Null twist (${\hat{\omega }}_{ab}$)

The null twist is ${\hat{\omega }}_{ab}={\hat{B}}_{[ab]}$. It vanishes for null generators orthogonal to a hypersurface by the Frobenius theorem.

For an affine null geodesic congruence, $B_{ab}={\nabla }_b{U}_a$ annihilates $U$ in both slots. Relative to a null partner, its antisymmetric part is its screen projection plus a term of the form $U_{[a}{q}_{b]}$. Hence zero null twist implies $U\wedge dU=0$, and Frobenius theorem makes $U_a$ locally proportional to a hypersurface gradient. Conversely, if $U_a=h{\nabla }_{a}S$, its antisymmetric derivative has a factor of $U$, so the screen projection vanishes. Geodesicity is essential to the converse from vanishing screen twist to the full Frobenius condition.

For an affinely parametrized four-dimensional null geodesic congruence, the screen-projected evolution of the null twist isConsequently zero twist remains zero along every generator on which the optical description remains regular.