The unphysical nature of "Warp Drive"

TL;DR

This paper applies quantum inequalities to Alcubierre's warp drive metric, demonstrating that the required negative energy and bubble parameters are physically unattainable due to extreme energy density constraints.

Contribution

It provides a novel analysis using quantum inequalities to show the unphysical nature of warp drive metrics with realistic parameters.

Findings

Warp bubble wall thickness is on the order of a few hundred Planck lengths.

Total energy needed for the warp drive is physically unattainable.

Quantum inequalities impose strict limits on negative energy in warp metrics.

Abstract

We will apply the quantum inequality type restrictions to Alcubierre's warp drive metric on a scale in which a local region of spacetime can be considered ``flat''. These are inequalities that restrict the magnitude and extent of the negative energy which is needed to form the warp drive metric. From this we are able to place limits on the parameters of the ``Warp Bubble''. It will be shown that the bubble wall thickness is on the order of only a few hundred Planck lengths. Then we will show that the total integrated energy density needed to maintain the warp metric with such thin walls is physically unattainable.