Results and open problems in mathematical general relativity (Q931309)

It is a popular survey of results on mathematical problems of general relativity, concentrated around the Cauchy problem for (mostly vacuum) Einstein equation for a globally hyperbolic space-time. The author formulates a theorem of local existence and uniqueness of a globally hyperbolic Einstein space-time with a given initial date (the fist and second fundamental forms on 3-dimensional manifold \(M\)) which satisfy the standard constrains. Obstruction to future completeness of the metric (Penrose-Hawking singularity theorems and cosmic censorship conjecture by Penrose) and BKL type behaviour near singularity are shortly discussed. Results about global existence for asymptotically Euclidean case and for a compact space manifold \(M\) are considered. In the last section, the author considers in more details the case when the 3-space \(M\) admits \(S^1\)-group of symmetries and is a fibration over a surface. A theorem of existence of a complete solutions of the Cauchy equations is stated.