Reduction of the characteristic initial value problem to the Cauchy problem and its applications to the Einstein equations

A method is described by means of which the characteristic initial value problem can be reduced to the Cauchy problem and examples are given of how it can be used in practice. As an application it is shown that the characteristic initial value problem for the Einstein equations in vacuum or with perfect fluid source is well posed when data are given on two transversely intersecting null hypersurfaces. A new discussion is given of the freely specifiable data for this problem.