Conformal Einstein spaces and Bach tensor generalization in n dimensions

Sammanfattning: In this thesis we investigate necessary and su±cient conditions for an n-dimensional space, n ? 4, to be locally conformal to an Einstein space. After reviewing the classical results derived in tensors we consider the four-dimensional spinor result of Kozameh, Newman and Tod. The involvement of the four-dimensional Bach tensor (which is divergence-free and conformally well-behaved) in their result motivates a search for an n-dimensional generalization of the Bach tensor Bab with the same properties. We strengthen a theorem due to Belfagón and Jaén and give a basis (Uab, V ab and Wab) for all n-dimensional symmetric, divergence-free 2-index tensors quadratic in the Riemann curvature tensor. We discover the simple relationship Bab = 1/2Uab + 1/6V ab and show that the Bach tensor is the unique tensor with these properties in four dimensions. Unfortunately we have to conclude, in general that there is no direct analogue in higher dimension with all these properties.Nevertheless, we are able to generalize the our-dimensional results due to Kozameh, Newman and Tod to n dimensions. We show that a generic space is conformal to an Einstein space if and only if there exists a vector field satisfying two conditions. The explicit use of dimensionally dependent identities (some of which are newly derived in this thesis) is also exploited in order to make the two conditions as simple as possible; explicit examples are given in five and six dimensions using these tensor identities. For n dimensions, we define the tensors babc and Bab, and we show that their vanishing is a conformal invariant property which guarantees that the space with non-degenerate Weyl tensor is a conformal Einstein space.