Global properties of gravitational lens maps in a Lorentzian manifold setting (Q5953630)

The author provides a characterization of gravitational lensing in terms of a lens map, as in the quasi-Newtonian scheme. It is defined the lens map and some of its properties are shown, especially their topological properties in terms of degree theory. Applications of the results to a spherically symmetric body, asymptotically simple and empty spacetimes and weakly perturbed Robertson-Walker spacetimes are presented.