Author： Cooperstock F. Tieu S.
Publisher： Springer Publishing Company
ISSN： 0015-9018
Source： Foundations of Physics, Vol.35, Iss.9, 2005-09, pp. : 1497-1509
Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.
Abstract
Gödel’s contention that closed timelike curves (CTC’s) are a necessary consequence of the Einstein equations for his metric is challenged. It is seen that the imposition of periodicity in a timelike coordinate is the actual source of CTC’s rather than the physics of general relativity. This conclusion is supported by the creation of Gödel-like CTC’s in flat space by the correct choice of coordinate system and identifications. Thus, the indications are that the notion of a time machine remains exclusively an aspect of science fiction fantasy. The element of the identification of spacetime points is also seen to be the essential factor in the modern creation of CTC’s in the Gott model of moving cosmic strings.
Related content
Closed Timelike Curves—Time and Again
Foundations of Physics, Vol. 40, Iss. 9-10, 2010-10 ,pp. :
Access to resources
Recommend
Reconsidering extra time-like dimensions
The European Physical Journal C - Particles and Fields, Vol. 47, Iss. 3, 2006-09 ,pp. :
By Holsztyński W. Mycielski J. O'Brien G. C. Świerczkowski S.
American Mathematical Monthly, Vol. 115, Iss. 2, 2008-02 ,pp. :
Size levels for simple closed curves
By West T.
Topology and its Applications, Vol. 126, Iss. 3, 2002-12 ,pp. :