Classification of the orthogonal separable webs for the Hamilton-Jacobi and Laplace-Beltrami equations on 3-dimensional hyperbolic and de Sitter spaces

Abstract

We review the theory of orthogonal separation of variables on pseudo-Riemannian manifolds of constant non-zero curvature via concircular tensors and warped products. We then apply this theory simultaneously to both the three-dimensional hyperbolic and de Sitter spaces, obtaining an invariant classification of the thirty-four orthogonal separable webs on each space, modulo action of the respective isometry groups. The inequivalent coordinate charts adapted to each web are also determined and listed. The results obtained for hyperbolic 3-space agree with those in the literature, while the results for de Sitter 3-space appear to be new.