Classification of $\Lambda \neq 0$-vacuum algebraically special spacetimes with conformally flat $\mathscr I$ from Weyl tensor expansion

Abstract

We introduce a general algebraic decomposition of Riemann-like and Weyl-like tensors with respect to a non-null vector $u$. We derive Gauss, Codazzi and Ricci-type identities for the Weyl tensor, that allow to relate the components of the spacetime Weyl tensor with intrinsic quantities of the hypersurfaces orthogonal to $u$. Restricting to the case of $\Lambda$-vacuum spacetimes (with $\Lambda \neq 0$ and any dimension) admiting a conformal compactification, we then study the behaviour of the Weyl tensor near $\mathscr I$ by means of an asymptotic expansion {\it \`a la} Fefferman-Graham, where the first terms are explicitly computed. We use these tools to characterize four dimensional algebraically special spacetimes with locally conformally flat $\mathscr{I}$, showing they match exactly the so-called {\it Kerr-de Sitter-like class with conformally flat $\scri$}, thus providing a geometric characterization of this class of spacetimes.