Photon rockets and the Robinson-Trautman geometries

Abstract

We point out the relation between the photon rocket spacetimes and the Robinson Trautman geometries. This allows a discussion of the issues related to the distinction between the gravitational and matter energy radiation that appear in these metrics in a more geometrical way, taking full advantage of their asymptotic properties at null infinity to separate the Weyl and Ricci radiations, and to clearly establish their gravitational energy content. We also give the exact solution for the generalized photon rockets.