Wormholes & Warp Drives: Can Circular Polarizers Create Them?

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter sddfds
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Warp Wormholes
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

Circular polarizers do not generate wormholes or warp drives. The discussion clarifies that the term "singularity" in the context of circular polarization refers to mathematical points where standard equations fail, not to gravitational singularities found in black holes. References provided highlight the distinction between optical phenomena and gravitational concepts, emphasizing that optical black holes simulate gravitational effects but do not equate to true singularities. Ultimately, the consensus is that there is no scientific basis for linking circular polarizers to the creation of wormholes or warp drives.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of circular polarization and its mathematical implications
  • Familiarity with general relativity and gravitational singularities
  • Knowledge of optical phenomena, particularly optical vortices
  • Basic principles of transformation optics and metamaterials
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the mathematical foundations of circular polarization and its applications
  • Explore the relationship between transformation optics and general relativity
  • Study the concept of optical black holes and their implications in physics
  • Investigate current advancements in metamaterials and their potential applications
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, optical engineers, and anyone interested in the intersection of optics and theoretical physics, particularly those exploring advanced concepts like metamaterials and gravitational theories.

sddfds
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
TL;DR
circular polarizers wormholes warp drives
hello i would like to ask if circular polarizers generate wormholes and warp drives. thanks very much.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
sddfds said:
Summary: circular polarizers wormholes warp drives

hello i would like to ask if circular polarizers generate wormholes and warp drives. thanks very much.
HUH? Are you talking about THIS: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_polarization ?
What would that have to do with wormholes and warp drives?
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: vanhees71
phinds said:
HUH? Are you talking about THIS: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_polarization ?
What would that have to do with wormholes and warp drives?
yes, circular polarization. polarization singularities are the superposition of phase singularities which are black holes. thanks.
 
  • Skeptical
Likes   Reactions: PeroK
sddfds said:
yes, circular polarization. polarization singularities are the superposition of phase singularities which are black holes. thanks.
I think you need to supply a reference to support this claim.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: russ_watters and vanhees71
sddfds said:
yes, circular polarization. polarization singularities are the superposition of phase singularities which are black holes. thanks.
The word “singularity” is used to describe points where an otherwise well-behaved mathematical formula doesn’t apply; the most easily understood example might be Coulomb’s Law ##F=q_1q_2/r^2## which works everywhere except where ##r=0##. It is important to understand that the problem here is in the math, not the physics.

A polarization singularly is a point where the standard polarization equation doesn’t work, so has nothing to do with the gravitational singularity where the equations of general relativity don’t work.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: vanhees71
As @Nugatory notes, you seem to have confused the singularities in the mathematics of optics with the singularities in the mathematics of spacetime, some of which are inside black holes. They are not the same thing.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: russ_watters and vanhees71
ok thanks a lot.
 
sddfds said:
i would like to ask if circular polarizers generate wormholes and warp drives
No, they don't. First, as others have posted, the "singularities" that appear in the references you give on polarizers are not the same as the singularities that appear in GR at the centers of black holes. Second, even leaving that aside, wormholes and warp drives are not black holes and do not have spacetime singularities in them.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: vanhees71
  • #10
are optical black holes the same as gravitational black holes. thanks.
 
  • #11
there's a close mathematical analogy between a sub-field of optics called transformation optics and general relativity. if you have a light ray with some sort of bendy trajectory, you can 'undo' the bendiness by doing a coordinate transformation and use the same transformation to calculate the refractive index n(r) you'd need to give the bendy trajectory in the first place.

went to see John Pendry speak about his work on this subject (specifically, metamaterials) a while back - he is considered to be in the running for a nobel prize at some point!
 
  • #12
sddfds said:
are optical black holes the same as gravitational black holes.
No.
 
  • #13
sddfds said:
"Optical black holes are not true singularities. They use optical effects to simulate gravitational black holes, which are singularities. The distinction is important." Right from your sources. So the answer is simply NO.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 32 ·
2
Replies
32
Views
2K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
1K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K