A characterization of cosmological time functions (Q1597444)

Let (\(M, g\)) be an \(n\)-dimensional spacetime manifold. A future-directed unit timelike vector field \(Z\) on \(M\) is called a synchronizable reference frame if and only if \(M\) is stable causal. In this paper, the authors study a cosmological spacetime \(M\), which obeys the Einstein equation for a fluid stress-energy tensor whose flow vector field is a synchronizable reference frame \(Z\). They prove that a time function characterized in this way yields past timelike geodesic incompleteness and a local Lorentzian warped product decomposable space time.