Singularity theorems from weakened energy conditions

TL;DR

This paper extends classical singularity theorems to scenarios with weakened energy conditions inspired by quantum field theories, demonstrating singularities under more general and physically realistic conditions.

Contribution

It introduces new singularity theorems based on averaged and local quantum-inspired energy conditions, broadening the applicability of classical results.

Findings

Singularity theorems hold under exponential damping energy conditions.

Established singularities for Einstein-scalar field systems violating classical energy conditions.

Applicable to nonminimally coupled scalar fields with quantum-inspired stress-energy conditions.

Abstract

We establish analogues of the Hawking and Penrose singularity theorems based on (a) averaged energy conditions with exponential damping; (b) conditions on local stress-energy averages inspired by the Quantum Energy Inequalities satisfied by a number of quantum field theories. As particular applications, we establish singularity theorems for the Einstein equations coupled to a classical scalar field, which violates the strong energy condition, and the nonminimally coupled scalar field, which also violates the null energy condition.