scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1823268
In this thesis conformal vector fields on spacetimes are studied, especially with regard to isolated singularities. A vector field \(V\) on a semi-Riemannian manifold \((M,g)\) is conformal if and only if the equation \({\mathcal L}_Vg=2\psi g\) is satisfied for a certain scalar function \(\psi\) which is the conformal factor. The structure of the singularities of such a vector field has been analyzed in previous papers by G. Hall and others. So far the assumption of a constant Petrov type in a neighbourhood must be made. This thesis gives a precise version of normal forms in the neighbourhood of a singularity, separately for Petrov type I, II, III, and \(D\), depending on special coordinates involving principal null directions. The cases I and II cannot occur, in the cases III and \(D\) the normal form corresponds to the one of a homothetic vector field, i.e., there is a homothetization theorem. This still seems to be open in the case of Petrov type \(N\). The question is whether the Petrov type \(N\) can carry a conformal vector field which cannot be conformally transformed into a homothetic one in a neighbourhood of a zero.
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