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arXiv · hep-th/0601038

Casimir Energies and General Relativity Energy Conditions

N. Graham
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Abstract

Quantum systems often contain negative energy densities. In general relativity, negative energies lead to time advancement, rather than the usual time delay. As a result, some Casimir systems appear to violate energy conditions that would protect against exotic phenomena such as closed timelike curves and superluminal travel. However, when one examines a variety of Casimir systems using self-consistent approximations in quantum field theory, one finds that a particular energy condition is still obeyed, which rules out exotic phenomena. I will discuss the methods and results of these calculations in detail and speculate on their potential implications in general relativity.

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N. Graham. 2006-01-06. Casimir Energies and General Relativity Energy Conditions. https://doi.org/10.1088/0305-4470%2F39%2F21%2Fs37

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