A short video clip of the hypothetical effects of the warp drive. A realistic solution to warp drive without exotic energy by. But warp drive or any other term for fasterthanlight travel still remains at the level of speculation. Apr 03, 2009 warp drives probably impossible after all caption just when i was getting excited about the possibility of travelling to distant worlds, scientists have uncovered a deep flaw with fasterthan. The alcubierre drive, alcubierre warp drive, or alcubierre metric referring to metric tensor is a. Aug 10, 2016 humanity may not need a warp drive to go interstellar. Wikimedia commons has media related to warp drive theory the main article for this category is warp drive. Conclusions a warp drive would, not only, allow travel faster than the speed of light but warping spacetime could also reduce or. One of the key plot devices in nearly every star trek episode and movie is the ability of starships to travel at lightspeed and beyond. The concept of a warp drive or warp field, while originally more a science fiction concept has since the advent of dr. Hyperfast travel within general relativity however. The starships warp drive, powered by antimatter, also has this problem. A new approach richard k obousy and gerald cleaver.
A few months ago, physicist harold white stunned the aeronautics world when he announced that he and his team at nasa had begun work on the development of a fasterthanlight warp drive. A short list diametric, bias, disjunction and pitch drives, all of which involve creating a gradient in spacetime that is mobile. Energy conditions in general relativity and quantum field theory. It sounds sciencefictiony, and it is warp drive doesnt actually exist. Sep 17, 2012 faster than light travel may actually be possible using a warp drive to bend space around a starship. By using the arnowittdesermisner formalism we then reformulate an extended extrinsic curvature which corre. He attempts to perturb the geometry of the warp bubble i.
The bulk of scientific knowledge concludes that its impossible, especially when considering einsteins theory of relativity. Einsteins general relativity theory say that faster. The space ship continually creates a negative warp attractive wave trough in front of the ship using massenergy and a positive repulsive wave crest warp behind the ship using negative massenergy. The actual pitch of the propeller will be determined by the design speed of. Einsteins 1915 publication of general theory of relativity gave rise to a set of ten equations, known collectively as the einsteinfieldequations. The present invention relates to the use of technical drive systems, which operate by the modification of gravitational fields.
However, in theory, some version of this propulsion system could be created from the ideagiven enough time, money, and materials. It remains at the rest inside the so called warp bubble. The theory of quantum mechanics predicts that empty. International scholarly research notices 20 article. These drive systems do not depend on the emission of matter to create thrust but create a change in the curvature of spacetime, in accordance with general relativity. They even named the warp drive the alcubierre drive and with good reason. Lewis, and philip obyrne sydney institute for astronomy, school of physics, a28, the university of sydney, nsw 2006, australia dated. Bernd schneider the physics and technology of warp propulsion.
Chapter 7 appendix, finally, provides a collection of constants, a glossary of terms and a reference list. The alcubierre drive is fasterthanlight travel possible. Since the theory includes currents which are higher order contributions than the energy densities, and, hence, experimental tests of the theory appear to be feasible ringermacher, 1998. Is the natario warp drive a valid candidate for an interstellar.
Certain kinds of hypothetical spacetimes called warp drives, which in a sense can be said to admit a kind of fasterthanlight inertialess and timedilationless travel, have been studied by some theoretical physicists since about 1990. Alcubierre see bibliography used, as the first mathematical example of a warp drive, the function. Humanity may not need a warp drive to go interstellar. We divide r00 and r33 by ar and br respectively and combine our results. How nasa might build its very first warp drive io9. Warp drives probably impossible after all caption just when i was getting excited about the possibility of travelling to distant worlds, scientists have uncovered a deep flaw with fasterthan. This paper utilizes a recent model which relates the cosmological constant to the casimir energy of the extra dimensions in braneworld theories. Towards a more realistic gravitomagnetic displacement drive by. Any drastic change in one of the tensors can greatly a. Warp drives have not been the sole interest of theoretical physicists as was demonstrated by the formation of the nasa breakthrough propulsion program and the british aerospace project greenglow, both of whose purpose was to investigate and expand on these ideas re garding exotic. Nov 07, 2016 the results of a nasa test into warp drive technology have been leaked onto the internet and apparently show it is possible. Traveling through time is the objective of the warp drive, which warps space so it takes less time to traverse great distances.
With its new propulsion this ship was able to reach and survey the transition zone at the extreme boundaries of the solar system. The warp drive knows which way is forward because some of the stress and momentum density components of the stress energy tensor are antisymmetric with respect to flips in the direction of travel. Warp drive, general relativity, extra space dimensions, dark energy. An extended version of the natario warp drive equation based. A simple explanation of how a real warp drive could work asteronx in this video we discuss how warp drives work. On paper, it is a highly speculative, but possibly valid, solution of the einstein field equations, specifically how space, time and. Using theoretical physics to place ultimate bounds on technology william a. February 8, 2008 abstract certain classes of higher dimensional models suggest that the casimir e. A warp field, or subspace displacement field, was the means by which a warp drive propelled a starship at fasterthanlight or warp factor speeds. The useable range of pitch on the warp drive propeller is between a minimum of 6 degrees and a maximum of 20 degrees at the tip of the blade. Also, the nature of the warp drive, which is more like a hyperdrive in these physics there are subtle differences, works with the frequencies of space and time itself, which can travel independently of normal spacetime. The reader then progress to a general description of a warp drive metric, which acts an an.
I will show there exists a positive only energy solution to the original warp metric that utilizes an inflation field based false vacuum state. Government warp drive research borders on impossible. If you have a constructive opinion, question, or would like to participate, please feel free to make first contact. This paper first summarizes the theory of general relativity, and then applies the equations of general relativity to motion near the surface of the earth. Other drawbacks that affects the warp drive geometry are the collisions. This page discusses the theoretical physics behind the basic physics warp drive which may yield possible mechanisms for interstellar travel. Us200301143a1 technical and theoretical specifications. May 20, 20 the starships warp drive, powered by antimatter, also has this problem. Apparent speed york time is measure of expansioncontraction of space energy density. In this project, we propose that a utilization of optimization techniques will provide the appropriate geometry of the warp bubble.
The main characteristics of the resulting warp drive remain the same as in. Nasa discusses its warp drive research, prepares to create. Aug 20, 20 late last year, it emerged that a small team of nasa researchers were working on warp drive technology in the lab. The theory of gravitation, developed by albert einstein, established the standard principle that the gravitational attractionbetweentwogivenmassesisadirectresultofthesesupposedmasseswarpingspaceandtime. Miguel alcubierre is a theoretical physicist famous for the warp field theory. Warp drives probably impossible after all universe today. The fastest spacecraft we have created is the new horizons probe, an interplanetary spacecraft that reached speeds of 16 kms as it passed pluto in july 2016 1. The concept of a warp drive or warp field, while originally more a. This allows travel by warping spacetime to produce an independent warp drive system. At the transplanking boundary we find part of that answer when we combine it. The space ship is being continually pushed and pulled in effect riding a spacetime warp wave. A traveler using alcubierres warp drive is not required to, say, accelerate to 0. An examination of warp theory and technology to determine the state of the art and feasibility.
Led by harold sonny white, the team devised a variation of the alcubierre warp. Because objects within the bubble are not moving locally faster than light, the mathematical formulation of the alcubierre. The next section consists of a detailed discussion of the alcubierre warp drives. This warp drive engine is based on the theory when photons collide.
Nov 16, 2012 humanitys most plausible warp drive theory might be better at blowing up stars than getting us from point a to point b. There are certainly some credible concepts in scientific literature. Conformal gravity and the alcubierre warp drive metric hindawi. If the theory is correct we may see a working prototype within 20 years. An examination of warp theory and technology to determine.
Pdf an examination of warp theory and technology to. Ever since the sound barrier was broken, people have turned their attention to how we can break the light speed barrier. But when negative energy or mass socalled exotic matter bends spacetime, all sorts of amazing phenomena might become possible. Oct 28, 2015 inspired by gene roddenberrys star trek, physicist miguel alcubierre set out to transform one of the cornerstones of science fiction iconography, the warp drive, into reality. Obousy and gerald cleaver department of physics, baylor university, waco, tx 76706 254 366 6766. Heres another warp drive design brought to my attention. Abstract the serious study of such science ction staples as wormholes, time travel, and the warp drive, as a means of understanding and. The alcubierre drive, alcubierre warp drive, or alcubierre metric referring to metric tensor is a speculative idea based on a solution of einsteins field equations in general relativity as proposed by mexican theoretical physicist miguel alcubierre, by which a spacecraft could achieve apparent fasterthanlight travel if a configurable energydensity field lower than that of vacuum that is. The alcubierre warp field and anti matter 2020 youtube. Supersymmetry breaking casimir warp drive richard k.
The warp drive is powered by matterantimatter reactions, which are regulated by a substance called dilithium. The warp drive metrics, in a cartesian type coordinate chart are given by the line element x, y, and z are the components of a vector field defined in euclidean 3space. Late last year, it emerged that a small team of nasa researchers were working on warp drive technology in the lab. Jan 20, 2017 in physics, it is what is known as the alcubierre warp drive. Jan 14, 2020 this happens thanks to a propulsion system known as warp drive. A warp drive is a theoretical superluminal spacecraft propulsion system in many science fiction works, most notably star trek and much of isaac asimovs work. A realistic solution to warp drive without exotic energy. Humanitys most plausible warp drive theory might be better at blowing up stars than getting us from point a to point b. Paul karl hoiland transtator industries milbridge, me 04658. Pdf the prospects for a realistic engineered warp drive are currently within the realms of scientific speculation. The studies came out of a program that also funded research into ufo sightings. Reduced energy requirements for warp drive loup, waite. As such the organization of this ebook is presented so that the reader.
This happens thanks to a propulsion system known as warp drive. Unclassifiedfor official use only warp drive, dark energy, and the manipulation of extr dimensions introduction if 011 is to realistically entertain the notion of interstellar exploration in. Harold sonny white nasa johnson space center 2101 nasa parkway, mc ep4 houston, tx 77058 email. In may 1994 he published a paper titled the warp drive. Request pdf warpdrive metrics and the yilmaz theory concepts for faster thanlight warp drives and wormholes have been conceived within the framework. Department of physics and astronomy, university of wales, college of cardi. This fundamental law is not affected by the theories of relativity. An examination of warp theory and technology to determine the state of the art and feasibility conference paper pdf available august 2019 with 3,282 reads how we measure reads. Afrlpredtr20040024 advanced propulsion study eric w. The us department of defense funded a series of studies on advanced aerospace technologies, including warp drives. An explanation of the alcubierrewhite warp drive asteronx. Warp drives are solutions of the einstein field equations that allows. The warp coils are typically enclosed in what the star trek writers. New calculations suggest such a vehicle would require less energy than once thought.
The warp drive machined aluminum center hub is easily assembled and allows the user to infinitely adjust the pitch of the blades. Faster than light travel may actually be possible using a warp drive to bend space around a starship. Pdf an examination of warp theory and technology to determine. The warp drive is a type of propulsion system capable of driving ships at speeds higher than the speed of light. Specifically, rather than using an active force to achieve a reaction force to provide motion, this drive manipulates the geometry of space itself to achieve relative movement. Figure 2 shows the relative change in energy density for several warp bubble wall thicknesses. Las vegas, nv 89120 september 2004 special report approved for public release.
In physics, it is what is known as the alcubierre warp drive. The energy density is exactly zero along the xaxis. February 28, 2012 the alcubierre warp drive allows a spaceship to travel at an arbitrarily large global velocity by. Nasa reveals latest warpdrive ship designs iflscience. It sounds sciencefictiony, and it iswarp drive doesnt actually exist. According to science fiction literature, such speeds are possible by a mechanism capable of generating a distortion in the spacetime such that it is folded, or warped.
The alcubierre drive or alcubierre warp drive or alcubierre metric, referring to metric tensor is a speculative idea based on a solution of einsteins field equations in general relativity as proposed by theoretical physicist miguel alcubierre, by which a spacecraft could achieve apparent fasterthanlight travel if a configurable energydensity field lower than that of vacuum that is. This reaction creates highlyenergetic plasma known as electroplasma, a type of matter with its own magnetic field, which reacts with the starships warp coils. One aspect that could changes all this is the discovery of a breakthrough method of propulsion physics such as proposed for the famed warp drive of science fiction, now the subject of rigorous. A subsection of the general theory of relativity, which utilizes spacetime as a form of propulsion.
Nasa discusses its warp drive research, prepares to create a. Thegeneralized warpdrive concept in theegrtheory patrick marquet. Everett department of physics and astronomy, tufts university, medford, massachusetts 02155 received 14 september 1995. Abstract it is shown how, within the framework of general relativity and without the intro.
Alcubierre recently exhibited a spacetime which, within the framework of general relativity, allows travel at. Bernd schneider the physics and technology of warp. Warp drive and wormholes are two examples which rely on known solutions to the equations of general relativity, but other concepts have been proposed that are much more speculative. Warp drive more possible than thought, scientists say space. A spacecraft equipped with a warp drive may travel at speeds greater than that of light by many orders of magnitude. Generated by field coils, usually found in nacelles, the field surrounded the ship, causing the space around the ship to distort by the creation of. Warpdrive metrics and the yilmaz theory request pdf. The illustrations below show a spacecraft being accelerated while enclosed within an artificially generated warp bubble. Space contraction in front of ship space expansion behind ship location of ship proper shell thickness parameter shell size parameter shaping function.
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