Averaged null energy condition in spacetimes with boundaries

Christopher J. Fewster, Ken D. Olum, and Michael J. Pfenning
Phys. Rev. D 75, 025007 – Published 10 January 2007

Abstract

The averaged null energy condition (ANEC) requires that the average along a complete null geodesic of the projection of the stress-energy tensor onto the geodesic tangent vector can never be negative. It is sufficient to rule out many exotic phenomena in general relativity. Subject to certain conditions, we show that the ANEC can never be violated by a quantized minimally coupled free scalar field along a complete null geodesic surrounded by a tubular neighborhood in which the geometry is flat and whose intrinsic causal structure coincides with that induced from the full spacetime. In particular, the ANEC holds in flat space with boundaries, as in the Casimir effect, for geodesics which stay a finite distance away from the boundary.

  • Figure
  • Received 4 September 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.75.025007

©2007 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Christopher J. Fewster*

  • Department of Mathematics, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom

Ken D. Olum

  • Institute of Cosmology, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA

Michael J. Pfenning

  • Department of Physics, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996, USA

  • *Electronic address: cjf3@york.ac.uk
  • Electronic address: kdo@cosmos.phy.tufts.edu
  • Electronic address: Michael.Pfenning@usma.edu

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 75, Iss. 2 — 15 January 2007

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review D

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×