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Pseudotensors and quasilocal energy-momentum

C. C. Chang, J. M. Nester, C. M. Chen

gr-qcarXiv:gr-qc/9809040

Abstract

Early energy-momentum investigations for gravitating systems gave reference frame dependent pseudotensors; later the quasilocal idea was developed. Quasilocal energy-momentum can be determined by the Hamiltonian boundary term, which also identifies the variables to be held fixed on the boundary. We show that a pseudotensor corresponds to a Hamiltonian boundary term. Hence they are quasilocal and acceptable; each is the energy-momentum density for a definite physical situation with certain boundary conditions. These conditions are identified for well-known pseudotensors.

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