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The taming of closed time-like curves

Rahul Biswas3, Esko Keski-Vakkuri1, Robert G. Leigh2,3, Sean Nowling3 and Eric Sharpe3

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We consider a Bbb R1,d/Bbb Z2 orbifold, where Bbb Z2 acts by time and space reversal, also known as the embedding space of the elliptic de Sitter space. The background has two potentially dangerous problems: time-nonorientability and the existence of closed time-like curves. We first show that closed causal curves disappear after a proper definition of the time function. We then consider the one-loop vacuum expectation value of the stress tensor. A naive QFT analysis yields a divergent result. We then analyze the stress tensor in bosonic string theory, and find the same result as if the target space would be just the Minkowski space Bbb R1,d, suggesting a zero result for the superstring. This leads us to propose a proper reformulation of QFT, and recalculate the stress tensor. We find almost the same result as in Minkowski space, except for a potential divergence at the initial time slice of the orbifold, analogous to a spacelike Big Bang singularity. Finally, we argue that it is possible to define local S-matrices, even if the spacetime is globally time-nonorientable.


Keywords

Renormalization Regularization and Renormalons

Discrete and Finite Symmetries

Bosonic Strings

 

E-print Number: hep-th/0304241

Cited: by |

Refers: to

PACS

11.10.Gh Renormalization

11.25.-w Strings and branes

11.55.-m S-matrix theory; analytic structure of amplitudes

11.30.Er Charge conjugation, parity, time reversal, and other discrete symmetries

Subjects

Particle physics and field theory

Dates

Issue 01 (January 2004)

Received 5 June 2003, accepted for publication 28 January 2004

Published 27 February 2004



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