The quantum physics of chronology protection
Abstract
This is a brief survey of the current status of Stephen Hawking's ``chronology protection conjecture''. That is: ``Why does nature abhor a time machine?'' I'll discuss a few examples of spacetimes containing ``time machines'' (closed causal curves), the sorts of peculiarities that arise, and the reactions of the physics community. While pointing out other possibilities, this article concentrates on the possibility of ``chronology protection''. As Stephen puts it: ``It seems that there is a Chronology Protection Agency which prevents the appearance of closed timelike curves and so makes the universe safe for historians.''
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.gr-qc/0204022,
title = {The quantum physics of chronology protection},
author = {Matt Visser},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:gr-qc/0204022},
year = {2016}
}
Comments
CUP style: uses cmmp.cls; 18 pages; contribution to "The future of theoretical physics and cosmology", conference in honour of Professor Stephen Hawking on the occasion of his 60'th birthday. V2: Some references added