The Effects of Self-Interaction on Constructing Relativistic Point Particles

Abstract

We introduce a framework for studying the effects of self-interaction on the construction of point particle initial data in General Relativity. Within this framework we rigorously prove the vanishing mass claim made by Arnowitt, Deser and Misner regarding point sources. We identify a geometric structure and a scaling parameter that allow one to determine, by controlling the effects of self-interaction, when one does or does not obtain a non-zero mass.