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University of Cambridge

A Scattering Theory for Linearised Gravity on the Exterior of the Schwarzschild Black Hole

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

In this thesis we construct a scattering theory for the linearised Einstein equations on a Schwarzschild background in a double null gauge. We perform this construction in two parts. In Part I, we construct a scattering theory for the spin ±2 Teukolsky equations, which govern certain the extremal, gauge-invariant components of the linearised curvature. This is done by exploiting a physical-space version of the Chandrasekhar transformation used by Dafermos, Holzegel and Rodnianski in [17] to prove the linear stability of the Schwarzschild solution. We also address the Teukolsky–Starobinsky correspondence and construct an isomorphism between scattering data for the +2 and −2 Teukolsky equations. This will allow us to state an additional mixed scattering statement for a pair of curvature components satisfying the spin +2 and −2 Teukolsky equations and connected via the Teukolsky–Starobinsky identities, completely determining the radiating degrees of freedom of solutions to the linearised Einstein equations. In Part II, we extend the scattering theory of Part I to the full system of linearised Einstein equations by treating it as a system of transport equations which is sourced by solutions to the Teukolsky equations, leading to Hilbert space-isomorphisms between spaces of finite energy initial data and corresponding spaces of scattering states under suitably chosen gauge conditions on initial and scattering data. As a corollary, we show how the Bondi–Metzner–Sachs group emerges as the group of residual gauge transformations when the double null gauge is normalised to define a Bondi frame.

Degree

thesis:*
Name dc:type.qualificationname
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Level dc:type.qualificationlevel
Doctoral
Grantor dc:publisher.institution
University of Cambridge
Year dc:date.issued
2021

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Masaood, Hamed
Advisors dc:contributor.advisor
  • Perry, Malcolm
  • Dafermos, Mihalis
  • Warnick, Claude

Subjects

dc:subject × 6

Rights

dc:rights
Language dc:language
eng

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
DOI dc:identifier.doi
https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.87208
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/339790

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Cambridge University
Base URL
api.repository.cam.ac.uk/server/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Masaood, Hamed. A Scattering Theory for Linearised Gravity on the Exterior of the Schwarzschild Black Hole. Doctoral thesis, University of Cambridge, 2021. https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.87208