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Carroll physics in general relativity: understanding the Carroll limit of the singularity theorem

The Carroll limit of general relativity is an ultra-relativistic limit that is obtained by taking the speed of light (c) to zero. This is in contrast to the Galilean limit, where you can resolve it by taking the c → ∞ limit. This limit was formulated in the study of the Carroll group as an ultra-rel...

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Main Author: Thapo, Thato
Other Authors: Haque, Shajid
Format: Thesis
Language:English
English
Published: Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics 2026
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access_status_str Open Access
author Thapo, Thato
author2 Haque, Shajid
author_browse Haque, Shajid
Thapo, Thato
author_facet Haque, Shajid
Thapo, Thato
author_sort Thapo, Thato
collection Thesis
description The Carroll limit of general relativity is an ultra-relativistic limit that is obtained by taking the speed of light (c) to zero. This is in contrast to the Galilean limit, where you can resolve it by taking the c → ∞ limit. This limit was formulated in the study of the Carroll group as an ultra-relativistic limit of the Poincaré group, as such, one can exploit the various Carroll symmetries that arise. In this thesis, we study the Carroll limit of general relativity and its applications to Cosmology and the Singularity Theorem. We begin by reviewing the representation theory of the Carroll group and its applications to non-relativistic physics. We then study the Carroll scalar field and its properties in the Carroll limit, as well as how the Friedmann equations reduce in the small c expansion in comparison to the evolution of the scalar field in our Standard Cosmology. We then study how fluids evolve in the Carroll regime, which gives us insight into the early universe and its dynamics. This study allows us to explore how non-relativistic matter, as well as the cosmological constant, would evolve in the Carroll limit. To understand radiation in the Carroll limit, we take a purely Classical route and study Maxwell's Theory of electromagnetism in a curved background. That then allows us to study the singularity theorem and how singularities are affected by taking this limit, which prompts us to look into a relatively recent theorem known as the BGV theorem, which looks at singularities from the perspective of geodesic incompleteness in contrast to the Hawking and Penrose ideas on the singularity theorem.
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language English
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last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:32:57.328Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2026
publishDateRange 2026
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spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/42715 Carroll physics in general relativity: understanding the Carroll limit of the singularity theorem Thapo, Thato Haque, Shajid Underwood, Bret applied mathematics The Carroll limit of general relativity is an ultra-relativistic limit that is obtained by taking the speed of light (c) to zero. This is in contrast to the Galilean limit, where you can resolve it by taking the c → ∞ limit. This limit was formulated in the study of the Carroll group as an ultra-relativistic limit of the Poincaré group, as such, one can exploit the various Carroll symmetries that arise. In this thesis, we study the Carroll limit of general relativity and its applications to Cosmology and the Singularity Theorem. We begin by reviewing the representation theory of the Carroll group and its applications to non-relativistic physics. We then study the Carroll scalar field and its properties in the Carroll limit, as well as how the Friedmann equations reduce in the small c expansion in comparison to the evolution of the scalar field in our Standard Cosmology. We then study how fluids evolve in the Carroll regime, which gives us insight into the early universe and its dynamics. This study allows us to explore how non-relativistic matter, as well as the cosmological constant, would evolve in the Carroll limit. To understand radiation in the Carroll limit, we take a purely Classical route and study Maxwell's Theory of electromagnetism in a curved background. That then allows us to study the singularity theorem and how singularities are affected by taking this limit, which prompts us to look into a relatively recent theorem known as the BGV theorem, which looks at singularities from the perspective of geodesic incompleteness in contrast to the Hawking and Penrose ideas on the singularity theorem. 2026-01-28T08:02:17Z 2026-01-28T08:02:17Z 2025 2026-01-28T07:58:52Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42715 en eng application/pdf Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics Faculty of Science University of Cape Town
spellingShingle applied mathematics
Thapo, Thato
Carroll physics in general relativity: understanding the Carroll limit of the singularity theorem
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Carroll physics in general relativity: understanding the Carroll limit of the singularity theorem
title_full Carroll physics in general relativity: understanding the Carroll limit of the singularity theorem
title_fullStr Carroll physics in general relativity: understanding the Carroll limit of the singularity theorem
title_full_unstemmed Carroll physics in general relativity: understanding the Carroll limit of the singularity theorem
title_short Carroll physics in general relativity: understanding the Carroll limit of the singularity theorem
title_sort carroll physics in general relativity understanding the carroll limit of the singularity theorem
topic applied mathematics
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42715
work_keys_str_mv AT thapothato carrollphysicsingeneralrelativityunderstandingthecarrolllimitofthesingularitytheorem