Abstract. We investigate geodesics in specific Kundt type N (or conformally flat) solutions to Einstein's equations. Components of the curvature tensor in parallelly transported tetrads are then explicitly evaluated and analysed. This elucidates some interesting global properties of the spacetimes, such as an inherent rotation of the wave-propagation direction, or the character of singularities. In particular, we demonstrate that the characteristic envelope singularity of the rotated wave fronts is a (non-scalar) curvature singularity, although all scalar invariants of the Riemann tensor vanish there.

PACS numbers: 04.20.Jb, 04.30.Nk

Print publication: Issue 12 (21 June 2004)
Received 27 February 2004
Published 7 May 2004