The breakdown of quantum mechanics in the presence of time machinest

Dalia S. Goldwirth*, Malcolm J. Perry, Tsvi Piran

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

General Relativity allows for the existence of closed timelike curves. Various attempts have been made to exploit this possibility and build a "time machine," that is a spacetime that has closed timelike lines inside some compact domain. We examine a simple model of a time machine, and construct the quantum-mechanical propagator for free particles in the vicinity of the causality violating domain. We discover that it is impossible for such propagators to be consistent with the law of conservation of probability. We speculate on the possible deeper consequences of our calculations.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)7-13
Number of pages7
JournalGeneral Relativity and Gravitation
Volume25
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1993
Externally publishedYes

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