Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2015 / iii / Paper 54 / 2 / b / iv

A spherical trapped surface has both future null expansions negative. Thus the initial sphere has $r_{,U}<0$ and $r_{,V}<0$. The result of the previous part already gives $r_{,U}<0$ at every regular future sphere in $D^{+}(\Sigma )$.

Apply the same Null Raychaudhuri equation to $k=f^{-1}{\partial }_V$. The exchanged-coordinate double-null focusing identity isAlong $U=U_0$, increasing $V$ is future-directed. ThereforeBoth null expansions remain negative, proving persistence of spherical trapping along this future null direction. As usual, the conclusion concerns every $V_1>V_0$ for which the sphere exists in the regular chart in $D^{+}(\Sigma )$; the inequality does not assert existence of such spheres beyond a focusing singularity.