2019/02/20 by Suvikranth Gera, Sandipan Sengupta
Physics and Astronomy · #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Classical mechanics #Closed timelike curve #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Degenerate energy levels #Dirac (video compression format) #Gravitational singularity #Interpretation (philosophy) #Mathematical physics #Metric (unit) #Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity Theories #Physics #Quantum mechanics #Spacetime #Theoretical physics #gr-qc #hep-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevd.99.124038
published as Phys. Rev. D 99, 124038 (2019) · 17 pages
arxiv created 2019/02/20 · openalex publication_date 2019/06/25 · arxiv updated 2019/07/03 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The problem of singularities associated with Dirac strings and closed timelike curves in classical solutions of pure gravity is analyzed here. A method to eliminate these is introduced and established first for the Taub-NUT geometry, which is superceded by a smooth solution of first order field equations. The resulting spacetime is defined to be a unique extension of the Taub universe to a degenerate metric phase. As an additional feature, this framework naturally provides a geometric interpretation of the magnetic charge in the absence of matter. Finally, exploiting the two phases of the metric determinant, we find a (smooth and unique) continuation of the Misner geometry as well, ridding it of closed timelike worldlines which exist in its otherwise Einsteinian manifestation.