Measuring Mass via Coordinate Cubes

Abstract

Inspired by a formula of Stern that relates scalar curvature to harmonic functions, we evaluate the mass of an asymptotically flat $3$-manifold along faces and edges of a large coordinate cube. In terms of the mean curvature and dihedral angle, the resulting mass formula relates to Gromov's scalar curvature comparison theory for cubic Riemannian polyhedra. In terms of the geodesic curvature and turning angle of slicing curves, the formula realizes the mass as integration of the angle defect detected by the boundary term in the Gauss-Bonnet theorem.