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Title: Phantom energy traversable wormholes

Abstract

It has been suggested that a possible candidate for the present accelerated expansion of the Universe is 'phantom energy'. The latter possesses an equation of state of the form {omega}{identical_to}p/{rho}<-1, consequently violating the null energy condition. As this is the fundamental ingredient to sustain traversable wormholes, this cosmic fluid presents us with a natural scenario for the existence of these exotic geometries. 'Note, however, that the notion of phantom energy is that of a homogeneously distributed fluid. Nevertheless, it can be extended to inhomogeneous spherically symmetric spacetimes, and it is shown that traversable wormholes may be supported by phantom energy. Because of the fact of the accelerating Universe, macroscopic wormholes could naturally be grown from the submicroscopic constructions that originally pervaded the quantum foam. One could also imagine an advanced civilization mining the cosmic fluid for phantom energy necessary to construct and sustain a traversable wormhole. In this context, we investigate the physical properties and characteristics of traversable wormholes constructed using the equation of state p={omega}{rho}, with {omega}<-1. We analyze specific wormhole geometries, considering asymptotically flat spacetimes and imposing an isotropic pressure. We also construct a thin shell around the interior wormhole solution, by imposing the phantom energy equation ofmore » state on the surface stresses. Using the 'volume integral quantifier' we verify that it is theoretically possible to construct these geometries with vanishing amounts of averaged null energy condition violating phantom energy. Specific wormhole dimensions and the traversal velocity and time are also deduced from the traversability conditions for a particular wormhole geometry. These phantom energy traversable wormholes have far-reaching physical and cosmological implications. For instance, an advanced civilization may use these geometries to induce closed timelike curves, consequently violating causality.« less

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Centro de Astronomia e Astrofisica da Universidade de Lisboa (Portugal)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
20709082
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physical Review. D, Particles Fields
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 71; Journal Issue: 8; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.71.084011; (c) 2005 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0556-2821
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS; CAUSALITY; COSMOLOGY; EQUATIONS OF STATE; GEOMETRY; MATHEMATICAL SOLUTIONS; SPACE-TIME; STRESSES; UNIVERSE

Citation Formats

Lobo, Francisco S.N., and Campo Grande, Ed. C8 1749-016 Lisbon. Phantom energy traversable wormholes. United States: N. p., 2005. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.71.084011.
Lobo, Francisco S.N., & Campo Grande, Ed. C8 1749-016 Lisbon. Phantom energy traversable wormholes. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.71.084011
Lobo, Francisco S.N., and Campo Grande, Ed. C8 1749-016 Lisbon. 2005. "Phantom energy traversable wormholes". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.71.084011.
@article{osti_20709082,
title = {Phantom energy traversable wormholes},
author = {Lobo, Francisco S.N. and Campo Grande, Ed. C8 1749-016 Lisbon},
abstractNote = {It has been suggested that a possible candidate for the present accelerated expansion of the Universe is 'phantom energy'. The latter possesses an equation of state of the form {omega}{identical_to}p/{rho}<-1, consequently violating the null energy condition. As this is the fundamental ingredient to sustain traversable wormholes, this cosmic fluid presents us with a natural scenario for the existence of these exotic geometries. 'Note, however, that the notion of phantom energy is that of a homogeneously distributed fluid. Nevertheless, it can be extended to inhomogeneous spherically symmetric spacetimes, and it is shown that traversable wormholes may be supported by phantom energy. Because of the fact of the accelerating Universe, macroscopic wormholes could naturally be grown from the submicroscopic constructions that originally pervaded the quantum foam. One could also imagine an advanced civilization mining the cosmic fluid for phantom energy necessary to construct and sustain a traversable wormhole. In this context, we investigate the physical properties and characteristics of traversable wormholes constructed using the equation of state p={omega}{rho}, with {omega}<-1. We analyze specific wormhole geometries, considering asymptotically flat spacetimes and imposing an isotropic pressure. We also construct a thin shell around the interior wormhole solution, by imposing the phantom energy equation of state on the surface stresses. Using the 'volume integral quantifier' we verify that it is theoretically possible to construct these geometries with vanishing amounts of averaged null energy condition violating phantom energy. Specific wormhole dimensions and the traversal velocity and time are also deduced from the traversability conditions for a particular wormhole geometry. These phantom energy traversable wormholes have far-reaching physical and cosmological implications. For instance, an advanced civilization may use these geometries to induce closed timelike curves, consequently violating causality.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevD.71.084011},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/20709082}, journal = {Physical Review. D, Particles Fields},
issn = {0556-2821},
number = 8,
volume = 71,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2005},
month = {Fri Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2005}
}