Could an observer prove he is in a CTC?

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In summary, the question posed is whether or not an observer can prove they are in a CTC. The answer is likely yes, as any property of spacetime that is invariant under diffeomorphisms is observable. A potential method of checking this is by sending out test particles and observing if they arrive near the point of origin, indicating the presence of CTCs.
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Passionflower
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I think an interesting question is: could an observer prove he is in a CTC?

Intuitively I would think the answer is no.

But I am interested in proofs, conjectures or opinions.
 
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In general, I would expect that any property of spacetime that is invariant under diffeomorphisms would be observable. Since the fact that CTCs exist through a given point P is invariant under diffeomorphisms is diff-invariant, I would think that the answer to your question would be yes.

As a method of checking, I suppose you could sent out a cloud of test particles from P in all directions in P's future light cone. Let's say that these test particles consist of glass bottles with notes inside addressed to yourself. If some of them arrive very close to P, just as you're sending them, then P has CTCs through it.
 

FAQ: Could an observer prove he is in a CTC?

Can an observer prove they are in a CTC?

The concept of a closed timelike curve (CTC) is still a topic of theoretical debate and has not been proven to exist in reality. Therefore, it is not possible for an observer to prove they are in a CTC as it has not been observed or proven to exist.

How would an observer know they are in a CTC?

If CTCs do exist, an observer would not be able to physically detect or measure their presence. This is because CTCs involve time travel, which would require a violation of known physical laws and the concept of causality.

Are there any experiments that could prove the existence of CTCs?

Currently, there are no known experiments that could definitively prove the existence of CTCs. However, there are theoretical models and thought experiments that explore the possibility of CTCs and their potential consequences.

Is it possible for an observer to travel through a CTC?

If CTCs do exist, it is theoretically possible for an object or information to travel through them. However, the concept of causality and the potential for paradoxes make it a highly debated and controversial topic in the scientific community.

What would be the implications of proving the existence of CTCs?

If CTCs were proven to exist, it could completely change our understanding of time and the laws of physics. It could also have significant implications for concepts such as free will and the possibility of altering the past. However, this is still a highly theoretical and speculative topic with no concrete evidence or proof at this time.

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