Rough Solutions of the Einstein Constraint Equations

Abstract

We construct low regularity solutions of the vacuum Einstein constraint equations. In particular, on 3-manifolds we obtain solutions with metrics in $H^s\loc$ with $s>{3\over 2}$. The theory of maximal asymptotically Euclidean solutions of the constraint equations descends completely the low regularity setting. Moreover, every rough, maximal, asymptotically Euclidean solution can be approximated in an appropriate topology by smooth solutions. These results have application in an existence theorem for rough solutions of the Einstein evolution equations.