2008/08/31 by Gabriel Abreu, Matt Visser
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Algorithm #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Conjecture #Discrete mathematics #Hamiltonian (control theory) #Mathematical physics #Mathematics #Minkowski space #Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity Theories #Physics #Quantum #Quantum Electrodynamics and Casimir Effect #Quantum mechanics #Theoretical physics #gr-qc
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevd.79.065004
published as Physical Review D 79 (2009) 065004 · V1: 8 pages, revtex4; V2: 10 pages, some technical changes in details of the argument, no change in physics conclusions, this version essentially identical to published version
arxiv created 2009/03/05 · openalex publication_date 2009/03/05 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The so-called ``quantum inequalities,'' and the ``quantum interest conjecture,'' use quantum field theory to impose significant restrictions on the temporal distribution of the energy density measured by a timelike observer, potentially preventing the existence of exotic phenomena such as ``Alcubierre warp drives'' or ``traversable wormholes.'' Both the quantum inequalities and the quantum interest conjecture can be reduced to statements concerning the existence or nonexistence of bound states for a certain one-dimensional quantum mechanical pseudo-Hamiltonian. Using this approach, we shall provide a simple variational proof of one version of the quantum interest conjecture in (3+1)-dimensional Minkowski space.