Charles W. Misner 2026-11-05
Charles W. Misner co-developed the canonical formulation of general relativity with Richard Arnowitt and Stanley Deser. Their account separates spatial geometry from its time evolution, expressing the gravitational system through dynamical variables and constraint equations.[ref]
The Dynamics of General Relativity by Richard Arnowitt and others. Original 1962 chapter: canonical variables and constraints; reproduced in 2004
This turns spacetime evolution into an initial-value problem. Initial geometric data cannot be freely assigned component by component; they must satisfy the gravitational constraints.
Richard Arnowitt 2026-11-05
Richard Arnowitt co-developed a canonical treatment of general relativity with Stanley Deser and Charles W. Misner. Their framework organizes spatial geometry, conjugate momenta and constraints, and supplies an asymptotic definition of gravitational energy.[ref]
The Arnowitt-Deser-Misner energy is associated with suitable asymptotic boundary conditions; it is not a universal pointwise energy-density formula for an arbitrary spacetime.
Stanley Deser 2026-11-05
Stanley Deser, with Richard Arnowitt and Charles W. Misner, developed the canonical dynamics of general relativity. The formulation separates physical evolution from coordinate freedom and makes the constraint structure explicit.[ref]
The Dynamics of General Relativity by Richard Arnowitt and others. Canonical reduction and gravitational constraints