Block diagonalisation of four-dimensional metrics

Abstract

It is shown that, in four dimensions, it is possible to introduce coordinates so that an analytic metric locally takes block diagonal form. i.e. one can find coordinates such that $g_{\alpha\beta} = 0$ for $(\alpha, \beta) \in S$ where $S = {(1, 3), (1, 4), (2, 3), (2, 4)}$. We call a coordinate system in which the metric takes this form a 'doubly biorthogonal coordinate system'. We show that all such coordinate systems are determined by a pair of coupled second-order partial differential equations.