COLLISION OF PLANE GRAVITATIONAL-WAVES WITHOUT SINGULARITIES

Mathematical and physical causes of development of singularities in space-time representing the collision of two strong plane gravitational waves with collinear polarization are considered. The conclusion is drawn that emergence of any physical space-time singularity is not inevitable, provided that the incoming plane waves themselves have regular wave fronts. The new exact solutions are given which provide sufficient bases for such conclusion. © 1979 The American Physical Society.