Dynamics of a self gravitating light-like shell with spherical symmetry

A novel Hamiltonian description of the dynamics of a spherically symmetric, light-like, self-gravitating shell is presented. It is obtained via the systematic reduction of the phase space with respect to the Gauss–Codazzi constraints, model and rare procedure in the canonical gravity. The Hamiltonian of the system (numerically equal to the value of the Arnowitt–Deser–Misner mass) is explicitly calculated in terms of the gauge-invariant ‘true degrees of freedom’, i.e. as a function on the reduced phase space. A geometric interpretation of the momentum canonically conjugate to the shell's radius is given. Models of matter compatible with the shell dynamics are found. A transformation between the different time parameterizations of the shell is calculated. The presented model may become a new toy model of quantum gravity.