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The unphysical nature of "Warp Drive"

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arxiv gr-qc/9702026 v3 pith:EIN4U7EE submitted 1997-02-13 gr-qc

Michael J. Pfenning , L.H. Ford This is my paper · ORCID
classification gr-qc
keywords warpdrivemetricwillbubbleenergyneededable
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We will apply the quantum inequality type restrictions to Alcubierre's warp drive metric on a scale in which a local region of spacetime can be considered ``flat''. These are inequalities that restrict the magnitude and extent of the negative energy which is needed to form the warp drive metric. From this we are able to place limits on the parameters of the ``Warp Bubble''. It will be shown that the bubble wall thickness is on the order of only a few hundred Planck lengths. Then we will show that the total integrated energy density needed to maintain the warp metric with such thin walls is physically unattainable.

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Cited by 4 Pith papers

Reviewed papers in the Pith corpus that reference this work. Sorted by Pith novelty score. Full citation record

  1. Steering a warp drive without exotic matter

    gr-qc 2026-06 unverdicted novelty 7.0 of 10

    A positive-energy steerable warp drive is constructed by matching the Kinnersley photon rocket to a flat passenger worldtube, with acceleration controlled by Bondi mass loss obeying a closed-form law.

  2. Observer-robust energy condition verification for warp drive spacetimes

    gr-qc 2026-02 accept novelty 7.0 of 10

    Warpax toolkit demonstrates that observer-robust optimization finds more extensive and severe energy-condition violations in warp drive metrics than single-frame Eulerian analysis.

  3. On the boundary cost of source-consistent warp shells

    gr-qc 2026-05 unverdicted novelty 5.0 of 10

    Source-consistent warp shells fail energy conditions at the source-vacuum boundary in all examined constructions and parameter scans.

  4. The Warp Drive: Superluminal Travel within General Relativity

    gr-qc 2025-08 reject novelty 3.0 of 10

    Coupled fluid sources to the Alcubierre warp drive metric yield Einstein equation solutions, some satisfying energy conditions, but none forming a localized warp bubble.

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