May 2017

Exam of General Relativity

Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics

1. Consider the metric

1 2 ⇣ r+ r ⌘2 (r2 2
r+ )(r2 r2 )
ds2 = f dt2 + dr + r2 d dt , f ⌘ ; (1)
f lr2 l2 r2
it describes a black-hole in 2+1 dimensions (BTZ black hole).

(a) A test particle moves in this geometry: write explicitly the two conserved quantities
related to the symmetries of the metric.
(b) Argue that if r+ r 6= 0 the black hole rotates.
(c) An observer stays at fixed radial coordinate r. Show that it is impossible below a
certain radius to also remain at fixed angle: observers are forced to rotate together
with the black hole.
(d) Two observers stay at fixed radius and angle. One sends a light signal to the other:
calculate the gravitational redshift.

2. Consider the metric

ds2 = dt2 + cos2 t dz 2 + d✓2 . (2)

(a) Calculate the Christo↵el’s symbols.

(b) Write two Killing vectors for this metric and verify they satisfy the Killing equation.
(c) Calculate the Ricci tensor and the Ricci scalar.

3. Consider a flat FRW universe with scale factor a.

(a) Consider a massive particle in the absence of interactions. How does its physical
momentum (the one measured by a comoving observer) evolve as a function of a?
(b) A massive particle of mass m is in thermal equilibrium at T ⌧ m. At a certain
point the particle stops interacting: show that, after that, the evolution of its
distribution function is e↵ectively T / 1/a2 .
(c) A WIMP keeps the same temperature as photons until T ⇠ 10 MeV. Estimate the
temperature of a WIMP when the photon temperature is 1 eV. What is its typical
velocity?