Differentially Rotating Disks of Dust

Abstract

We present a three-parameter family of solutions to the stationary axisymmetric Einstein equations that describe differentially rotating disks of dust. They have been constructed by generalizing the Neugebauer—Meinel solution of the problem of a rigidly rotating disk of dust. The solutions correspond to disks with angular velocities depending monotonically on the radial coordinate; both decreasing and increasing behaviour is exhibited. In general, the solutions are related mathematically to Jacobi's inversion problem and can be expressed in terms of Riemann theta functions. A particularly interesting two-parameter subfamily represents Bäcklund transformations to appropriate seed solutions of the Weyl class.