help with finding physics research

Hi, so basically I am currently in the process of writing a sci-fi book, and one of the aspects if FTL travel, and for the spesific way that I write it it would help a lot of I understood how space-time curves and how it is calculated and in what units.
I had seen on the internet conflicting results and since I dont have a degree in general relativity idk what to use.
I hope that there are people here who might either know the awnser or direct me to a reliable source.
thanks in advance.

 

I found a lengthy answer that explains FTL travel (which means time travel) for writers on Reddit:

 

Firstly, thanks for the response.
Secondly, I think I understood that post, and some of the things said here I had already taken into account.
But what I meant is less on FTL travel but more of the physics behind it, i.e. general relativity,alchuvier drive,warping of space-time etc.

 

You mean the Alcubierre drive? Do you understand how it theoretically works already?

 

yes I do, using negetive energy that had yet been proven to exist beyond a quantum size as seen in casmir experiment, contracting space-time infront of it and expanding it behind it, thus allowing an object to move at FTL relative to an outside observer.

That I understand, what is my issue is that I do not understand is with what units that contracting and expanding is measured and how it might interact with other objects that bend spacetime. And since I got no physics major the best I can do is the internet, which never gives a singular awnser. Should I perhaps invent a new unit of my own for the sake for the book or should I first find an already existing unit and use that?

 

Here you go:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curved_spacetime

You don't need a "unit" as such, but a ratio. You could say that if the curvature is 1.2 then spacetime as 1.2 times more curved (on a logarithmic scale) than standard spacetime, for example.

 

I guess you might want to look into wormholes or warp drives. They sound cool and play with space-time pretty interestingly. For units, you could check out stuff like meters and seconds since that's the basics. Just avoid getting deep into the math if it's not your thing. Did you consider how your FTL travel connects with the main plot of your book?