In general relativity, traversable wormholes are possible provided they do not represent shortcuts in the spacetime. Einstein equations, together with the achronal averaged null energy condition, demand to take longer for an observer to go through the wormhole than through the ambient space. This forbids wormholes connecting two distant regions in the space. The situation is different when higher-curvature corrections are considered. Here, we construct a traversable wormhole solution connecting two asymptotically flat regions, otherwise disconnected. This geometry is an electro-vacuum solution to Lovelock theory of gravity coupled to an Abelian gauge field. The electric flux suffices to support the wormhole throat and to stabilize the solution. In fact, we show that, in contrast to other wormhole solutions previously found in this theory, the one constructed here turns out to be stable under scalar perturbations. We also consider wormholes in AdS. We present a protection argument showing that, while stable traversable wormholes connecting two asymptotically locally AdS$_5$ spaces do exist in the higher-curvature theory, the region of the parameter space where such solutions are admitted lies outside the causality bounds coming from AdS/CFT.
We present wormholes with a Newman-Unti-Tamburino (NUT) charge that arise in certain higher curvature theories, where a scalar field is coupled to a higher curvature invariant. For the invariants we employ i) a Gauss-Bonnet term and ii) a Chern-Simons term, which then act as source terms for the scalar field. We map out the domain of existence of wormhole solutions by varying the coupling parameter and the scalar charge for a set of fixed values of the NUT charge. The domain of existence for a given NUT charge is then delimited by the set of scalarized nutty black holes, a set of wormhole solu…
An analytical approximation of $<T_{μν}>$ for a quantized scalar field in a static spherically symmetric spacetime with a topology $S^2 \times R^2$ is obtained. The gravitational background is assumed slowly varying. The scalar field is assumed to be both massive and massless, with an arbitrary coupling $ξ$ to the scalar curvature and in a zero temperature vacuum state. It is demonstrated that for some values of curvature coupling the stress-energy has the properties needed to support the wormhole geometry.
We obtain traversable wormhole and time machine solutions of the field equations of an alternative of gravity with non-minimally curvature-matter coupling. Our solutions exhibit a non-trivial redshift function and allow for matter that satisfy the dominant energy condition.
Static and spherically symmetric wormhole solutions can be reconstructed in the framework of curvature based Extended Theories of Gravity. In particular, extensions of the General Relativity, in metric and curvature formalism give rise to modified gravitational potentials, constituted by the classical Newtonian potential and Yukawa-like corrections, whose parameters can be, in turn, gauged by the observations. Such an approach allows to reconstruct the spacetime out of the wormhole throat considering the asymptotic flatness as a physical property for the related gravitational field. Such an ar…
In this work we show the existence of traversable wormhole and time-machine solutions in a modified theory of gravity where matter and curvature are nonminimally coupled. Those solutions present a nontrivial redshift function and exist even in the presence of ordinary matter which satisfies the dominant energy condition.
The impact of curvature divergences on physical observers in a black hole space-time which, nonetheless, is geodesically complete is investigated. This space-time is an exact solution of certain extensions of General Relativity coupled to Maxwell's electrodynamics and, roughly speaking, consists on two Reissner-Nordström (or Schwarzschild or Minkowski) geometries connected by a spherical wormhole near the center. We find that, despite the existence of infinite tidal forces, causal contact is never lost among the elements making up the observer. This suggests that curvature divergences may not …
Recently, exact solutions of wormhole geometries supported by a nonminimal curvature-matter coupling were found, where the nonminimal coupling minimizes the violation of the null energy condition of normal matter at the throat. In this brief report, we present a solution where normal matter satisfies the energy conditions at the throat and it is the higher order curvature derivatives of the nonminimal coupling that is responsible for the null energy condition violation, and consequently for supporting the respective wormhole geometries. For simplicity, we consider a linear R nonmiminal curvatu…
In certain extensions of General Relativity, wormholes generated by spherically symmetric electric fields can resolve black hole singularities without necessarily removing curvature divergences. This is shown by studying geodesic completeness, the behavior of time-like congruences going through the divergent region, and by means of scattering of waves off the wormhole. This provides an example of the logical independence between curvature divergences and space-time singularities, concepts very often identified with each other in the literature.ns of curvature divergences in the context of spac…
We investigate the connection between spacetime wormholes and ensemble averaging in the context of higher spin AdS$_3$/CFT$_2$. Using techniques from modular bootstrap combined with some holographic inputs, we evaluate the partition function of a Euclidean wormhole in AdS$_3$ higher spin gravity. The fixed spin sectors of the dual CFT$_2$ exhibit features that starkly go beyond conventional random matrix ensembles: power-law ramps in the spectral form factor and potentials with a double-well/crest underlying the level statistics.
Wormhole geometries in curvature-matter coupled modified gravity are explored, by considering an explicit nonminimal coupling between an arbitrary function of the scalar curvature, R, and the Lagrangian density of matter. It is the effective stress-energy tensor containing the coupling between matter and the higher order curvature derivatives that is responsible for the null energy condition violation, and consequently for supporting the respective wormhole geometries. The general restrictions imposed by the null energy condition violation are presented in the presence of a nonminimal R-matter…
It is shown that the general solution of classical equations of motion in two dimensional dilaton gravity proposed by Callan, Giddings, Harvey and Strominger (CGHS) includes a Lorentzian wormhole solution in addition to a black hole solution. We also show that matter perturbation of the wormhole by a shock wave leads to the formation of a black hole where the curvature singularity is cloaked by the global event horizon. It is also argued that the classical wormhole would be stable against quantum corrections.
Asymptotically flat wormhole solutions are found in the deformed Hořava-Lifshitz gravity. It turns out that higher curvature terms can not play the role of exotic matters which are crucial to form a traversable wormhole, and external exotic sources are still needed. In particular, the exotic matter behaves like phantom energy if Kehagias-Sfetsos vacuum is considered outside the wormhole. Interestingly, the spherically symmetric setting makes the matter and the higher curvature contribution satisfy four-dimensional conservation of energy in the covariant form.
The geometry of a spacetime containing a wormhole generated by a spherically symmetric electric field is investigated in detail. These solutions arise in high-energy extensions of General Relativity formulated within the Palatini approach and coupled to Maxwell electrodynamics. Even though curvature divergences generically arise at the wormhole throat, we find that these spacetimes are geodesically complete. This provides an explicit example where curvature divergences do not imply spacetime singularities.
In this manuscript, we construct generalized Ellis-Bronnikov wormholes in the context of $f(R)$ modified theories of gravity. We consider that the matter driving the wormhole satisfies the energy conditions so that it is the effective energy-momentum tensor containing the higher-order derivatives of curvature terms that violate the null energy condition. Thus, the gravitational fluid is interpreted by the higher-order derivatives of curvature terms to represent the wormhole geometries and is fundamentally different from its counter representation in general relativity. In particular, we explor…
The presented thesis is devoted to the study of instabilities of compact objects within the Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory. This theory includes higher-order corrections in curvature, which are inspired by the low energy limit of string theory. We study linear instability of higher-dimensional black holes in the de Sitter universe. The time-domain picture allows us to obtain the parametric region of stability for the gravitational perturbations in all three channels, i.e., for scalar-type, vector-type, and tensor-type perturbations. We observed that while the scalar and tensor channels show inst…
Based on the rigid positive energy theorem we proved the uniqueness of static spherically symmetric traversable wormholes with two asymptotically flat ends, being the higher-dimensional solutions of Einstein scalar phantom field. The proof is valid under the auxiliary condition imposed on wormhole mass and scalar charge.
In this work, we construct traversable wormhole geometries in the context of f(R) modified theories of gravity. We impose that the matter threading the wormhole satisfies the energy conditions, so that it is the effective stress-energy tensor containing higher order curvature derivatives that is responsible for the null energy condition violation. Thus, the higher order curvature terms, interpreted as a gravitational fluid, sustain these non-standard wormhole geometries, fundamentally different from their counterparts in general relativity. In particular, by considering specific shape function…
In this work, we elaborate on the finite action for wormholes in higher derivative theories. Both non-traversable and traversable wormholes in theories with higher curvature invariants posses finite action.
It is shown in a variant of two dimensional dilaton gravity theories that an arbitrary, localized massive source put in an initially regular spacetime gives rise to formation of the wormhole classically, without accompanying the curvature singularity. The semiclassical quantum correction under this wormhole spacetime yields Hawking radiation. It is expected, with the quantum back reaction added to the classical equation, that the information loss paradox may be resolved in this model.
The uniqueness of static spherically symmetric traversable wormholes with two asymptotically flat ends, subject to the higher-dimensional solutions of Einstein-Maxwell-phantom dilaton field equations was proved. We considered the case of an arbitrary dilaton coupling constant. Conformal positive energy theorem plays the key role in the considerations.
We derive the simplest traversable wormhole solutions in $n$-dimensional general relativity, assuming static and spherically symmetric spacetime with a ghost scalar field. This is the generalization of the Ellis solution (or the so-called Morris-Thorne's traversable wormhole) into a higher-dimension. We also study their stability using linear perturbation analysis. We obtain the master equation for the perturbed gauge-invariant variable and search their eigenvalues. Our analysis shows that all higher-dimensional wormholes have an unstable mode against the perturbations with which the throat ra…
We describe in details the procedure how the Lobachevsky space can be factorized to a space of the constant negative curvature filled with a gas of wormholes. We show that such wormholes have throat sections in the form of tori and are traversable and stable in the cosmological context. The relation of such wormholes to the dark matter phenomenon is briefly described. We also discuss the possibility of the existence of analogous factorizations for all types of homogeneous spaces.
We present wormhole solutions to Horava non-relativistic gravity theory in vacuum. We show that, if the parameter $λ$ is set to one, transversable wormholes connecting two asymptotically de Sitter or anti-de Sitter regions exist. In the case of arbitrary $λ$, the asymptotic regions have a more complicated metric with constant curvature. We also show that, when the detailed balance condition is violated softly, tranversable and asymptotically Minkowski, de Sitter or anti-de Sitter wormholes exist.
For two-dimensional holographic CFTs, we demonstrate the role of Berry phases for relating the non-factorization of the Hilbert space to the presence of wormholes. The wormholes are characterized by a non-exact symplectic form that gives rise to the Berry phase. For wormholes connecting two spacelike regions in gravitational spacetimes, we find that the non-exactness is linked to a variable appearing in the phase space of the boundary CFT. This variable corresponds to a loop integral in the bulk. Through this loop integral, non-factorization becomes apparent in the dual entangled CFTs. Further…
We construct a large class of explicit, asymptotically flat and regular wormhole solutions in higher order scalar tensor theories. The solutions are vacuum solutions of scalar tensor theory and no matter (exotic or regular) is introduced in order to support them. They are constructed via a general disformal transformation of a seed black hole solution. The seed solutions belong to a particular Horndeski theory which requires the presence of all extended Galileons and has a higher dimensional Lovelock origin. As a result, the resulting wormholes are always solutions of general beyond Horndeski …
Traversable wormholes have traditionally been viewed as intrinsically topological entities in some multiply connected spacetime. Here, we show that topology is too limited a tool to accurately characterize a generic traversable wormhole: in general one needs geometric information to detect the presence of a wormhole, or more precisely to locate the wormhole throat. For an arbitrary static spacetime we shall define the wormhole throat in terms of a 2-dimensional constant-time hypersurface of minimal area. (Zero trace for the extrinsic curvature plus a "flare-out" condition.) This enables us to …
A static wormhole solution for gravity in vacuum is found for odd dimensions greater than four. In five dimensions the gravitational theory considered is described by the Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet action where the coupling of the quadratic term is fixed in terms of the cosmological constant. In higher dimensions d=2n+1, the theory corresponds to a particular case of the Lovelock action containing higher powers of the curvature, so that in general, it can be written as a Chern-Simons form for the AdS group. The wormhole connects two asymptotically locally AdS spacetimes each with a geometry at the …
We reconsider the problem of $f(R)$ theories of gravity coupled to Born-Infeld theory of electrodynamics formulated in a Palatini approach, where metric and connection are independent fields. By studying electrovacuum configurations in a static and spherically symmetric space-time, we find solutions which reduce to their Reissner-Nordström counterparts at large distances but undergo important non-perturbative modifications close to the center. Our new analysis reveals that the point-like singularity is replaced by a finite-size wormhole structure, which provides a geodesically complete and thu…
This paper studies wormhole solutions to Einstein gravity with an arbitrary number of time dependent compact dimensions and a matter-vacuum boundary. A new gauge is utilized which is particularly suited for studies of the wormhole throat. The solutions possess arbitrary functions which allow for the description of infinitely many wormhole systems of this type and, at the stellar boundary, the matter field is smoothly joined to vacuum. It turns out that the classical vacuum structure differs considerably from the four dimensional theory and is therefore studied in detail. The presence of the va…
A wormhole solution in Newtonian gravitation, enhanced through an equation relating the Ricci scalar to the mass density, is presented. The wormhole inhabits a spherically symmetric curved space, with one throat and two asymptotically flat regions. Particle dynamics in this geometry is studied, and the three distinct dynamical radii, namely, the geodesic, circumferential, and curvature radii, appear naturally in the study of circular motion. Generic motion is also analysed. A limiting case, although inconclusive, suggests the possibility of having a Newtonian black hole in a region of finite (…
We study a higher order conformally coupled scalar tensor theory endowed with a covariant geometric constraint relating the scalar curvature with the Gauss-Bonnet scalar. It is a particular Horndeski theory including a canonical kinetic term but without shift or parity symmetry for the scalar. The theory also stems from a Kaluza-Klein reduction of a well defined higher dimensional metric theory. Properties of an asymptotically flat spherically symmetric black hole are analyzed, and new slowly rotating and radiating extensions are found. Through disformal transformations of the static configura…
In this work, we consider the possibility of expanding wormholes in higher-dimensions, which is an important ingredient of modern theories of fundamental physics. An important motivation is that non-trivial topological objects such as microscopic wormholes may have been enlarged to macroscopic sizes in an expanding inflationary cosmological background. Since the Ricci scalar is only a function of time in standard cosmological models, we use this property as a simplifying assumption. More specifically, we consider a particular class of wormhole solutions corresponding to the choice of a spatial…
In this paper, we introduce higher dimensional thin-shell wormholes in pure Gauss-Bonnet gravity. The focus is on thin-shell wormholes constructed by $N\geq5$-dimensional spherically symmetric vacuum solutions. The results suggest that, under certain conditions, it is possible to have thin-shell wormholes that both satisfy the weak energy condition and be stable against radial perturbations.
A fundamental property in wormhole physics is the flaring-out condition of the throat, which through the Einstein field equation entails the violation of the null energy condition. In the context of modified theories of gravity, it has also been shown that the normal matter can be imposed to satisfy the energy conditions, and it is the higher order curvature terms, interpreted as a gravitational fluid, that sustain these non-standard wormhole geometries, fundamentally different from their counterparts in general relativity. We review recent work in wormhole physics in the context of modified t…
In this work, we explore asymptotically flat charged thin-shell wormholes of third order Lovelock gravity in higher dimensions, taking into account the cut-and-paste technique. Using the generalized junction conditions, we determine the energy-momentum tensor of these solutions on the shell, and explore the issue of the energy conditions and the amount of normal matter that supports these thin-shell wormholes. Our analysis shows that for negative second order and positive third-order Lovelock coefficients, there are thin-shell wormhole solutions that respect the weak energy condition. In this …
Static spherically symmetric solutions for conformal gravity in three dimensions are found. Black holes and wormholes are included within this class. Asymptotically the black holes are spacetimes of arbitrary constant curvature, and they are conformally related to the matching of different solutions of constant curvature by means of an improper conformal transformation. The wormholes can be constructed from suitable identifications of a static universe of negative spatial curvature, and it is shown that they correspond to the conformal matching of two black hole solutions with the same mass.
We present a static and axisymmetric traversable wormhole spacetime with vanishing Arnowitt-Deser-Misner (ADM) mass which is characterized by a length parameter $l$ and a deformation parameter $a$ and reduces to the massless Kerr vacuum wormhole as $l\to 0$. The spacetime is analytic everywhere and regularizes a ring-like conical singularity of the massless Kerr wormhole by virtue of a localized exotic matter which violates the standard energy conditions only near the wormhole throat. In the spherically symmetric case ($a=0$), the areal radius of the wormhole throat is exactly $l$ and all the …
School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Korea National University of Transportation（韩国国立交通大学人文科学与艺术学院）；Center for Quantum Spacetime, Sogang University（西江大学量子时空中心）
Recently several models of traversable wormholes have been proposed which require only arbitrarily small amounts of negative energy to hold them open against self-collapse. If the exotic matter is assumed to be provided by quantum fields, then quantum inequalities can be used to place constraints on the negative energy densities required. In this paper, we introduce an alternative method for obtaining constraints on wormhole geometries, using a recently derived quantum inequality bound on the null-contracted stress-energy averaged over a timelike worldline. The bound allows us to perform a sim…
We consider the possibility of multiply-connected spacetimes, ranging from the Flamm-Einstein-Rosen bridge, geons, and the modern renaissance of traversable wormholes. A fundamental property in wormhole physics is the flaring-out condition of the throat, which through the Einstein field equation entails the violation of the null energy condition. In the context of modified theories of gravity, it has also been shown that the normal matter can be imposed to satisfy the energy conditions, and it is the higher order curvature terms, interpreted as a gravitational fluid, that sustain these non-sta…
We study higher-dimensional traversable wormholes in the context of Rindler-AdS/CFT. The hyperbolic slicing of a pure AdS geometry can be thought of as a topological black hole that is dual to a conformal field theory in the hyperbolic space. The maximally extended geometry contains two exterior regions (the Rindler wedges of AdS) which are connected by a wormhole. We show that this wormhole can be made traversable by a double trace deformation that violates the average null energy condition (ANEC) in the bulk. We find an analytic formula for the ANEC violation that generalizes Gao-Jafferis-Wa…
