Riemann curvature tensor

About: Riemann curvature tensor is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 6248 publications have been published within this topic receiving 138871 citations. The topic is also known as: Riemann–Christoffel tensor.

New definition of complexity for self-gravitating fluid distributions: The spherically symmetric, static case

Abstract: We put forward a new definition of complexity, for static and spherically symmetric self-gravitating systems, based on a quantity, hereafter referred to as complexity factor, that appears in the orthogonal splitting of the Riemann tensor, in the context of general relativity. We start by assuming that the homogeneous (in the energy density) fluid, with isotropic pressure is endowed with minimal complexity. For this kind of fluid distribution, the value of complexity factor is zero. So, the rationale behind our proposal for the definition of complexity factor stems from the fact that it measures the departure, in the value of the active gravitational mass (Tolman mass), with respect to its value for a zero complexity system. Such departure is produced by a specific combination of energy density inhomogeneity and pressure anisotropy. Thus, zero complexity factor may also be found in self-gravitating systems with inhomogeneous energy density and anisotropic pressure, provided the effects of these two factors, on the complexity factor, cancel each other. Some exact interior solutions to the Einstein equations satisfying the zero complexity criterium are found, and prospective applications of this newly defined concept, to the study of the structure and evolution of compact objects, are discussed.

Influence of Modification of Gravity on the Dynamics of Radiating Spherical Fluids

Abstract: We explore the evolutionary behaviors of compact objects in a modified gravitational theory with the help of structure scalars. Particularly, we consider the spherical geometry coupled with heat- and radiation-emitting shearing viscous matter configurations. We construct structure scalars by splitting the Riemann tensor orthogonally in $f(R,T)$ gravity with and without constant $R$ and $T$ constraints, where $R$ is the Ricci scalar and $T$ is the trace of the energy-momentum tensor. We investigate the influence of the modification of gravity on the physical meaning of scalar functions for radiating spherical matter configurations. It is explicitly demonstrated that even in modified gravity, the evolutionary phases of relativistic stellar systems can be analyzed through the set of modified scalar functions.

Ricci curvature of finite Markov chains via convexity of the entropy

Abstract: We study a new notion of Ricci curvature that applies to Markov chains on discrete spaces. This notion relies on geodesic convexity of the entropy and is analogous to the one introduced by Lott, Sturm, and Villani for geodesic measure spaces. In order to apply to the discrete setting, the role of the Wasserstein metric is taken over by a different metric, having the property that continuous time Markov chains are gradient flows of the entropy. Using this notion of Ricci curvature we prove discrete analogues of fundamental results by Bakry--Emery and Otto--Villani. Furthermore we show that Ricci curvature bounds are preserved under tensorisation. As a special case we obtain the sharp Ricci curvature lower bound for the discrete hypercube.