Premium
Foundations of Gravitational Lens Theory (Geometry of Light Cones)
Author(s) -
Ehlers J.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
annalen der physik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.009
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1521-3889
pISSN - 0003-3804
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1521-3889(200005)9:3/5<307::aid-andp307>3.0.co;2-h
Subject(s) - gravitational singularity , physics , gravitation , lens (geology) , spacetime , basis (linear algebra) , classical mechanics , gravitational lens , geometry , mathematics , optics , quantum mechanics , galaxy , redshift
The main concepts of gravitational lens theory are introduced on the basis of spacetime geometry without assuming approximations. The singularities of light cones, in particular their caustics, are reviewed as examples of singularities of Lagrangian resp. Legendrian maps. It is indicated how the usual approximate lens theory may be derived from the general framework.