Solving gravitational field equations by Wiener-Hopf matrix factorisation, and beyond

By viewing Einstein’s field equations – reduced to two dimensions – as an integrable system, one can simultaneously obtain exact solutions to both the equations themselves and their associated Lax pair via a canonical Wiener-Hopf factorisation of a so-called monodromy matrix. In this article, we review this remarkable interplay between gravitational field equations, integrable systems, Riemann-Hilbert problems, and Wiener-Hopf factorisation theory, with particular emphasis on developments from the past decade enabled by advances in Wiener-Hopf factorisation techniques arising from the study of singular integral equations and Toeplitz operators. Through a variety of concrete examples, we illustrate how Wiener-Hopf factorisation yields explicit, exact solutions to the field equations of gravitational theories, and how its generalisation through a so-called $\tau$-invariance property provides a new solution-generating method. Along the way, we aim to demonstrate the importance of an interdisciplinary approach – grounded in General Relativity, Complex Analysis, and Operator Theory – for the study of gravitational field equations.