Treating problems in full general relativity is highly complex and frequently approximate methods are employed to simplify the solution. We present comparative solutions of an infinitesimally thin relativistic, stationary, rigidly rotating disk obtained using the full equations and the approximate approach suggested by Wilson and Mathews. We find that the Wilson-Mathews method has about the same accuracy as the first post-Newtonian approximation.

• Received 15 December 1998

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.60.027501