A lower bound for the eigenvalues of the Sen-Witten operator on closed spacelike hypersurfaces

Abstract

The eigenvalue problem for the Sen--Witten operator on closed spacelike hypersurfaces is investigated. The (square of its) eigenvalues are shown to be given exactly by the 3-surface integral appearing in the expression of the total energy-momentum of the matter+gravity systems in Witten's energy positivity proof. A sharp lower bound for the eigenvalues, given in terms of the constraint parts of the spacetime Einstein tensor, i.e. the energy and momentum densities of the matter fields, is given.