The Bianchi identity and weak gravitational lensing

DOI10.1088/0264-9381/22/14/005MaRDI QIDQ5315904zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Thomas P. Kling, Brian Keith

Publication date 12 September 2005

Published in Classical and Quantum Gravity (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0506118

zbMATH Keywords

Bianchi identitiesweak gravitational lensingWeyl tensor

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

PDEs in connection with relativity and gravitational theory (35Q75) Applications of local differential geometry to the sciences (53B50) Global differential geometry of Lorentz manifolds, manifolds with indefinite metrics (53C50) Applications of global differential geometry to the sciences (53C80) Observational and experimental questions in relativity and gravitational theory (83B05) Einstein's equations (general structure, canonical formalism, Cauchy problems) (83C05)

Abstract: We consider the Bianchi identity as a field equation for the distortion of the shapes of images produced by weak gravitational lensing. Using the spin coefficient formalism of Newman and Penrose [1962], we show that certain complex components of the Weyl and Ricci curvature tensors are directly related to fundamental observables in weak gravitational lensing. In the case of weak gravitational fields, we then show that the Bianchi identity provides a field equation for the Ricci tensor assuming a known Weyl tensor. From the Bianchi identity, we derive the integral equation for weak lensing presented by Miralda-Escude [1996], thus making the Bianchi identity a first principles equation of weak gravitational lensing. This equation is integrated in the important case of an axially symmetric lens and explicitly demonstrated in the case of a point lens and a SIS model.

Recommendations

• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3909249
• On a relation between the Bach equation and the equation of geometrodynamics
• Integrability of the Weyl-Lanczos and the Riemann-Lanczos equations in general relativity
• The fluid-ray tetrad formulation of Einstein's field equations
• Sufficiency of the Ricci equations for characterizing the Riemann tensor

Cited in

(4)

• Angular diameter distances reconsidered in the Newman and Penrose formalism
• A connection between linearized Gauss-Bonnet gravity and classical electrodynamics. II: Complete dual formulation
• Null geodesic congruences, gravitational lensing and CMB intensity profile
• The gauge invariant cosmological Jacobi map from weak lensing at leading order

This page was built for publication: The Bianchi identity and weak gravitational lensing

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q5315904)