The rotating body problem

Abstract

AbstractIt is shown that for an axisymmetric stationary system there exists, in vacuo, a canonical coordinate system, analogous to Weyl's canonical coordinates for the static case. Some approximate solutions of the vacuum field equations are then obtained in these canonical coordinates.In the second part of this paper, the vacuum field equations for an isolated axisymmetric stationary system are set up and approximate solutions obtained by means of a multipole expansion. The physical components of the Riemann tensor are then examined and it is found that the ‘mass term’ predominates, the ‘rotation term’ being of the next order of magnitude.