On lifespan of solutions to the Einstein equations

Abstract

We investigate the issue of existence of maximal solutions to the vacuum Einstein solutions for asymptotically flat spacetime. Solutions are established globally in time outside a domain of influence of a suitable large compact set, where singularities can appear. Our approach shows existence of metric coefficients which obey the following behavior: $g_{\alpha\beta}=\eta_{\alpha\beta}+O(r^{-\delta})$ for a small fixed $\delta > 0$ at infinity (where $\eta_{\alpha\beta}$ is the Minkowski metric). The system is studied in the harmonic (wavelike) gauge.