Apparent horizons in vacuum Robinson-Trautman spacetimes

Abstract

Vacuum asymptotically flat Robinson-Trautman spacetimes are a well known class of spacetimes exhibiting outgoing gravitational radiation. In this paper we describe a method of locating the past apparent horizon in these spacetimes and discuss the properties of the horizon. We show that the past apparent horizon is non-timelike and that its surface area is a decreasing function of the retarded time. A numerical simulation of the apparent horizon is also discussed. © Australian Mathematical Society 1999.