PH474/574 homework problems

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(2) A source emits light isotropically (i.e. equal power in all directions) as it moves w.r.t. an
observer at velocity v = (v, 0, 0).
(a) (For all students) Use the two Lorentz-Doppler transformation formulae to calcu-
late the observed frequency and direction of a light signal emitted with wave vector k0 =
(k 0 cos θ0 , k 0 sin θ0 , 0) in the source frame. Restrict your consideration to the two limits v  c
and v ≈ c for each of the following cases: θ0 = 0, π/4, π/2, 3π/4, and π.
(b) (For graduate students only) Repeat (a) also for the scenario θ0 = π − 1/γ with
v ≈ c, i.e. γ  1, to show that tan θ = −8γ 2 .
(c) (For graduate students only) In the p limit v ≈ c, i.e. γ  1, show that the critical
0 0
angle θ = θc such that ω = ω is θc = π − 2/γ. Moreover, show that when θ0 = θc the
observer sees the light signal propagating in the direction θ = π − θc . Comment on this
result.
(3) (a) Write in matrix form the transformation operator Ai j for a reflection through the xz
plane. Is this transformation orthogonal? Check that a necessary condition for orthogonality
is det A = ±1.
(b) Under the same reflection, show that the vector product of two vectors a and b transforms
as an anti-symmetrical tensor(in 3-D this is called an axial vector). Show also that the
quantity a · (b × c) is a scalar (constructed from three vectors) which changes sign under this
reflection – it is strictly speaking a pseudo-vector.
(c) How do the following quantities change under space reflection: angular momentum,
magnetic field, and spin?
(d) Consider the β-decay of an isotope of spin µ (as shown). Explain why if N1 6= N2 , parity
is violated.
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(4) Suppose that you have N0 shares of stock and you want to make as much money as you
can by selling all of them in a single day. If N0 is large, and you sell your shares in small
batches, the money you make can be written approximately an as integral
Z tc
M [N ] = Ṅ (t)P (N, Ṅ , t)dt
0

where t = 0 and t = tc are the opening and closing times for the stock exchange, and N (t)
is a smooth function that is approximately the number of shares you have sold at time t
satisfying
N (0) = 0 and N (tc ) = N0 .

The time derivative Ṅ (t) is the rate at which you sell the stock (in shares per hour, say),
and P (N, Ṅ , t) is the price per share as a function of time. The interesting thing is that the
price depends on how you sell the shares. For example, if you sell them too fast, the price
will drop. That is why P depends on Ṅ . . The function N (t) is a mathematical description
of your strategy in selling your stock, and you want to use the strategy that maximizes the
functional M [N ]. At the maximum the variation of the functional vanishes, so the right
strategy, N (t), should satisfy the Euler-Lagrange equation ensuing from M [N ].
Suppose that1
P (N, Ṅ , t) = P0 − Bt − C Ṅ for P0 , B and C > 0
(this is a ‘bear market’ because of the −Bt term - the stock price is going down with time).
(a) True or False? If P0 goes to P0 + ∆P , with B and C fixed, the maximum amount of
money you can make selling your stock changes by N0 ∆P and this change is independent of
the other parameters.
(b) Think of the integrand in M [N ] as an ‘action’ and derive and solve the Euler-Lagrange
equation to find N (t) that gives zero variation for the functional M [N ], then calculate M [N ]
for your solution.
(c) Show that for given constant α, the M [N ] defined in the aforementioned three equations
can be written as
Z tc "  2 #
Bt
M [N ] = − C Ṅ (t) + +α dt + β(α)
0 2C

for any N (t) satisfying the second equation of this problem, and find β(α).

1
This formula implies that if Ṅ or t is too large, the price goes negative, which I guess means that you
have to pay people to take your stock. I am not sure how realistic that is, but never mind.
 –3–

(d) Then find the constant α such that

Bt
Ṅ + +α=0
2C
for the solution you found to the Euler-Lagrange equation (satisfying the second equation
of this problem of course) and explain how this shows that the strategy defined by your
solution maximizes your money.
(e) Discuss what your result means if B is large. You should discuss the mathematics. Then
if you feel like it, you may want to discuss whether this corresponds to anything ‘physical’
(or perhaps I should say ‘economic’) in the real stock market.
(5) Consider the two dimensional problems of a planar and a cylindrical surface. For each
case, (a) choose the appropriate coordinate system and write down the full metric tensor gij
with each of the indices i and j ranging from 1 to 2, (b) write down the geodesic equation,
and (c) solve the equation to show that the geodesics (loci of shortest distance) are straight
lines and helices respectively.
(6) Calculate the Ricci scalar curvature of a cylindrical surface, a conical surface, and a
spherical surface. You should find that the first two vanishes, while the third is 2/r2 where
r is the radius of the sphere. It is suggested that you follow the steps below.
(a) Show that the line element of a cylindrical surface is ds2 = dh2 + a2 dφ2 where a is
the radius of the cylinder. Explain why the constancy of the metric coefficients means the
Christoffel symbols must vanish, which in turn means the Ricci scalar must also vanish.
(b) The locus of a conical surface is given by x2 + y 2 − k 2 z 2 = 0, and a line element on
the surface by ds2 = (1 + k 2 )dh2 + h2 k 2 dφ2 , where k is a constant. By transforming to the
√ √ √ √
coordinates u = h k 2 + 1 cos(kφ/ k 2 + 1) and v = h k 2 + 1 sin(kφ/ k 2 + 1), show that
the surface line element becomes ds2 = du2 + dv 2 . Hence repeat the arguments of (a) to
show that the Ricci curvature vanishes.
(c) For the spherical surface write down the line element and show that its coefficients are
not all constants. Calculate the Christoffel symbols and show that the only non-vanishing
components of the Riemmann curvature tensor are Rθφθφ = Rφθφθ = −Rθφφθ = −Rφθθφ =
r2 sin2 θ. Hence show that the non-vanishing component of the Ricci tensor are Rθθ = 1 and
Rφφ = sin2 θ. From this, calculate the Ricci scalar to find that it equals 2/r2 .
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(7) The line element of point mass ρ(r, t) = M δ(r) is of the form

ds2 = A(r)dt2 − B(r)dr2 − r2 (dθ2 + sin2 θdφ2 ),

where r = |r|, and A(r), B(r) both → 1 as r → ∞. Compute the Ricci tensor and the
stress-energy tensor of this point mass, and apply the Einstein Field Equations to show that
A(r) = 1 − GM/r and B(r) = (1 − GM/r)−1 .
(8) For a test particle moving in the Schwarzschild metric
   −1
2 2M 2 2M
dτ = 1 − dt − 1 − dr2 − r2 (dθ2 + sin2 θdφ2 ),
r r

there are two constants of the motion l and , given by

 
2 2 dφ 2M dt
l = r sin θ ;  = 1 − ,
dτ r dτ

where (it shall be understood in the course of this problem) l is the angular momentum per
unit mass of the test particle and  is the relativistic energy per unit mass of the same.
(a) Since l is conserved, geodesics are planar. Choose the plane to be at θ = π/2, and show
that −1 −1  2
l2
 
2M 2 2M dr
1−  − 1− − 2 = 1.
r r dτ r

(b) By reinserting G and c, and writing  as  = (mc2 + EN )/mc2 where m is the mass of
the test particle (m  M ) and EN is another constant of the motion, show that
 2
1 dr
+ Veff (r) = EN ,
2 dτ

, where
J2 GM m GM J 2
 
Veff (r) = − − ,
2mr2 r mc2 r3
is the effective potential and J = ml is the angular momentum of the test particle.
(c) Show that Veff (r) has, in the weak field limit GM  lc (or GM m  Jc), a maximum
and a minimum radius, where rmin = l2 /(GM ) and rmax = 3GM/(l2 c4 )  rmin . Sketch the
shape of Veff (r). (Hint: to explore the nature of the two extremum radii you have to calculate
both dVeff /dr and d2 Veff /dr2 ).
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(9) Undergraduates only need to do parts (a) and (b). Graduates should also do part (c).
(a) Follow the steps explained in the textbook to derive equation (9.49) there. Then, by
filling in factors of G and c, derive (9.52).
(b) Show that (9.52) of the textbook is equivalent to the first equation in problem (15) at
the end of Chapter 9.
(c) Proceed to finish the rest of problem (15).
(d) Proceed to do parts (b), (c), and (d) of problem 15.
(10) In the lectures it was shown that the weak perturbation to the Minkowski background
metric, gµν = ηµν + hµν , reduces the Einstein field equations to
h,µν − hσµ,νσ − hσν,µσ + hσµν,σ + ηµν (hσ,σ − hσρ
,σρ ) = 0.

In this problem, you are asked to attempt the trial solution

α
hµν = Aµν eikα x ,
where
A = C1 µν µν
1 + C2 2 ; and kµ = (ω, 0, 0, −k)

with c = ω/k, C1 and C2 being constants, and

   
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0
   
µν = µν
 ; 2 =  ,
   
1
 0 0 −1 0   0 1 0 0 
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
by following the instructions below.
(a) Show that hµν satisfies the transverse gauge condition hµν
,ν = 0.

(b) Hence show that the Einstein field equations further reduce to hσµν,σ = 0.
(c) Finally, show that the equation in (b) is a wave equation of the form
 2 
∂ 2
− ∇ hµν = 0,
∂t2
and the trial solution satisfies it.
(11) The Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) metric of a homogeneous, isotropic, and Eu-
clidean (i.e. zero space curvature) Universe is
ds2 = dt2 − a2 (t)(dr2 + r2 dθ2 + r2 sin2 θdφ2 ),
 –6–

where a(t) is a dimensionless function of the cosmic time t. The question we seek to answer
in this homework is whether the FRW metric is a solution of the Einstein field equations

Rµν − Λgµν = −8πG(Tµν − 21 gµν T ).

(a) Show that the FRW metric satisfies the Einstein field equations if

ä 4πG Λ
=− (ρ + 3P ) + ,
a 3 3
and
λa2
aä + 2ȧ2 = 4πG(ρ − P )a2 + .
3
...
(b) Eliminate a from the two equations in (a) to show that ȧ2 = 8πGρa2 /3. Hence show
that the only way for space and time to be Minkoswki (viz. a(t) = 1 for all t) on large scales
is for the Universe to be empty.
(c) Using the first equation of (a) as starting point, argue that if the Universe is expanding
(i.e. if a(t) increases with time) the expansion must decelerate unless Λ > 0.