Lorentzian Wormholes: From Einstein to HawkingDrawing on pivotal work by Einstein, Wheeler, Thorne, Hawking, and others, Matt Visser charts the development and current state of Lorentzian wormhole physics. Dr. Visser shows that by pushing established physical theories to their limits, it is possible to deduce the true physics of such exotica as wormholes and time travel. The physical framework he uses is derived from one of the major research frontiers of modern theoretical physics: quantum gravity the intersection of classical Einstein gravity and quantum field theory. About the Author Matt Visser is Research Assistant Professor at Washington University, St. Louis. He has lectured in the United States and abroad on topics including wormhole physics, time travel, and the chronology protection conjecture. He has conducted postdoctoral research at both the University of Southern California and at Los Alamos National Laboratory. |
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analysis ANEC asymptotically flat region averaged null energy black hole calculation causal curves chronology horizon chronology protection chronology-violating region classical closed timelike curves consider constraints construction coordinate cos² cosmic strings cosmological constant defined definition denotes discussion dominant energy conditions ds² dt² Einstein equations Einstein field equations Einstein tensor Einstein-Rosen energy density Euclidean event horizon Exercise exotic matter formalism four-velocity function geometry globally gravitational field Hawking and Ellis hypersurfaces implies infinity Lorentzian metric machine manifold mass Minkowski space motion nonzero null curve null energy condition null geodesics paradoxes particle physics quantization quantum field theory quantum gravity quantum mechanics radial radius Reissner-Nordström relativity result Riemann tensor scalar Schwarzschild second fundamental form semiclassical sin² solution spacelike spacetime containing spatial stress-energy tensor surface technical theorem time-shift topology topology change traversable wormhole universe vacuum vector field violated Vleck determinant wormhole mouths wormhole throat zero point