Metrics with distributional curvature

Abstract

This paper considers metrics whose curvature tensor makes sense as a distribution. A class of such metrics, the regular metrics, was defined and studied by Geroch and Traschen. Here, we generalize their definition to form a wider class: semi-regular metrics. We then examine in detail two metrics that are semi-regular but not regular: (i) Minkowski spacetime minus a wedge and (ii) a certain traveling wave metric.