ANALYTIC DESCRIPTION OF SINGULARITIES IN GOWDY SPACETIMES

We use the Fuchsian algorithm to construct singular solutions of Einst ein's equations which belong to the class of Gowdy spacetimes. The sol utions have the maximum number of arbitrary functions. Special cases c orrespond to polarized or other known solutions. The method provides p recise asymptotics at the singularity, which is Kasner-like. All of th ese solutions are asymptotically velocity-dominated, The results accou nt for the fact that solutions with velocity parameter uniformly great er than one are not observed numerically. They also provide a justific ation of formal expansions proposed by Grubisic and Moncrief.