Skip to main content
Log in

General Covariance in General Relativity?

  • Published:
General Relativity and Gravitation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The mathematical approach to General Relativity insists that all coordinate systems are equal. However physicists and astrophysicists in fact almost always use preferred coordinate systems not merely to simplify the calculations but also to help define quantities of physical interest. This suggests we should reconsider and perhaps refine the dogma of General Covariance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bardeen, J. M. (1980).Phys. Rev. D 22, 12882.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bertschinger, E. (1992). In1st Course: Current Topics in Astro fundamental Physics, N. Sanchez and A. Zichichi, eds. (World Scientific, Singapore).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bondi, H., van den Berg, M. G. J., and Metzner, A. W. K. (1962).Proc. Roy. Soc. Land. 269A, 21.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Brumberg, V. A. (1991).Essential Relativistic Celestial Mechanics (Adam Hilger, Bristol).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Carfora, M., and Piotrkowska, K. (1995).Phys. Rev., to appear.

  6. Centrella, J. M. (1986). InDynamical Space-Times and Numerical Relativity, J. M. Centrella, ed. (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge).

    Google Scholar 

  7. de Witt, B. S., and Brehme, R. W. (1960).Ann. Phys. (NY) 9, 220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Dixon, W. G. (1979). InIsolated Gravitating Systems in General Relativity, J. Ehlers, ed. (North-Holland, Amsterdam).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Efstathiou, G. (1990). InPhysics of the Early Universe, J. A. Peacock, A. F. Heavens and A. T. Davies, eds. (Institute of Physics, London).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Ehlers, J. (1973). InRelativity, Astrophysics, and Cosmology, W. Israel, ed. (Reidel, Dordrecht).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Ellis, G. F. R. (1984). InGeneral Relativity and Gravitation, B. Bertottiet al., eds. (Reidel).

  12. Ellis, G. F. R., and Bruni, M. (1989).Phys. Rev. D 40, 1804.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Ellis, G. F. R., and Matravers, D. R. (1985). InA Random Walk in Relativity and Cosmology, N. Dadhich, J. K. Rao, J. V. Narlikar, and C. V. Vishveshswara, eds. (Wiley Eastern, Delhi).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Evans, C. R. (1986). InDynamical Space-Times and Numerical Relativity, J. M. Centrella, ed. (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Fock, V. A. (1959).The Theory of Space, Time, and Gravitation (Pergamon Press, London).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Isaacson, L. C. (1968).Phys. Rev. 166, 1263, 1272.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Lesame, W. M., Dunsby, P. K. S., and Ellis, G. F. R. (1995).Phys Rev D, to appear.

  18. Matarrese, S., Pantano, O., and Saez, D. (1993).Phys. Rev. D 47, 1311.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Matarrese, S., Pantano, O., and Saez, D. (1994).Phys. Rev. Lett. 72, 320.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Matravers, D. R. (1992).Nuovo Cimento 107B, 1035.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Matravers, D. R., Maartens, R., and Humphreys, M. B. (1994). To appear inProc. VII Marcel Grossman Meeting, R Jantzen and R Ruffini, eds.

  22. Peebles, P. J. E. (1980).The Large Scale Structure of the Universe. (Princeton University Press, Princeton).

    Google Scholar 

  23. Penrose, R., and Rindler, W. (1986).Spinors and Space-Time (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge), vol. 2.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Sachs, R. K. (1962).Phys. Rev. 128, 6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Sachs, R. K., and Wolfe, A. M. (1967).Astrophys. J. 147, 73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Schmidt, B. G. (1979). InIsolated Gravitating Systems in General Relativity, J. Ehlers, ed. (North-Holland, Amsterdam).

    Google Scholar 

  27. Shirokov, M. F., and Fisher, I. Z. (1963).Sov. Ast. A. J. 6, 699.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Stewart, J. M. (1990).Class. Quant. Grav. 7, 1169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Stoeger, W. S., Ellis, G. F. R., and Schmidt, B. G. (1991).Gen. Rel. Grav. 23, 1169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Synge, J. L. (1960).Relativity: the General Theory (North-Holland, Amsterdam).

    Google Scholar 

  31. Wald, R. M. (1984).General Relativity (University of Chicago Press, Chicago).

    Google Scholar 

  32. Will, C. M. (1981).Theory and Experiment in Gravitational Physics (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge).

    Google Scholar 

  33. Williams, R. M., and Tuckey, P. A. (1992).Class. Quant. Grav. 9, 1409.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Zalaletdinov, R. M. (1992).Gen. Rel. Grav. 24, 1015.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Zotov, N., and Stoeger, W. (1991).Class. Quant. Grav. 9, 1023.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ellis, G.F.R., Matravers, D.R. General Covariance in General Relativity?. Gen Relat Gravit 27, 777–788 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02105323

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02105323

Keywords

Navigation