Bernard Paul Badham's
Quark Physics Website
Quantum Field Theory of Gravity
Warp Drive Theory
The Dream of Interstellar Space Flight
Since the dawn of science fiction it has been the schoolboy dream to travel to the stars and visit other planets. Our space exploration over the last 50 years have demonstrated both the cost and difficulties of manned space flight. The Appollo 11 landing on the Moon, our nearest neighbour in space, seemed the pinnacle of our achievements in space, since then we have had various shuttle missions to the International Space Station and sent various probes to photograph and measure the planets. Rover's on Mars and pictures of other worlds in our solar system have given us tantalising sights, but we are still left wondering when will there ever be a concerted international effort to send a manned mission to Mars and explore other worlds. The problems of planetary spaceflight even within our own solar system are enormous. The detrimental long term affects on the human body in space have already been medically analysed and catalogued. Then there are the psychological and physical problems associated with long term space flight: boredom, isolation, personal space, illness, exercise in simulated 'g' and of course the dangers of mechanical systems failure.
There is also the tremendous cost of lifting heavy payloads into space to make space flight to the planets possible.
The difficulies of exploring our own solar system and the possibility of travelling the almost insumountable distances to the stars seems out of reach, still just a dream.
Although space agencies have been working on different and less costly space drive systems, we all know that in the end there are two major problems asscociated with space travel:
Lifting payloads against Earth's gravity and the need for near light speed, or greater if that were possible, spaceflight.
Our one hope remains: the science fiction concept of warp drive.
The Concepts and Problems of Warp Drives
Before science fiction can become science fact there are numerous problems associated with the concept of warp drive:
1. How can space-time be warped.
2. By Einstein's theory of relativity it is impossible to travel at the speed of light or greater.
3. The inertial effects on human occupants of the warp drive space ship when accelerating to near light speeds or greater.
I will start with the concept of warp drive first:
The Warp Drive Concept
The basic concept of warp drive is simple: instead of accelerating a space ship through space-time with a traditional rocket thrust propulsion sytem, where the limit is the speed of light, accelerate space-time around the space ship, where there are no limits to the speed. This acceleration of space-time means contracting space-time in front of the space ship and stretching it behind the ship. The result of this warping of space-time around the ship means that the ship is accelerated forwards. This is the same effect as falling in a gravitaional field which according toEinstein is the very nature of gravity - a warping of space-time:
I will use these definitions for warped space-time:
Flat undistorted space-time = zero gravitational field = no gravitating mass-energy present.
Contracted (positively distorted) space-time = an attractive gravitational field - this needs normal (positve) mass energy to do this.
Stretched (negatively distorted) space-time = a repulsive gravitational field - this needs (negative) mass energy to do this.
An Alcubierre warp drive would use negative energy to expand spacetime behind the starship
while contracting it in front. Credit: David Darling/Internet Encyclopedia of Science.
In principle this seems straight forward, but how can sufficient mass-energy be provided in order to distort space-time, it takes the whole mass-energy of the Earth to provide a space-time distortion equivalent to a gravitaional acceleration of only 9.81m/s/s. Even if this were possible it would take almost a whole year at this acceleration to get to near light speed. Then there is the other problem: we know that ordinary matter (mass-energy) generates a positive accelerating, contracted field, how can we generate negative mass to generate a repulsive, stretched field??
'To create a 100-meter warp bubble of the sort that might hold a reasonably sized starship could be achieved with a negative mass equivalent of 10 to the power of 62 kilograms.'
(The mass of the of our enormous sun is only 10 to the power of 30 kilograms)
As you can see this is part of problem number 1: How can space-time be warped? This we will come back to later.
See: Warp Drive: A Cottage Industry Emerges
Problem 3: Inertial Effects of Acceleration
This is the classic Star Trek problem for the Enterprise and its crew when jumping to warp speed. In order to avoid the extreme effects of rapid acceleration the crew turn on a device called 'the inertial dampers' which prevent them from being squashed to a pulp at the back of the room when the Enterprise engages warp drive. We have all experienced the effects of inertia when inside a motor vehicle which suddently brakes, we are thrown forwards, similarly when in a sports car which accelerates rapidly or during take off in a jet plane we are thrown back in our seats. This is due to the mass of a body which resists change in motion, this resistance of a mass to change in motion is what we call inertia. Wiki defines it as:
'In common usage, however, people may also use the term "inertia" to refer to an object's "amount of resistance to change in velocity" (which is quantified by its mass), or sometimes to its momentum, depending on the context (e.g. "this object has a lot of inertia"). The term "inertia" is more properly understood as shorthand for "the principle of inertia" as described by Newton in his First Law of Motion. This law, expressed simply, says that an object that is not subject to any net external force moves at a constant velocity. In even simpler terms, inertia means that an object will always continue moving at its current speed and in its current direction until some force causes its speed or direction to change. This would include an object that is not in motion (speed = zero), which will remain at rest until some force causes it to move.'
I remember seeing a documentary about the science behind the Star Trek series, when the science advisors were asked how the inertial dampers worked, they replied something like: 'We don't have a clue, we just know that we need them.'
I had been thinking about this problem for some time, if we ever invent a warp drive and build a spaceship that is capable of accelerating to near light speeds or greater, how can we prevent the crew from certain death by being thrown to the back of their seats by tremendous 'g' forces? This problem seemed insurmountable and so I left it alone. It was a few days later when lying half asleep under the sun on a beach in Cyprus, when a beautiful thought came to me:
'In free fall all objects fall (accelerate) at the same rate, a body in free fall is at perfect rest.'
Imagine, if a space ship and the crew inside were falling under gravity, they would all fall at the same rate: THERE WOULD BE NO INERTIAL EFFECTS!
This is wonderful I thought, if our warp drive created a distortion of space time inside, around and in front of the ship, then the space ship AND the crew would be falling (accelerating) forwards in this artificilly created gravitational field at the same rate! The crew would appear weightless inside the cabin, just like someone inside a lift which is in freefall.
It seems therefore that our warp drive has to be able to distort space-time around the WHOLE SHIP and CREW, if this is done the effects of inertia do not exist and there is no inertial problem.
Next: How to create a negative (repulsive) warp field - without the need for negative mass-energy.
Thusday 23rd July 2009
Gravitational Distortion of Space-Time
In order create a positive (attractive) or negative (repulsive) gravitational field we must be able to distort, warp or bend space-time, but what exactly is space-time? We are used to it being described as composing of four mathematical dimensions, the three dimensions of space and the fourth of time, which in physical geometry is hard to visualise. It is clear that space-time has physical substance (see Gravity Diary) and that the nature of the space vacuum is fundamentally electromagnetic in nature. It also seems that space and time are inseparable phenomena, which we combine together in General Relativity as space-time. Another point: In order to bend space-time there must be some physical phenomena to bend!
This difficult to visualize enigma of space-time needs some unravelling before we can proceed any further. Let's look first at the three dimensions of space:
The Space Vacuum
Space has the three dimensions that we are familiar with: a circle on flat paper is in two dimensions: vertical and horizontal and component directions of these two, but a spherical ball has three dimensions, the other two and a third at right angles to the other two. So in 3D space we can move in any direction: up and down (D1), left and right (D2) and forwards and backwards (D3) and in any component of these three.
To move through space we move through a distance (length) in a given time and while we are moving we say we have velocity - Ha!
So it takes time to move through the 3 dimensions of space.
Here is a quote from H.G.Wells: The Time Machine:
'Don't follow you,' said Filby.
'Can a cube that does not last for any time at all, have a real
existence?'
Filby became pensive. 'Clearly,' the Time Traveller proceeded, 'any
real body must have extension in _four_ directions: it must have
Length, Breadth, Thickness, and--Duration. But through a natural
infirmity of the flesh, which I will explain to you in a moment, we
incline to overlook this fact. There are really four dimensions,
three which we call the three planes of Space, and a fourth, Time.
There is, however, a tendency to draw an unreal distinction between
the former three dimensions and the latter, because it happens that
our consciousness moves intermittently in one direction along the
latter from the beginning to the end of our lives.'
'That,' said a very young man, making spasmodic efforts to relight
his cigar over the lamp; 'that ... very clear indeed.'
These three physical properties of space-time and therefore the physical nature of the universe is summed up in the first formula you learn in school physics:
velocity = distance/time
As I tell my students at the time: 'You are about to learn the most fundamental equation in physics and one which describes the three fold nature of our universe.'
It is obvious that if we move through space we must be moving through something - 3D space is not simply a mathematical concept, it is not simply geometry although these are the tools which we use to describe it. The equation 4/3piR^3 describes the shape of a spherical ball, but it is not the ball itself, the ball has substance and physical properties - which can be measured.
Likewise space can be measured: we measure the physical distance (length) between one point in space and another.
So what is space made of? This we need to undertsand in order to be able to distort it.
The substance of space may be best understood by looking at its properties:
Mass particles can travel through space at various velocities and so can light at its fixed speed of (c).
It takes no force at all to move through the space vacuum at a constant velocity (newton's 1st Law), but try and accelerate through it and you meet with resistance, the inertia of mass - to accelerate through the space vacuum requires a force (Newton's 2nd Law), in fact any change in motion, including velocity direction, requires a force.
It is this last property which gives us insight into the nature of the space vacuum.
When a mass particle is moving at a constant speed and direction through the space vacuum it must be in equilibrium with the electromagnetic nature of space - this has been explained by other physicists in terms of Doppler effects between the electromagnetic standing wave particle and the electromagnetic nature of space, it is only when there is an acceleration of the electromagnetic standing wave particle, a change in speed or direction or both, that there is a shift in the Doppler effects between matter and space. This shift causes a drag force (Fd) on the mass equal and oppisite to the accelerating force (Fa) exeerted on the mass.
Newton's 2nd Law: Fa = mass x acceleration
Therefor the electromagnetic drag force exerted by the space vacuum Fd = -Fa
It is obvious that this drag force is directly proportional to the mass (m) and the acceleration (a) of the mass particle.
The electromanetic substance of the space vacuum give particles their inertial mass (mi).
But what is the physical nature of this electromagnetic space vacuum substance? It is obviously something through which electromagnetic waves can travel at the speed of light (c) and mass particles at various velocities below (c). Light experiences no drag force when travelling through the space vacuum, but somehow the space vacuum limits its speed.
In a gravitational field according to General Relativity space and time are distorted (warped) time runs slower and lengths are contracted equally, which means that a beam of light will appear to have the same speed (c) since speed = length/time.
To an observer in the gravitational field if he measures the time (slower) it takes for a beam of light to traverse a meter rule (shorter) the observer will get the same anser for the speed of light (c).
But wait a minute! If another observer is in a non-distorted, flat, zero gravtiational field he will see the beam of light that the other obsever is measuring as moving at less than (c). He understands fully why the observer in the gravitational field gets an answer equal to (c), because he sees that his metre rule is shorter and that his clock is running slower.
Space and time dilation are real physical effects, so you see the speed of light is a constant only if measured by the observer in the same space (inertial frame) that the beam of light propagates.
But wait another minute! If the speed of light is altered by a gravitational field and since time is change at the speed of light, then time also runs slower.
In a nutshell a gravitaional field (warped space-time) is a channge in the physical substance of the space vacuum which:
1. Slows down the speed of light.
2. Since time is change at the speed of light, slows down time.
3. Distances are contracted.
4. The speed of light appears the same, because although light travels a shorter distance it does so at a slower speed.
This is therefore why light speed, space and time are all linked.
Change the physcial substanc of space and you change the speed of light and hence time.
But why are lengths contacted? This must mean that in a gravitational field the substance of space must be contracted in which the ruler sits. If the subtance of space is contracted, then the substance of space along the gravitaional field lines must be squashed and of course for a substance which is squashed this means that the substance of space is more dense.
In a gravtitational field (warped space and hence time) there must be an increase in the electromagnetic energy density (Ev) of the space vacuum.
This is reflected in the equation which links the electric (E0) and magnetic (U0)properties of free space:
c squared = 1/(E0U0)
Increase these electromgnetic 'density' constant of free space and the speed of light is reduced.
To summarise this first engagement of what is curved space-time we can see that in a gravitational field the space vacuum electromagnetic energy density is increased, thus contracting lengths, reducing the speed of light and hence slowing down time. To the observer in the warped space time all appears normal and the speed of light equals c, and since the speed of light is reduced, the electromagnetic interactions in the physical world, including his brain will also run slower and although time is running slower he will observe no difference at all.
To warp space-time positively we just have to increase the electromagnetic energyy density of the space vacuum.
To warp space time negatively we have to reduce this space vacuum energy density.
Next: What is the physical nature of the space vacuum electromagnetic energy density and how is this related to
Newton's Universal Gravitational constant big G!
The warp drive: hyper-fast travel within general relativity
Authors: Miguel Alcubierre
"It is shown how, within the framework of general relativity and without the introduction of wormholes, it is possible to modify a spacetime in a way that allows a spaceship to travel with an arbitrarily large speed. By a purely local expansion of spacetime behind the spaceship and an opposite contraction in front of it, motion faster than the speed of light as seen by observers outside the disturbed region is possible. The resulting distortion is reminiscent of the ``warp drive'' of science fiction. However, just as it happens with wormholes, exotic matter will be needed in order to generate a distortion of spacetime like the one discussed here."
LINKS
Here you will find more papers on the possiblity of warp drive and faster than light space travel.
Historical context of my Quantum Field Theory of Gravity
These web pages are devoted to developing a quantum field theory of gravity.
I have been investigating the physical nature of gravity for many years by theory and by some experiment,
it was early in January 2008 at the advice of my son Luke, that many of these ideas were first written down in my book
'A Watched Kettle Never Boils.'
As a result of formulating and explaining my ideas on the physical nature of gravity into logical sequence for the reader a more complete picture
began to emerge and to eventually crystalise into a quantum field thoery of gravity, uniting both classical and quantum mechanics.
Recent experiments carried out by myself and my colleagues based on my quatum field theory model of gravity have been both
exciting and promising confirming so far my model for the physical nature and fundamental cause of gravity.
This web site is the property of Bernard Paul Badham
Copyright © 2009 by Bernard Paul Badham
All rights reserved. No portion of this website may be reproduced - mechanically, electronically,
or by any other means, including photocopying - without written permission of the author.