München 2019 – scientific programme

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GR: Fachverband Gravitation und Relativitätstheorie

GR 5: Foundational Problems and General Formalism

GR 5.1: Talk

Tuesday, March 19, 2019, 14:15–14:30, HS 5

Deviation of structured test bodies — •Dirk Puetzfeld — ZARM, Universitaet Bremen

Within the theory of General Relativity, the relative motion of test bodies is described by means of the geodesic deviation (Jacobi) equation. This equation only holds under certain assumptions and can be used only for the description of structureless neutral test bodies. Here we present a generalized deviation equation in a Riemann-Cartan background, also allowing for spacetimes endowed with torsion. This equation describes the dynamics of the connecting vector which links events on two general (adjacent) world lines. Thereby it provides the foundation for a unified description of structured test bodies in a large class of geometries.