Static vacuum solutions from convergent null data expansions at space-like infinity

Abstract

We study formal expansions of asymptotically flat solutions to the static vacuum field equations which are determined by minimal sets of freely specifyable data referred to as 'null data'. These are given by sequences of symmetric trace free tensors at space-like infinity of increasing order. They are 1 : 1 related to the sequences of Geroch multipoles. Necessary and sufficient growth estimates on the null data are obtained for the formal expansions to be absolutely convergent. This provides a complete characterization of all asymptotically flat solutions to the static vacuum field equations. © 2007 Birkhäuser Verlag Basel/Switzerland.