C-energy

In general relativity, C-energy (short for cylindrical energy) is a quasi-local definition of gravitational energy applicable to space-times with cylindrical symmetry. The concept was introduced by Kip Thorne in 1965 as an attempt to characterize the energy content of infinitely long, cylindrically symmetric systems.

C-energy has been widely used in the analysis of cylindrical gravitational waves, where it provides a useful measure of the gravitational field strength. In standing cylindrical wave solutions, the C-energy may be strictly constant in time (as in Chandrasekhar waves) or constant only on average (as in Einstein–Rosen waves). Although C-energy does not correspond to a globally conserved energy in general relativity, it remains a useful diagnostic tool for studying cylindrically symmetric space-times and gravitational radiation.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.