Gravito-electromagnetism

Interesting phenomena and problems arising from the coupling of large-scale electromagnetic fields and spacetime curvature, are introduced and studied within this thesis. From electromagnetic wave propagation in curved spacetime to envisaging a gravito-electromagnetic equivalence on large scales; from magnetic fields' cosmic evolution, and magnetised gravitational collapse in astrophysical environments, to the interaction between electromagnetic and gravitational radiation; t...

A simple modification to Einstein's theory of gravity in terms of a non-Riemannian connection is examined. A new tensor-variational approach yields field equations that possess a covariance similar to the gauge covariance of electromagnetism. These equations are shown to possess solutions analogous to those found in the Einstein-Maxwell system. In particular one finds gravi-electric and gravi-magnetic charges contributing to a spherically symmetric static Reissner-Nordstr\"om...

We present a compact, self-contained review of the conventional gauge theoretical approach to gravitation based on the local Poincare group of symmetry transformations. The covariant field equations, Bianchi identities and conservation laws for angular momentum and energy-momentum are obtained.

In the first part of the present work, we focus on the theory of gravitoelectromagnetism (GEM), and we derive the full set of equations and constraints that the GEM scalar and vector potentials ought to satisfy. We discuss important aspects of the theory, such as the presence of additional constraints resulting from the field equations and gauge condition, the requirement of the time-independence of the vector potential and the emergence of additional terms in the expression ...

We revisit the relativistic coupling between gravity and electromagnetism, putting particularly into question the status of the latter; whether it behaves as a source or as a form of gravity on large scales. Considering a metric-affine framework and a simple action principle, we find out that a component of gravity, the so-called homothetic curvature field, satisfies both sets of Maxwell equations. Therefore, we arrive at a gravito-electromagnetic equivalence analogous to the...

The space-time curvature carried by electromagnetic fields is discovered and a new unification of geometry and electromagnetism is found. Curvature is invariant under charge reversal symmetry. Electromagnetic field equations are examined with De Rham co homology theory. Radiative electromagnetic fields must be exact and co exact to preclude unobserved massless topological charges. Weyl's conformal tensor, here called ``the gravitational field'', is decomposed into a divergenc...

Any metric theory of gravity whose interaction with quantum particles is described by a covariant wave equation is equivalent to a vector theory that satisfies Maxwell-type equations identically. This result does not depend on any particular set of field equations for the metric tensor, but only on covariance. It is derived in the linear case, but can be extended to any order of approximation in the metric deviation. In this formulation of the interaction of gravity with matt...

Spaniol and Andrade introduced grvitoelectromagnetism in TEGR by considering superpotentials, times the determinant of tetrads, as the gravitoelectromagnetic fields. However, since this defined gravitoelectromagnetic field strength does not give rise to a complete set of Maxwell-like equations, we propose an alternative definition of the gravitoelectromagnetic field strength: instead of superpotentials, torsions are taken as the gravitoelectromagnetic field strengths. Based o...

In this paper we revisit the motivation and construction of a unified theory of gravity and electromagnetism, following Weyl's insights regarding the appealing potential connection between the gauge invariance of electromagnetism and the conformal invariance of the gravitational field. We highlight that changing the local symmetry group of spacetime permits to construct a theory in which these two symmetries are combined into a putative gauge symmetry but with second-order fi...

We explore the intimate connection between spacetime geometry and electrodynamics. This link is already implicit in the constitutive relations between the field strengths and excitations, which are an essential part of the axiomatic structure of electromagnetism, clearly formulated via integration theory and differential forms. We briefly review the foundations of electromagnetism based on charge and magnetic flux conservation, the Lorentz force and the constitutive relations...