Abstract

In mathematical General Relativity, the subject of asymptotic symmetries/charges is interesting partly due to its relation with the gravitational memory effect which, in theory, can be measured using gravitational wave detectors. In this seminar, I will discuss the calculations for the asymptotic charges at the critical sets of null infinity using Friedrich’s conformal representation of spatial infinity where spatial infinity is blown up to a cylinder that connects the endpoints of past/future null infinity (the so-called critical sets of null infinity). Initially, I will talk about our result on Minkowski spacetime for the spin-2 field [J. Math. Phys. 63, 052502]. I will also discuss my ongoing work (in collaboration with Juan A. Valiente Kroon and Kartik Prabhu) to evaluate the charges at the critical sets of null infinity in the full gravity case, I will touch on some of the differences between the full gravity case and the spin-2 case, the difficulties with these calculations and some of the results we obtained so far.