Canonical variables and quasilocal energy in general relativity

Abstract

Recently Brown and York have devised a new method for defining quasilocal energy in general relativity. Their method yields expressions for the quasilocal energy and momentum surface densities associated with the two-boundary of a spacelike slice of a spatially bounded spacetime. These expressions are essentially Arnowitt-Deser-Misner variables, but with canonical conjugacy defined with respect to the time history of the two-boundary. This paper introduces Ashtekar-type variables on the time history of the two-boundary and shows that these variables lead to elegant alternative expressions for the quasilocal surface densities. In addition, it is demonstrated here that both the boundary ADM variables and the boundary Ashtekar-type variables can be incorporated into a larger framework by appealing to the tetrad-dependent Sparling differential forms.