Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2020 / ii / Paper 1 / 38D / iii / Solution

First differentiate the unit normalization $X^{\alpha }{X}_{\alpha }=-1$. Metric compatibility givesThe timelike geodesic vector field equation gives the other contraction,For the spatial projector of a timelike congruence,and symmetry also gives $h_{\alpha \beta }{X}^{\beta }=0$. Thus

Splitting the deformation tensor of a timelike geodesic congruence into symmetric and antisymmetric parts and substituting the definitions givesMoreover, the orthogonality of $B_{\alpha \beta }$ implieswhile in four dimensionsIt follows thatHencewhich is the kinematic decomposition of a timelike geodesic congruence.