Averaged null energy condition in spacetimes with boundaries
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.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review D
- Pub Date:
- January 2007
- DOI:
- arXiv:
- arXiv:gr-qc/0609007
- Bibcode:
- 2007PhRvD..75b5007F
- Keywords:
-
- 03.70.+k;
- 04.20.Gz;
- Theory of quantized fields;
- Spacetime topology causal structure spinor structure;
- General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology;
- Mathematical Physics
- E-Print:
- 12 pages, 1 figure, revTex4 with pstricks figure. Revised to address concerns of referee. Two theorems added to summarize results. v3: add grant acknowledgment