Translational Inertial Dragging

Abstract

An important question in the theory of general relativity is to decide whether this theory contains the general principle of relativity for accelerated motion (including rotation). This question is also related to Mach's principle. The aim of this theisis is to throw some new light on this question. In this connection I have deduced a solution of the full Einstein equations, describing a physical system producing perfect inertial dragging. This system is a singular shell with the metric of an accelerated black hole outside the shell and (comoving) flat spacetime inside the shell. The effect of inertial dragging is described and previous work on translational inertial dragging is reviewed. The Israel formalism is presented in full mathematical detail and applied to a few special cases before applying it to the accelerated shell.