Stability of closed timelike curves in the Gödel universe

Abstract

We study, in some detail, the linear stability of closed timelike curves in the Gödel universe. We show that these curves are stable. We present a simple extension (deformation) of the Gödel metric that contains a class of closed timelike curves similar to the ones associated to the original metric. This extension correspond to the addition of matter whose energy-momentum tensor is analyzed. We find the conditions to have matter that satisfies the usual energy conditions. We study the stability of closed timelike curves in the presence of usual matter as well as in the presence of exotic matter (matter that does satisfy the above mentioned conditions). We find that the closed timelike curves in the Gödel universe with or without the inclusion of regular or exotic matter are stable under linear perturbations. We also find a sort of structural stability.