Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2005 iii Paper 60 4 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
The physical spherical coordinates cover , , , and with periodic identification. The center and the polar axes are the usual coordinate singularities, rather than physical curvature singularities; a regular polar chart restricts and . For the null coordinates,Thus the physical metric tensor isThe conformal transformation followed by , gives , , andConsequently . Finally , converts to , yieldingThe ranges must retain their joint constraints:Equivalently, and , with . The angles retain their original ranges and identifications. Extending to negative values would double-count the radial polar geometry. The conformal factor isThe unphysical metric tensor extends onto the Einstein static universe, while physical Minkowski spacetime occupies the triangular region in its radial Penrose diagram. The edge is the regular center and belongs to the physical region away from its endpoints.
The conformal boundary consists of the following infinities. Future null infinity has , hence with , and corresponds to finite with . Past null infinity has , hence , and corresponds to finite with . Future timelike infinity is , past timelike infinity is , and spacelike infinity is . Although angles label points on null infinity, their two-spheres collapse at these three endpoint locations in the compactified picture.
The radial Minkowski conformal diagram and the endpoints of timelike, null and spacelike geodesics
. Details. For the geodesic endpoints in Minkowski conformal compactification, one can check the limits directly. A timelike inertial trajectory is with . At both and tend to , so and the trajectory ends at future timelike infinity. At both tend to , giving past timelike infinity. This includes a stationary inertial worldline with bounded .
For a null inertial trajectory, . As , , so has a finite limit while ; its future endpoint lies on future null infinity. As , , giving a finite limiting and , hence a past endpoint on past null infinity. Radial null geodesic paths have constant. A ray passing through the center changes its angular direction; in the angle-suppressed radial diagram it reflects at rather than terminating there.
A spacelike geodesic is also a straight line, now parametrized so that . At either end, asymptotically, , , and the endpoint is spacelike infinity. A radial spacelike line at has two opposite-angle halves which project onto the same horizontal interval in the diagram.
The conformal compactification endpoints occur at finite but at infinite physical proper time or affine parameter; Minkowski spacetime is geodesically complete. The conformal preservation of null geodesic paths does not preserve an affine parameter: if is physically affine, an unphysical affine parameter satisfies up to a constant. Along a complete null ray this can have a finite integral at infinity. Timelike and spacelike physical geodesic paths are not generally geodesics of the rescaled metric tensor, so their drawn curves must not be interpreted as freely falling unphysical observers.
Finally, every physical event can send an outgoing null ray to future null infinity, so is all of Minkowski spacetime. Its black-hole region and intrinsic event horizon are empty. The null edges in the diagram are infinity, not horizons concealing part of the physical manifold. Complete inertial observers likewise have no observer event horizon. Accelerated observers restricted to a Rindler wedge can have a Rindler horizon, but that is observer-dependent and does not contradict the horizon-free Minkowski spacetime. The conformal diagram compactifies infinity; it does not introduce a physical horizon.
