Gowdy phenomenology in scale-invariant variables

TL;DR

This paper studies Gowdy vacuum spacetimes using scale-invariant variables, revealing mechanisms for spike formation and describing the local attractor in the approach to singularity.

Contribution

It introduces a state space formulation with Hubble-normalized variables, providing new insights into spike formation and the geometry of the attractor.

Findings

Identifies mechanisms for false and true spike formation.

Provides a geometric description of the local attractor.

Simplifies understanding of Gowdy spacetime dynamics near singularities.

Abstract

The dynamics of Gowdy vacuum spacetimes is considered in terms of Hubble-normalized scale-invariant variables, using the timelike area temporal gauge. The resulting state space formulation provides for a simple mechanism for the formation of ``false'' and ``true spikes'' in the approach to the singularity, and a geometrical formulation for the local attractor.