Optimal Time Travel in the Gödel Universe

Abstract

Using the theory of optimal rocket trajectories in general relativity, we present a candidate for the minimum total integrated acceleration closed timelike curve in the Godel universe, and give evidence for its minimality. The total integrated acceleration of this curve is lower than Malament's conjectured value (Malament, 1984); however, Malament's conjecture does seem to hold for periodic closed timelike curves. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014.