Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2017 / iii / Paper 309 / 4 / d / Solution

Let $E_a$ denote the frame dual to the coframe. For the convention just stated, the Ricci tensor is obtained from the curvature 2-forms through the Ricci one-forms ${\mathcal{R}}_b={\sum }_a{\iota }_{E_a}{\Theta }^a{}_b=R_{bd}{e}^d$. In particular ${\iota }_{E_1}(\ell \wedge e^1)=-\ell$ and likewise for index two. It follows thatThusThe scalar curvature vanishes even before imposing vacuum because $du$ is null, but the full tensor vanishes exactly whenThis is the Vacuum Einstein equations in this family. The nonzero-coframe hypothesis makes division by $A$ and $B$ legitimate. A nonzero $P=-Q$ can leave the Riemann curvature tensor nonzero even in vacuum.