In this work, it is demonstrated how the kinematical Hilbert space of Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG) can be inferred from the configuration space of BF theories via the imposition of the Hamiltonian constraints. In particular, it is outlined how the projection to the representations associated with Ashtekar-Barbero connections provides the correct procedure to implement second-class constraints and the corresponding nontrivial induced symplectic structure. Then, the reduction to SU(2) invariant intertwiners is analyzed and the properties of LQG states under Lorentz transformations is discussed.
We extend the recently developed kinematical framework for diffeomorphism invariant theories of connections for compact gauge groups to the case of a diffeomorphism invariant quantum field theory which includes besides connections also fermions and Higgs fields. This framework is appropriate for coupling matter to quantum gravity. The presence of diffeomorphism invariance forces us to choose a representation which is a rather non-Fock-like one : the elementary excitations of the connection are along open or closed strings while those of the fermions or Higgs fields are at the end points of the…
Kinematical Hilbert space for Einstein-Cartan theory is constructed via von Neumann ideas of infinity-dimensional tensor product of Hilbert spaces. Field of comframe is considered as basic variable what is in contrast with standard euclidean LQG which is build by Wilson loops of Ashtekar-Barbero-Immirzi connection.
We initiate the study of non- and ultra-relativistic higher spin theories. For sake of simplicity we focus on the spin-3 case in three dimensions. We classify all kinematical algebras that can be obtained by all possible Inönü--Wigner contraction procedures of the kinematical algebra of spin-3 theory in three dimensional (anti-) de Sitter space-time. We demonstrate how to construct associated actions of Chern--Simons type, directly in the ultra-relativistic case and by suitable algebraic extensions in the non-relativistic case. We show how to give these kinematical algebras an infinite-dimensi…
In this second paper on loop quantization of Gowdy model, we introduce the kinematical Hilbert space on which appropriate holonomies and fluxes are well represented. The quantization of the volume operator and the Gauss constraint is straightforward. Imposition of the Gauss constraint can be done on the kinematical Hilbert space to select subspace of gauge invariant states. We carry out the quantization of the Hamiltonian constraint making specific choices. Alternative choices are briefly discussed. It appears that to get spatial correlations reflected in the Hamiltonian constraint, one may ha…
We extend a recent classification of three-dimensional spatially isotropic homogeneous spacetimes to Chern--Simons theories as three-dimensional gravity theories on these spacetimes. By this we find gravitational theories for all carrollian, galilean, and aristotelian counterparts of the lorentzian theories. In order to define a nondegenerate bilinear form for each of the theories, we introduce (not necessarily central) extensions of the original kinematical algebras. Using the structure of so-called double extensions, this can be done systematically. For homogeneous spaces that arise as a lim…
In this paper, we address the problem of the dynamics in three dimensional loop quantum gravity with zero cosmological constant. We construct a rigorous definition of Rovelli's generalized projection operator from the kinematical Hilbert space--corresponding to the quantization of the infinite dimensional kinematical configuration space of the theory--to the physical Hilbert space. In particular, we provide the definition of the physical scalar product which can be represented in terms of a sum over (finite) spin-foam amplitudes. Therefore, we establish a clear-cut connection between the canon…
In a paper by Ashtekar and Campiglia, invariance under volume preserving residual diffeomorphisms has been used to single out the standard representation of the reduced holonomy-flux algebra in homogeneous loop quantum cosmology (LQC). In this paper, we use invariance under all residual diffeomorphisms to single out the standard kinematical Hilbert space of homogeneous isotropic LQC for both the standard configuration space $\mathbb{R}_{\mathrm{Bohr}}$, as well as for the Fleischhack one $\mathbb{R} \sqcup \mathbb{R}_{\mathrm{Bohr}}$. We first determine the scale invariant Radon measures on th…
We study the separability of the state space of loop quantum gravity. In the standard construction, the kinematical Hilbert space of the diffeomorphism-invariant states is nonseparable. This is a consequence of the fact that the knot-space of the equivalence classes of graphs under diffeomorphisms is noncountable. However, the continuous moduli labeling these classes do not appear to affect the physics of the theory. We investigate the possibility that these moduli could be only the consequence of a poor choice in the fine-tuning of the mathematical setting. We show that by simply choosing a m…
This letter is motivated by the recent papers by Dittrich and Thiemann and, respectively, by Rovelli discussing the status of Quantum Geometry in the dynamical sector of Loop Quantum Gravity. Since the papers consider model examples, we also study the issue in the case of an example, namely on the Loop Quantum Cosmology model of space-isotropic universe. We derive the Rovelli-Thiemann-Ditrich partial observables corresponding to the quantum geometry operators of LQC in both Hilbert spaces: the kinematical one and, respectively, the physical Hilbert space of solutions to the quantum constraints…
We study the quantization of spherically symmetric vacuum spacetimes within loop quantum gravity. In particular, we give additional details about our previous work in which we showed that one could complete the quantization the model and that the singularity inside black holes is resolved. Moreover, we consider an alternative quantization based on a slightly different kinematical Hilbert space. The ambiguity in kinematical spaces stems from how one treats the periodicity of one of the classical variables in these models. The corresponding physical Hilbert spaces solve the diffeomorphism and Ha…
We perform a canonical, reduced phase space quantisation of General Relativity by Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG) methods. The explicit construction of the reduced phase space is made possible by the combination of 1. the Brown -- Kuchar mechanism in the presence of pressure free dust fields which allows to deparametrise the theory and 2. Rovelli's relational formalism in the extended version developed by Dittrich to construct the algebra of gauge invariant observables. Since the resulting algebra of observables is very simple, one can quantise it using the methods of LQG. Basically, the kinematica…
We develop a new description of the much-studied $κ$-Minkowski noncommutative spacetime, centered on representing on a single Hilbert space not only the $κ$-Minkowski coordinates, but also the associated differential calculus and the $κ$-Poincaré symmetry generators. In this "pregeometric" representation the relevant operators act on the kinematical Hilbert space of the covariant formulation of quantum mechanics, which we argue is the natural framework for studying the implications of the step from commuting spacetime coordinates to the $κ$-Minkowski case, where the spatial coordinates do not …
We relate three-dimensional loop quantum gravity to the combinatorial quantisation formalism based on the Chern-Simons formulation for three-dimensional Lorentzian and Euclidean gravity with vanishing cosmological constant. We compare the construction of the kinematical Hilbert space and the implementation of the constraints. This leads to an explicit and very interesting relation between the associated operators in the two approaches and sheds light on their physical interpretation. We demonstrate that the quantum group symmetries arising in the combinatorial formalism, the quantum double of …
We construct the pure gravity Becchi-Rouet-Stora-Tyutin (BRST) Einstein-Hilbert Lagrangian, to cubic order, using the BRST convolution product of two Yang-Mills theories, in conjunction with the Bern-Carrasco-Johansson (BCJ) double-copy.
I discuss the relation between arbitrarily high-order theories of gravity and scalar-tensor gravity at the level of the field equations and the action. I show that $(2n+4)$-order gravity is dynamically equivalent to Brans-Dicke gravity with an interaction potential for the Brans-Dicke field and $n$ further scalar fields. This scalar-tensor action is then conformally equivalent to the Einstein-Hilbert action with $n+1$ scalar fields. This clarifies the nature and extent of the conformal equivalence between extended gravity theories and general relativity with many scalar fields.
We start with the Hamiltonian formulation of the first order action of pure gravity with a full $\mathfrak{sl}(2,\mathbb C)$ internal gauge symmetry. We make a partial gauge-fixing which reduces $\mathfrak{sl}(2,\mathbb C)$ to its sub-algebra $\mathfrak{su}(1,1)$. This case corresponds to a splitting of the space-time ${\cal M}=Σ\times \mathbb R$ where $Σ$ inherits an arbitrary Lorentzian metric of signature $(-,+,+)$. Then, we find a parametrization of the phase space in terms of an $\mathfrak{su}(1,1)$ commutative connection and its associated conjugate electric field. Following the techniqu…
The framework of quantum symmetry reduction is applied to loop quantum gravity with respect to transitively acting symmetry groups. This allows to test loop quantum gravity in a large class of minisuperspaces and to investigate its features - e.g. the discrete volume spectrum - in certain cosmological regimes. Contrary to previous studies of quantum cosmology (minisuperspace quantizations) the symmetry reduction is carried out not at the classical level but on an auxiliary Hilbert space of the quantum theory before solving the constraints. Therefore, kinematical properties like volume quantiza…
In loop quantum gravity in the connection representation, the quantum configuration space $\bar{\mathcal{A}/\mathcal{G}}$, which is a compact space, is much larger than the classical configuration space $\mathcal{A}/% \mathcal{G}$ of connections modulo gauge transformations. One finds that $% \bar{\mathcal{A}/\mathcal{G}}$ is homeomorphic to the space $Hom(% \mathcal{L}_{\ast},G))/Ad$. We give a new, natural proof of this result, suggesting the extension of the hoop group $\mathcal{L}_{\ast}$ to a larger, compact group $\mathcal{M}(\mathcal{L}_{\ast})$ that contains $% \mathcal{L}_{\ast}$ as a…
In classical general relativity described by Einstein-Hilbert gravity, black holes behave as thermodynamic objects. In particular, the laws of black hole mechanics can be interpreted as laws of thermodynamics. The first law of black hole mechanics extends to higher derivative theories via the Noether charge construction of Wald. One also expects the statement of the second law, which in Einstein-Hilbert theory owes to Hawking's area theorem, to extend to higher derivative theories. To argue for this however one needs a notion of entropy for dynamical black holes, which the Noether charge const…
To derive loop quantum cosmology from loop quantum gravity, I apply the model given in \cite{lin1} to a system with coupled gravitational and matter fields. The matter sector consists of a scalar field $phi$ serving as a cosmological clock, and other fields ${psi}$ providing physical spatial coordinates and frames. The physical Hilbert space of the model is constructed from the kinematical Hilbert space of loop quantum gravity, and the local observables in the physical Hilbert space are constructed using the matter coordinates and frames. A specific coherent physical state is then chosen, whos…
We consider the coupling between three dimensional gravity with zero cosmological constant and massive spinning point particles. First, we study the classical canonical analysis of the coupled system. Then, we go to the Hamiltonian quantization generalizing loop quantum gravity techniques. We give a complete description of the kinematical Hilbert space of the coupled system. Finally, we define the physical Hilbert space of the system of self-gravitating massive spinning point particles using Rovelli's generalized projection operator which can be represented as a sum over spin foam amplitudes. …
In this talk we entertain the possibility that the synthesis of general covariance and quantum mechanics requires an extension of the basic kinematical setup of quantum mechanics. According to the holographic principle, regions of spacetime bounded by a finite area carry finite entropy. When we in addition assume that the origin of the entropy is a finite dimensional Hilbert space, and apply this to cosmological solutions using a suitable notion of complementarity, we find as a consequence that gravitational effects can lead to dynamical variation in the dimensionality of such Hilbert spaces. …
Field theories place one or more degrees of freedom at every point in space. Hilbert spaces describing quantum field theories, or their finite-dimensional discretizations on lattices, therefore have large amounts of structure: they are isomorphic to the tensor product of a smaller Hilbert space for each lattice site or point in space. Local field theories respecting this structure have interactions which preferentially couple nearby points. The emergence of classicality through decoherence relies on this framework of tensor-product decomposition and local interactions. We explore the emergence…
In this work we investigate the canonical quantization of 2+1 gravity with cosmological constant $Λ>0$ in the canonical framework of loop quantum gravity. The unconstrained phase space of gravity in 2+1 dimensions is coordinatized by an SU(2) connection $A$ and the canonically conjugate triad field $e$. A natural regularization of the constraints of 2+1 gravity can be defined in terms of the holonomies of $A+=A + \sqrtΛe$. As a first step towards the quantization of these constraints we study the canonical quantization of the holonomy of the connection $A_λ=A+λe$ on the kinematical Hilbert spa…
In this paper, a version of polymer quantum mechanics, which is inspired by loop quantum gravity, is considered and shown to be equivalent, in a precise sense, to the standard, experimentally tested, Schroedinger quantum mechanics. The kinematical cornerstone of our framework is the so called polymer representation of the Heisenberg-Weyl (H-W) algebra, which is the starting point of the construction. The dynamics is constructed as a continuum limit of effective theories characterized by a scale, and requires a renormalization of the inner product. The result is a physical Hilbert space in whic…
It is discussed a truncation of the kinematical Hilbert space of Loop Quantum Gravity, which describes the dynamical system associated with an inhomogeneous cosmological model.
Given a symmetry group acting on a principal fibre bundle, symmetric states of the quantum theory of a diffeomorphism invariant theory of connections on this fibre bundle are defined. These symmetric states, equipped with a scalar product derived from the Ashtekar-Lewandowski measure for loop quantum gravity, form a Hilbert space of their own. Restriction to this Hilbert space yields a quantum symmetry reduction procedure in the framework of spin network states the structure of which is analyzed in detail. Three illustrating examples are discussed: Reduction of 3+1 to 2+1 dimensional quantum g…
We explore the ultra-relativistic limit of a class of four dimensional gravity theories, known as Lovelock-Cartan gravities, in the first order formalism. First, we review the well known limit of the Einstein-Hilbert action. A very useful scale symmetry involving the vierbeins and the boost connection is presented. Moreover, we explore the field equations in order to find formal solutions. Some remarkable results are obtained: Riemann and Weitzenböck like manifolds are discussed; Birkhoff's theorem is verified for the torsionless case; an explicit solution with non-trivial geometry is discusse…
In modified theories of gravity, higher curvature terms may be added to the Einstein-Hilbert action. Conventionally, the effects of the higher curvature terms on the black hole thermodynamics are rather difficult to obtain. In this paper, we show that, at least at the first order level, the corrections to the thermodynamics of the Schwarzschild black hole can be easily obtained, without solving the modified black hole metric. We examine some specific examples, which produces the known results in the literature, as well as those previously unknown. Furthermore, we find some nonperturbative exac…
Solving field equations in the context of higher curvature gravity theories is a formidable task. However in many situations, e.g., in the context of $f(R)$ theories the higher curvature gravity action can be written as Einstein-Hilbert action plus a scalar field action. We show that not only the action but the field equations derived from the action are also equivalent provided the spacetime is regular. We also demonstrate that such equivalence continues to hold even when gravitational field equations are projected on a lower dimensional hypersurface. We have further depicted explicit example…
First, we review the $C^\ast$-algebraic foundations of loop quantization, in particular, the construction of quantum configuration spaces and the implementation of symmetries. Then, we apply these results to loop quantum gravity, focusing on the space of generalized connections and on measures thereon. Finally, we study the realm of homogeneous isotropic loop quantum cosmology: once viewed as the loop quantization of classical cosmology, once seen as the symmetric sector of loop quantum gravity. It will turn out that both theories differ, i.e., quantization and symmetry reduction do not commut…
Entanglement entropy has proven to be an extremely useful concept in quantum field theory. Gauge theories are of particular interest, but for these systems the entanglement entropy is not clearly defined because the physical Hilbert space does not factor as a tensor product according to regions of space. Here we review a definition of entanglement entropy that applies to abelian and nonabelian lattice gauge theories. This entanglement entropy is obtained by embedding the physical Hilbert space into a product of Hilbert spaces associated to regions with boundary. The latter Hilbert spaces inclu…
We study coherent states for Bianchi type I cosmological models, as examples of semiclassical states for time-reparametrization invariant systems. This simple model allows us to study explicitly the relationship between exact semiclassical states in the kinematical Hilbert space and corresponding ones in the physical Hilbert space, which we construct here using the group averaging technique. We find that it is possible to construct good semiclassical physical states by such a procedure in this model; we also discuss the sense in which the original kinematical states may be a good approximation…
A 4-dimensional Lorentzian static space-time is equivalent to 3-dimensional Euclidean gravity coupled to a massless Klein-field. By canonically quantizing the coupling model in the framework of loop quantum gravity, we obtain a quantum theory which actually describes quantized static space-times. The Kinematical Hilbert space is the product of the Hilbert space of gravity with that of imaginary scalar fields. It turns out that the Hamiltonian constraint of the 2+1 model corresponds to a densely defined operator in the underlying Hilbert space, and hence it is finite without renormalization. As…
We study the properties of $\hat{Q}[ω]$ operator on the kinematical Hilbert space ${\cal H}$ for canonical quantum gravity. Its complete spectrum with respect to the spin network basis is obtained. It turns out that $\hat{Q}[ω]$ is diagonalized in this basis, and it is a well defined self-adjoint operator on ${\cal H}$. The same conclusions are also tenable on the SU(2) gauge invariant Hilbert space with the gauge invariant spin network basis.
We present quantum holonomy theory, which is a non-perturbative theory of quantum gravity coupled to fermionic degrees of freedom. The theory is based on a C*-algebra that involves holonomy-diffeomorphisms on a 3-dimensional manifold and which encodes the canonical commutation relations of canonical quantum gravity formulated in terms of Ashtekar variables. Employing a Dirac type operator on the configuration space of Ashtekar connections we obtain a semi-classical state and a kinematical Hilbert space via its GNS construction. We use the Dirac type operator, which provides a metric structure …
Modified theories of gravity have recently been studied by several authors as possibly viable alternatives to the cosmological concordance model. Such theories attempt to explain the accelerating expansion of the universe by changing the theory of gravity, instead of introducing dark energy. In particular, a class of models based on higher order curvature invariants, so-called $f(R)$ gravity models, has drawn attention. In this letter we show that within this framework, the expansion history of the universe does not uniquely determine the form of the gravitational action and it can be radicall…
The precise analog of the theta-quantization ambiguity of Yang-Mills theory exists for the real SU(2) connection formulation of general relativity. As in the former case theta labels representations of large gauge transformations, which are super-selection sectors in loop quantum gravity. We show that unless theta=0, the (kinematical) geometric operators such as area and volume are not well defined on spin network states. More precisely the intersection of their domain with the dense set Cyl in the kinematical Hilbert space H of loop quantum gravity is empty. The absence of a well defined noti…
We present a polymer(loop) quantization of a two dimensional theory of dilatonic gravity known as the CGHS model. We recast the theory as a parametrized free field theory on a flat 2-dimensional spacetime and quantize the resulting phase space using techniques of loop quantization. The resulting (kinematical) Hilbert space admits a unitary representation of the spacetime diffeomorphism group. We obtain the complete spectrum of the theory using a technique known as group averaging and perform quantization of Dirac observables on the resulting Hilbert space. We argue that the algebra of Dirac ob…
The renormalization group (RG) corrected gravitational action in Einstein-Hilbert and other truncations is considered. The running scale of the renormalization group is treated as a scalar field at the level of the action and determined in a scale-setting procedure recently introduced by Koch and Ramirez for the Einstein-Hilbert truncation. The scale-setting procedure is elaborated for other truncations of the gravitational action and applied to several phenomenologically interesting cases. It is shown how the logarithmic dependence of the Newton's coupling on the RG scale leads to exponential…
A general formal definition of a theory of space and time compatible with the inertia principle is given. The formal definition of reference frame and inertial equivalence between reference frames are used to construct the class of inertial frames. Then, suitable cocycle relations among the coefficients of space-time transformations between inertial frames are established. The kinematical meaning of coefficients and their reciprocity properties are discussed in some detail. Finally, a rest frame map family is introduced as the most general constitutive assumption to obtain the coefficients and…
We present a new perspective on early cosmology based on Loop Quantum Gravity. We use projected spinnetworks, coherent states and spinfoam techniques, to implement a quantum reduction of the full Kinematical Hilbert space of LQG, suitable to describe inhomogeneous cosmological models. Some preliminary results on the solutions of the Scalar constraint of the reduced theory are also presented.
Loop quantum gravity is an approach to quantum gravity that starts from the Hamiltonian formulation in terms of a connection and its canonical conjugate. Quantization proceeds in the spirit of Dirac: First one defines an algebra of basic kinematical observables and represents it through operators on a suitable Hilbert space. In a second step, one implements the constraints. The main result of the paper concerns the representation theory of the kinematical algebra: We show that there is only one cyclic representation invariant under spatial diffeomorphisms. While this result is particularly imp…
As modified gravity theories, the 4-dimensional metric $f(R)$ theories are cast into connection dynamical formalism with real $su(2)$-connections as configuration variables. This formalism enables us to extend the non-perturbative loop quantization scheme of general relativity to any metric $f(R)$ theories. The quantum kinematical framework of $f(R)$ gravity is rigorously constructed, where the quantum dynamics can be launched. Both Hamiltonian constraint operator and master constraint operator for $f(R)$ theories are well defined. Our results show that the non-perturbative quantization proced…
Entanglement entropy is a valuable tool for characterizing the correlation structure of quantum field theories. When applied to gauge theories, subtleties arise which prevent the factorization of the Hilbert space underlying the notion of entanglement entropy. Borrowing techniques from extended topological field theories, we introduce a new definition of entanglement entropy for both Abelian and non-Abelian gauge theories. Being based on the notion of excitations, it provides a completely relational way of defining regions. Therefore, it naturally applies to background independent theories, e.…
The loop quantization of 3d gravity consists in defining the Hilbert space of states satisfying the Gauß constraint and the flatness constraint. The Gauß constraint is enforced at the kinematical level by introducing spin networks which form a basis for the Hilbert space of gauge invariant functionals. The flatness constraint is implemented at the dynamical level via the Ponzano-Regge state-sum model. We propose in this work a dual loop quantization scheme where the role of the constraints is exchanged. The flatness constraint is imposed first via the introduction of a new basis labeled by gro…
A new symmetric Hamiltonian constraint operator is proposed for loop quantum gravity, which is well defined in the Hilbert space of diffeomorphism invariant states up to non-planar vertices with valence higher than three. It inherits the advantage of the original regularization method, so that its regulated version in the kinematical Hilbert space is diffeomorphism covariant and creates new vertices to the spin networks. The quantum algebra of this Hamiltonian is anomaly-free on shell, and there is less ambiguity in its construction in comparison with the original method. The regularization pr…
We consider the coupling between massive and spinning particles and three dimensional gravity. This allows us to construct geometric operators (distances between particles) as Dirac observables. We quantize the system a la loop quantum gravity: we give a description of the kinematical Hilbert space and construct the associated spin-foam model. We construct the physical disctance operator and consider its quantization.
After a study of the Hamiltonian group of gauge transformations of canonical tetrad gravity on globally hyperbolic, asymptotically flat at spatial infinity, spacetimes with Cauchy hypersurfaces $Σ_τ$ diffeomorphic to $R^3, we find the dependence of the cotriads on $Σ_τ$ and of their momenta on the six parameters associated with rotations and space diffeomorphisms. The choice of 3-coordinates on $Σ_τ$ is equivalent to the parametrization of the cotriads with the last three degrees of freedom individuating the 3-geometries. The Shanmugadhasan canonical transformation, corresponding to the choice…
We discuss the physical meaning and the geometric interpretation of causality implementation in classical field theories. Causality is normally implemented through kinematical constraints on fields but we show that in a zero-distance limit they also carry a dynamical information, which calls for a revision of our standard concepts of interacting fields. The origin of infinities and other inconsistencies in field theories is traced to fields defined with support on the lightcone; a finite and consistent field theory requires a lightcone generator as the field support.
Using the complex-valued self-dual connection variables, the loop quantum cosmology of a closed Friedmann universe coupled to a massless scalar field is studied. It is shown how the reality conditions can be imposed in the quantum theory by choosing a particular inner product for the kinematical Hilbert space. While holonomies of the self-dual Ashtekar connection are not well-defined in the kinematical Hilbert space, it is possible to introduce a family of generalized holonomy-like operators of which some are well-defined; these operators in turn are used in the definition of the Hamiltonian c…
Local Operations and Field Mediated Entanglement without a Local Tensor Product Structure
University of Vienna（维也纳大学）；Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI), Austrian Academy of Sciences（奥地利科学院量子光学和量子信息研究所）；ETH Zurich（苏黎世联邦理工学院）；Università di Roma Tor Vergata（罗马第二大学）；Sezione INFN Roma2（INFN罗马第二分部）
The Hamiltonian formulation of scalar-tensor theories of gravity is derived from their Lagrangian formulation by Hamiltonian analysis. The Hamiltonian formalism marks off two sectors of the theories by the coupling parameter $ω(ϕ)$. In the sector of $ω(ϕ)=-3/2$, the feasible theories are restricted and a new primary constraint generating conformal transformations of spacetime is obtained, while in the other sector of $ω(ϕ)\neq-3/2$, the canonical structure and constraint algebra of the theories are similar to those of general relativity coupled with a scalar field. By canonical transformations…
