Intrinsic characterization of space-time symmetric tensors

Abstract

This paper essentially deals with the classification of a symmetric tensor on a four-dimensional Lorentzian space. A method is given to find the algebraic type of such a tensor. A system of concomitants of the tensor is constructed, which allows one to know the causal character of the eigenspace corresponding to a given eigenvalue, and to obtain covariantly their eigenvectors. Some algebraic as well as differential applications are considered.