Warp Drive Question

[Anaraxes]

Originally Posted by Minuteman37

Not necessarily, the kinds of energy that could hypothetically be required are staggering.

Seems to depend strongly on the details. That's true of Alcubierre's original metric, but other people have modified the metric to require much less energy. A mere three solar masses -- but wait, there's also a 700 kg solution -- and a modification of the 3 solar mass one that needs only a few milligrams of negative mass. Oscillating the field can also supposedly reduce the mass requirement. The amount of energy required doesn't seem to be a settled question. It depends on the exact shape and behavior of the warped area. Any solution to GR that we know of that allows FTL requires negative energy, but we don't really understand exactly how much or how it has to behave.

[Minuteman37]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

Seems to depend strongly on the details. That's true of Alcubierre's original metric, but other people have modified the metric to require much less energy. A mere three solar masses -- but wait, there's also a 700 kg solution -- and a modification of the 3 solar mass one that needs only a few milligrams of negative mass. Oscillating the field can also supposedly reduce the mass requirement. The amount of energy required doesn't seem to be a settled question. It depends on the exact shape and behavior of the warped area. Any solution to GR that we know of that allows FTL requires negative energy, but we don't really understand exactly how much or how it has to behave.

Yes I know, this is why I said could and not would.

[davester65]

Interesting, so negative mass may be needed to make it work. I'm not sure where I got the idea that an artificial gravity field would work. Maybe something I read about gravitational lensing, assuming that even means what I think it means. Or does that have to do with gravity bending light, not space itself? Or do they really know which is really being bent?

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by davester65

Interesting, so negative mass may be needed to make it work. I'm not sure where I got the idea that an artificial gravity field would work. Maybe something I read about gravitational lensing, assuming that even means what I think it means. Or does that have to do with gravity bending light, not space itself? Or do they really know which is really being bent?

Gravity doesn't "bend space". Gravity is bent space, distorted by the presence of mass. Light's path is altered by passage through the bent space, and under some circumstances, this is detectable.

[davester65]

Originally Posted by johndallman

Gravity doesn't "bend space". Gravity is bent space, distorted by the presence of mass. Light's path is altered by passage through the bent space, and under some circumstances, this is detectable.

Okay, thanks. That helps clear things up a bit.

[SRoach]

Something else you might want to read is "Warp Speed" by Travis Taylor.
He's an actual rocket scientist who decided to try his hand at writing fiction.
Avoid the second book, it's very Mary Sue.
I mean, the main character in the second book gets abducted by greys, and parleys that into a full, posthuman, upgrade package for him and his new girlfriend. (Actually, I think the upgrade might have been her idea.)