A more direct representation for complex relativity

Abstract

An alternative to the representation of complex relativity by self-dual complex 2-forms on the spacetime manifold is presented by assuming that that the bundle of real 2-forms is given an almost-complex structure. From this, one can define a complex orthogonal structure on the bundle of 2-forms, which results in a more direct representation of the complex orthogonal group in three complex dimensions. The geometrical foundations of general relativity are then presented in terms of the bundle of oriented complex orthogonal 3-frames on the bundle of 2-forms in a manner that essentially parallels their construction in terms of self-dual complex 2-forms. It is shown that one can still discuss the Debever-Penrose classification of the Riemannian curvature tensor in terms of the representation presented here.