The inverse mean curvature flow in cosmological spacetimes. (English) Zbl 1153.83016

Gerhardt, Claus

Adv. Theor. Math. Phys. 12, No. 6, 1183-1207 (2008).

Summary: We prove that the leaves of an inverse mean curvature flow provide a foliation of a future end of a cosmological spacetime \(N\) under the necessary and sufficient assumptions that \(N\) satisfies a future mean curvature barrier condition and a strong volume decay condition. Moreover, the flow parameter t can be used to define a new physically important time function.

MSC:

83C05	Einstein’s equations (general structure, canonical formalism, Cauchy problems)
83E05	Geometrodynamics and the holographic principle