A Class of Energetically Rigid Gravitational Fields

Abstract

In Einstein's theory, the physics of gravitational fields is reflected by the geometry of the curved space-time manifold. One of the methods for a study of the geometrical properties of space-time consists in regarding it, locally, as embedded in a higher-dimensional flat space. In this paper, metrics admitting a 3-parameter group of motion are considered which form a generalization of spherically symmetric gravitational fields. A subclass of such metrics can be embedded into a five- dimensional flat space. It is shown that the second fundamental form governing the embedding can be expressed entirely by the energy-momentum tensor of matter and the cosmological constant. Such gravitational fields are called energetically rigid. As an application gravitating perfect fluids are discussed.