Harmonic lapse evolution 2026-10-06
For a positive lapse function , shift vector , and the convention for extrinsic curvature of a spatial hypersurface, the time-coordinate harmonic slicing condition yields the displayed advective lapse equation. Combining with the spatial volume evolution identity proves it without setting the shift vector to zero.
First, the inverse metric tensor printed in the PDF has a missing factor: its lower-left entry must be , symmetric with . This correction follows either from symmetry or direct block multiplication and does not change the evolution equation used here.
Let . Contract the spatial metric tensor evolution equation with . Both shift-gradient terms contribute , giving
The Jacobi determinant derivative formula applies to every derivative of and gives . Therefore the spatial determinant evolves as
Equivalently, the spatial volume evolution identity is , with the trace of the extrinsic curvature of a spatial hypersurface.
Use the equivalent density form of harmonic slicing from part (ii). With , positive lapse function , and the corrected inverse metric tensor, its time component becomes
Thus , or
The spatial volume evolution identity gives . Subtraction yields , hence the harmonic lapse evolution is
The shift vector need not vanish; its transport term is essential in a general 3+1 decomposition of spacetime.