Published May 21, 2010 | Version v1
Journal article

Simple connectedness of spacetime in the path topology

Creators

  • 1. Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Engineering Science, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB (United Kingdom)

Description

We extend earlier work on the simple-connectedness of Minkowski space in the path topology of Hawking, King and McCarthy, showing that in general a spacetime is neither simply connected nor locally simply connected. We also show that distinct closed Feynman paths are never homotopically equivalent, so that spacetime is in a sense as non-simply connected as possible. (note)

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0264-9381/27/10/107001

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1088/0264-9381/27/10/107001;
PII
S0264-9381(10)45886-4;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Classical and Quantum Gravity
Journal Volume
27
Journal Issue
10
Journal Page Range
[4 p.]
ISSN
0264-9381
CODEN
CQGRDG

INIS

Country of Publication
United Kingdom
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
42035653
Subject category
S97: MATHEMATICAL METHODS AND COMPUTING; S79: ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY;
Descriptors DEI
COSMOLOGY; FEYNMAN PATH INTEGRAL; MINKOWSKI SPACE; SPACE-TIME; TOPOLOGY
Descriptors DEC
INTEGRALS; MATHEMATICAL SPACE; MATHEMATICS; PATH INTEGRALS; SPACE