On a five-dimensional version of the Goldberg–Sachs theorem

Abstract

Previous work has found a higher dimensional generalization of the ‘geodesic part’ of the Goldberg–Sachs theorem. We investigate the generalization of the ‘shear-free part’ of the theorem. A spacetime is defined to be algebraically special if it admits a multiple Weyl aligned null direction (WAND). The algebraically special property restricts the form of the ‘optical matrix’ that defines the expansion, rotation and shear of the multiple WAND. After working out some general constraints that hold in arbitrary dimensions, we determine necessary algebraic conditions on the optical matrix of a multiple WAND in a five-dimensional Einstein spacetime. We prove that one can choose an orthonormal basis to bring the 3 × 3 optical matrix to one of three canonical forms, each involving two parameters, and we discuss the existence of an ‘optical structure’ within these classes. Examples of solutions corresponding to each form are given. We give an example which demonstrates that our necessary algebraic conditions are not sufficient for a null vector field to be a multiple WAND, in contrast with the 4D result.