Abstract
The averaged Lagrangian technique of Whitham is applied to the second variation Lagrangian for the perturbations of a general-relativistic spacetime. This gives a variational principle for (sums of) approximately periodic gravitational waves which in turn leads to the rederivation of some results of Isaacson. Examples of the use of the method are discussed.
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Supported by National Science Foundation grant GP-31358.
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MacCallum, M.A.H., Taub, A.H. The averaged Lagrangian and high-frequency gravitational waves. Commun.Math. Phys. 30, 153–169 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01645977
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01645977