Energy conditions and stability in general relativity

Abstract

The dominant energy condition in general relativity theory, which says that every observer measures a nonnegative local energy density and a nonspacelike local energy flow, is examined in connection with the types of energy-momentum tensor it permits. The condition that the energy-momentum tensor be “stable” in obeying the dominant energy condition is then defined in terms of a suitable topology on the set of energy-momentum tensors on space-time and the consequences are evaluated and discussed.