Solution of the Dirac equation on the Bertotti-Robinson metric (Q5943145)

The authors call Bertotti-Robinson metric the following Lorentzian metric on a 4-manifold with coordinates \((p,q,v,t)\): \[ g = Q dt^2 - P dv^2 - {dq^2\over Q} - {dp^2\over P}, \] where \(P = 1-\lambda p^2\) and \(Q = 1-\lambda q^2\). This is a cohomogeneity two Einstein metric (in fact \(\text{Ric}(g) = \lambda g\)) which is the Minkowski metric for \(\lambda = 0\). On this background metric, the authors consider Dirac's equation \(D\psi = m\psi\) and show that this spinor-valued first order equation can be decoupled into four second order equations on scalar valued functions. After a separation of variables these become PDE's in the two variables \(p\) and \(q\) only. The computations are carried out in the Newman-Penrose formalism [e.g. cf. \textit{B. O'Neill}, The geometry of Kerr black holes. A. K. Peters, Wellesley, MA (1995; Zbl 0828.53078)] which works more generally for Petrov type D metrics.