are derived from Einstein's field equations, which is why a large portion of the thesis will lay the ground work for the field equations by introducing and explaining the language of tensors. / Kosmologi är läran om universum i stort samt dess matematiska beskrivning. De enklaste relativistiska kosmologiska modellerna kan härledas från Einsteins fältekvationer med hjälp av antaganden om isotropi och homogenitet. I denna rapport kommer ett par av de enklaste modellerna att härledas, samt evalueras baserat på hur väl de beskriver vårt universum, det vill säga hur bra de passar de observationer som gjorts på exempelvis den kosmiska bakgrundsstrålningen och rödskifte från avlägsna supernovor. Modellerna härleds utifrån Einsteins fältekvationer, varför en stor del av rapporten består av en introduktion till tensoranalys.

In the review part of the thesis we summarize various modified theories of gravity, especially those that are characterized by additional curvature invariants in the Lagrangian density. Further, we review non-twisting geometries, especially their Kundt subclass. Finally, from the principle of least action we derive field equations for the case with the Lagrangian density corresponding to an arbitrary function of the curvature invariants. In the original part of the thesis we explicitly express particular components of the field equations for non-gyratonic Kundt geometry in generic quadratic gravity in arbitrary dimension. Then we discuss how this, in general fourth order, field equations restrict the Kundt metric in selected geome- trically privileged situations. We also analyse the special case of Gauss-Bonnet theory. 1