On the warp drive space-time

Abstract

In this paper the problem of the quantum stability of the two-dimensional warp drive spacetime moving with an apparent faster than light velocity is considered. We regard as a maximum extension beyond the event horizon of that spacetime its embedding in a three-dimensional Minkowskian space with the topology of the corresponding Misner space. It is obtained that the interior of the spaceship bubble becomes then a multiply connected nonchronal region with closed timelike curves and that the most natural vacuum allows quantum fluctuations which do not induce any divergent behaviour of the re-normalized stress-energy tensor, even on the event (Cauchy) chronology horizon. In such a case, the horizon encloses closed timelike curves only at scales close to the Planck length, so that the warp drive satisfies the Ford's negative energy-time inequality. Also found is a connection between the superluminal two-dimensional warp drive space and two-dimensional gravitational kinks. This connection allows us to generalize the considered Alcubierre metric to a standard, nonstatic metric which is only describable on two different coordinate patches

7 pages, minor comment on chronology protection added, RevTex, to appear in Phys. Rev. D

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• Influence of anisotropic matter on the Alcubierre metric and other related metrics: revisiting the problem of negative energy
• The entangled accelerating universe
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• Investigation into Compactified Dimensions: Casimir Energies and Phenomenological Aspects
• Simulating superluminal propagation of Dirac particles using trapped ions
• Visualization and analysis of the curvature invariants in the Alcubierre warp-drive spacetime
• A Closer Look at Natário's Zero-Expansion Warp Drive
• Traversable Achronal Retrograde Domains In Spacetime
• Computation and Spacetime Structure
• Casimir energy and the possibility of higher dimensional manipulation