The Closed timelike curve reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Closed timelike curve

From the point of view of general relativity, a closed timelike curve (CTC) is a closed, timelike worldline.

If a second time parameter is introduced to discuss a CTC, then the question Is it possible to travel backwards in time? becomes meaningful, since at least two different time parameters are used. A simpler question is In what circumstances can a CTC exist?

see also

• special relativity
• general relativity

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