In the mathematical field of Lorentzian geometry, a Cauchy surface is a certain kind of submanifold of a Lorentzian manifold. In the application of Lorentzian geometry to the physics of general relativity, a Cauchy surface is usually interpreted as defining an "instant of time". In the mathematics of general relativity, Cauchy surfaces provide boundary conditions for the causal structure in which the Einstein equations can be solved (using, for example, the ADM formalism.)
They are named for French mathematician Augustin-Louis Cauchy (1789-1857) due to their relevance for the Cauchy problem of general relativity.