Space-time deformations as extended conformal transformations

Abstract

A definition of space-time metric deformations on an $n$-dimensional manifold is given. We show that such deformations can be regarded as extended conformal transformations. In particular, their features can be related to the perturbation theory giving a natural picture by which gravitational waves are described by small deformations of the metric. As further result, deformations can be related to approximate Killing vectors (approximate symmetries) by which it is possible to parameterize the deformed region of a given manifold. The perspectives and some possible physical applications of such an approach are discussed.