A Weyl-Type Theorem for Geometrized Newtonian Gravity

Abstract

I state and prove, in the context of a space having only the metrical and affine structure imposed by the geometrized version of Newtonian gravitational theory, a theorem analagous to that of Weyl's for a Lorentz manifold. The theorem says that a projective structure and a suitably defined compatible conformal structure jointly suffice for fixing the metric structure of a Newtonian spacetime model up to constant factors, and for fixing its affine structure as well. The theorem allows one to give a natural, physically compelling interpretation of the spatiotemporal geometry of a geometrized Newtonian gravity spacetime manifold, in close analogy with the way Weyl's Theorem allows one to do in general relativity.