A new construction of Einstein self-dual metrics. (Q1811397)

\textit{G. W. Gibbons} and \textit{S. W. Hawking} gave a construction of Ricci flat self-dual metrics of the form \(g= uh+ u^{-1}(dt+ A)^2\) by the monopole equation \(du= *dA\) [see Phys. Lett. B 78, 430--432 (1978)]. Here \(h\) denotes the Euclidean metric on 3-space and \(t\) an additional parameter, \(A\) denotes a 1-form. Warped products provide a similar construction for Einstein metrics. In the present paper the authors give a similar construction of a Ricci flat self-dual metric of the form \(g= \rho^2 h+ \rho^{-2}(\rho d\varphi+ A)^2\) by the Beltrami fields equations \(dA+ 2* A= 0\). In addition, the authors show that both constructions have their origin in the theory of harmonic morphisms.