Geometric optics approximation for the Einstein vacuum equations

Abstract: We show the stability of the geometric optics approximation in general relativity by constructing a family $(g_\lambda){\lambda\in(0,1]}$ of high-frequency metrics solutions to the Einstein vacuum equations in 3+1 dimensions without any symmetry assumptions. In the limit $\lambda\to 0$ this family approaches a fixed background $g_0$ solution of the Einstein-null dust system, illustrating the backreaction phenomenon. We introduce a precise second order high-frequency ansatz and identify a generalised wave gauge as well as polarization conditions at each order. The validity of our ansatz is ensured by a weak polarized null condition satisfied by the quadratic non-linearity in the Ricci tensor. The Einstein vacuum equations for $g\lambda$ are recast as a hierarchy of transport and wave equations, and their coupling induces a loss of derivatives. In order to solve it, we take advantage of a null foliation associated to $g_0$ as well as a Fourier cut-off adapted to our ansatz. The construction of high-frequency initial data solving the constraint equations is the content of our companion paper \cite{Touati2023a}.