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arxiv: gr-qc/9805003 · v2 · submitted 1998-05-01 · 🌀 gr-qc

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Superluminal travel requires negative energies

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classification 🌀 gr-qc
keywords travelsuperluminalrequiresdefinitionfaster-than-lightnegativepathviolation
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I investigate the relationship between faster-than-light travel and weak-energy-condition violation, i.e., negative energy densities. In a general spacetime it is difficult to define faster-than-light travel, and I give an example of a metric which appears to allow superluminal travel, but in fact is just flat space. To avoid such difficulties, I propose a definition of superluminal travel which requires that the path to be traveled reach a destination surface at an earlier time than any neighboring path. With this definition (and assuming the generic condition) I prove that superluminal travel requires weak-energy-condition violation.

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Cited by 1 Pith paper

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

  1. Energy conditions in static, spherically symmetric spacetimes and effective geometries

    gr-qc 2026-04 unverdicted novelty 5.0

    A logarithmic correction to Schwarzschild in static spherical symmetry obeys all classical energy conditions and serves as an effective exterior for horizon-bearing and horizonless compact objects.