It is well known that general relativity (GR) does not possess any non-trivial local (in a precise standard sense) and diffeomorphism invariant observables. We propose a generalized notion of local observables, which retain the most important properties that follow from the standard definition of locality, yet is flexible enough to admit a large class of diffeomorphism invariant observables in GR. The generalization comes at a small price, that the domain of definition of a generalized local observable may not cover the entire phase space of GR and two such observables may have distinct domains. However, the subset of metrics on which generalized local observables can be defined is in a sense generic (its open interior is non-empty in the Whitney strong topology). Moreover, generalized local gauge invariant observables are sufficient to separate diffeomorphism orbits on this admissible subset of the phase space. Connecting the construction with the notion of differential invariants, gives a general scheme for defining generalized local gauge invariant observables in arbitrary gauge theories, which happens to agree with well-known results for Maxwell and Yang-Mills theories.
We present an overview on relational observables in gravity mainly from a loop quantum gravity perspective. The gauge group of general relativity is the diffeomorphism group of the underlying manifold. Consequently, general relativity is a totally constrained theory with vanishing canonical Hamiltonian. This fact, often referred to as the problem of time, provides the main conceptual difficulty towards the construction of gauge-invariant local observables. Nevertheless, within the framework of complete observables, that encode relations between dynamical fields, progress has been made during t…
We review and relate two recent complementary constructions of linear local gauge-invariant observables for cosmological perturbations in generic spatially flat single-field inflationary cosmologies. After briefly discussing their physical significance, we give explicit, covariant and mutually invertible transformations between the two sets of observables, thus resolving any doubts about their equivalence. In this way, we get a geometric interpretation and show the completeness of both sets of observables, while previously each of these properties was available only for one of them.
We formulate and explore the physical implications of a new translation gauge theory of gravity in flat space-time with a new Yang-Mills action, which involves quadratic gauge curvature and fermions. The theory shows that the presence of an "effective Riemann metric tensor" for the motions of classical particles and light rays is probably the manifestation of the translation gauge symmetry. In the post-Newtonian approximation of the tensor gauge field produced by the energy-momentum tensor, the results are shown to be consistent with classical tests of gravity and with the quadrupole radiation…
We derive and calculate the space-time translational gauge identities in quantum Yang-Mills gravity with a general class of gauge conditions involving two arbitrary parameters. These identities of the Abelian group of translation are a generalization of Ward-Takahasi-Fradkin identities and important for general discussions of possible renormalization of Yang-Mills gravity with translational gauge symmetry. The gauge identities in Yang-Mills gravity with a general class of gauge conditions are substantiated by explicit calculations.
This paper explains the Unimodular gauge fixing of gravity and supergravity in the framework of a perturbative BRST construction. The unphysical sector contains additional BRST-exact quartets to suppress possible ambiguities and impose both the Unimodular gauge fixing condition on the metric and a gauge condition for the reparametrization symmetry of the unimodular part of the metric. The Unimodular gauge choice of the metric must be completed by a $γ$-Traceless gauge condition for the Rarita--Schwinger field in the case of supergravity. This gives an interesting new class of gauges for gravit…
Gravitation theory is formulated as gauge theory on natural bundles with spontaneous symmetry breaking where gauge symmetries are general covariant transformations, gauge fields are general linear connections, and Higgs fields are pseudo-Riemannian metrics.
Starting from a standard noncommutative gauge theory and using the Seiberg-Witten map we propose a new version of a noncommutative gravity. We use consistent deformation theory starting from a free gauge action and gauging a killing symmetry of the background metric to construct a deformation of the gauge theory that we can relate with gravity. The result of this consistent deformation of the gauge theory is nonpolynomial in A_μ. From here we can construct a version of noncommutative gravity that is simpler than previous attempts. Our proposal is consistent and is not plagued with the problems…
We derive for generally covariant theories the generic dependency of observables on the original fields, corresponding to coordinate-dependent gauge fixings. This gauge choice is equivalent to a choice of intrinsically defined coordinates accomplished with the aid of spacetime scalar fields. With our approach we make full contact with, and give a new perspective to, the "evolving constants of motion" program. We are able to directly derive generic properties of observables, especially their dynamics and their Poisson algebra in terms of Dirac brackets, extending earlier results in the literatu…
We study expectation values of observables in three-dimensional spinfoam quantum gravity coupled to Dirac fermions. We revisit the model introduced by one of the authors and extend it to the case of massless fermionic fields. We introduce observables, analyse their symmetries and the corresponding proper gauge fixing. The Berezin integral over the fermionic fields is performed and the fermionic observables are expanded in open paths and closed loops associated to pure quantum gravity observables. We obtain the vertex amplitudes for gauge-invariant observables, while the expectation values of g…
We study the insertion and value of metric observables in the (discrete) path integral formulation of the Ponzano-Regge spinfoam model for 3d quantum gravity. In particular, we discuss the length spectrum and the relation between insertion of such B-observables and gauge fixing in the path integral.
The Hamiltonian analysis of the self-dual gauge gravity theory is carried out. The resulting canonical structure is equivalent to that of self-dual gravity.
Local observation is an important problem both for the foundations of a quantum theory of gravity and for applications to quantum-cosmological problems such as eternal inflation. While gauge invariant local observables can't be defined, it has been argued that appropriate relational observables approximately reduce to local observables in certain states. However, quantum mechanics and gravity together imply limitations on the precision of their localization. Such a relational framework is studied in the context of two-dimensional gravity, where there is a high degree of analytic control. This …
The problem of observables in classical and quantum gravity is a long-standing one. It is sometimes argued that observable quantities should be diffeomorphsm invariant, following the philosophy of Dirac. We argue that diffeomorphism invariance in classical and quantum gravity is not primarily a case of gauge invariance but rather an example of spontaneous symmetry breaking of the diffeomorphism group. As a consequence, observables fall into two classes, Dirac observables which are invariant under the full diffeomorphism group and more general observables which take on different (expectation) v…
A class of diffeomorphism invariant, physical observables, so-called astrometric observables, is introduced. A particularly simple example, the time delay, which expresses the difference between two initially synchronized proper time clocks in relative inertial motion, is analyzed in detail. It is found to satisfy some interesting inequalities related to the causal structure of classical Lorentzian spacetimes. Thus it can serve as a probe of causal structure and in particular of violations of causality. A quantum model of this observable as well as the calculation of its variance due to vacuum…
In this paper we report some results on the expectation values of a set of observables introduced for 3-dimensional Riemannian quantum gravity with positive cosmological constant, that is, observables in the Turaev-Viro model. Instead of giving a formal description of the observables, we just formulate the paper by examples. This means that we just show how an idea works with particular cases and give a way to compute 'expectation values' in general by a topological procedure.
Differential geometric formulation of quantum gauge theory of gravity is studied in this paper. The quantum gauge theory of gravity which is proposed in the references hep-th/0109145 and hep-th/0112062 is formulated completely in the framework of traditional quantum field theory. In order to study the relationship between quantum gauge theory of gravity and traditional quantum gravity which is formulated in curved space, it is important to find the differential geometric formulation of quantum gauge theory of gravity. We first give out the correspondence between quantum gauge theory of gravity…
We discuss the generic phenomenology of quantum gravity and, in particular, argue that the observable effects of quantum gravity, associated with new, extended, non-local, non-particle-like quanta, and accompanied by a dynamical energy-momentum space, are not necessarily Planckian and that they could be observed at much lower and experimentally accessible energy scales.
We start by briefly reviewing the description of gravity theories as gauge theories in four dimensions. More specifically we recall the procedure leading to the results of General Relativity and Weyl Gravity in a gauge-theoretic manner. Then, after a brief reminder of the formulation of gauge theories on noncommutative spaces, we review our recent work, where gravity is constructed as a gauge theory on the fuzzy $dS_4$.
Consistency of $GL(3,R)$ gauge theory of gravity coupled with an external electromagnetic field, is studied. It is shown that possible restrictions on Maxwell field can be avoided through introduction of auxiliary fields.
The infinite group of deformed diffeomorphisms of the spacetime continuum is put into the basis of the gauge theory of gravity. This gives rise to some new ways for unification of gravity with other gauge interactions.
The BRST quantizations of worldsheet gravity corresponding to final more acceptable derivative gauge and the standard conformal gauge are studied. We establish a mapping between these two gauges utilizing FFBRST formulation in standard way. Therefore, we are able to declare that the problems associated with Virasoro constraints are the gauge artifact.
Theoretical descriptions of observable quantities in cosmological perturbation theory should be independent of coordinate systems. This statement is often referred to as gauge-invariance of observable quantities, and the sanity of their theoretical description is verified by checking its gauge-invariance. We argue that cosmological observables are invariant scalars under diffeomorphisms and as a consequence their theoretical description is gauge-invariant, only at linear order in perturbations. Beyond linear order, they are usually not gauge-invariant, and we provide the general law for the ga…
The gauge gravity action for general relativity in any dimension using a connection for the Euclidean or Poincaré group and a symmetry-breaking scalar field is written using a particularly simple matrix technique. A discrete version of the gauge gravity action for variables on a triangulated 3-manifold is given and it is shown how, for a certain class of triangulations of the three-sphere, the discrete quantum model this defines is equivalent to the Ponzano-Regge model of quantum gravity.
Assuming that the natural gauge group of gravity is given by the group of isometries of a given space, for a maximally symmetric space we derive a model in which gravity is essentially a gauge theory of translations. Starting from first principles we verify that a nonlinear realization of the symmetry provides the general structure of this gauge theory, leading to a simple choice of dynamical variables of the gravity field corresponding, at first order, to a diagonal matrix, whereas the non-diagonal elements contribute only to higher orders.
In this paper the novel features of Yokoyama gaugeon formalism are stressed out for the theory of perturbative quantum gravity in Einstein curved spacetime. The quantum gauge transformations for the theory of perturbative gravity are demonstrated in the framework of gaugeon formalism. These quantum gauge transformations lead to renormalized gauge parameter. Further, we analyse the BRST symmetric gaugeon formalism which embeds more acceptable Kugo-Ojima subsidiary condition. Further, the BRST symmetry is made finite and field-dependent. Remarkably, the Jacobian of path integral under finite and…
In this paper we investigate the Yokoyama gaugeon formalism for perturbative quantum gravity in a general curved spacetime. Within the gaugeon formalism, we extend the configuration space by introducing vector gaugeon fields describing a quantum gauge degree of freedom. Such an extended theory of perturbative gravity admits quantum gauge transformations leading to a natural shift in the gauge parameter. Further we impose the Gupta-Bleuler type subsidiary condition to remove the unphysical gaugeon modes. To replace the Gupta-Bleuler type condition by more acceptable Kugo-Ojima type subsidiary c…
We study the gravity action built from two gauge fields corresponding to the generators of the conformal group. Starting with the action from which one can obtain Einstein gravity and conformal gravity upon imposing suitable constraints, we keep two independent gauge fields and integrate out the field corresponding to the generator of Lorentz transformations. We identify the two gauge fields with two vierbeins and perturb them around an Anti--de Sitter space. This gives the linearized equations that differ from both, Einstein gravity and conformal gravity linearized equations. We also study th…
We consider gravity from the quantum field theory point of view and introduce a natural way of coupling gravity to matter by following the gauge principle for particle interactions. The energy-momentum tensor for the matter fields is shown to be conserved and follows as a consequence of the dynamics in a spontaneously broken SO(3,2) gauge theory of gravity. All known interactions are described by the gauge principle at the microscopic level.
We study gauge properties of the general teleparallel theory of gravity, defined in the framework of Poincare gauge theory. It is found that the general theory is characterized by two kinds of gauge symmetries: a specific gauge symmetry that acts on Lagrange multipliers, and the standard Poincare gauge symmetry. The canonical generators of these symmetries are explicitly constructed and investigated.
We introduce an approach to compute the renormalisation group flow of relational observables in quantum gravity which evolve from their microscopic expressions towards the full quantum expectation value. This is achieved by using the composite operator formalism of the functional renormalisation group. These methods can be applied to a large class of relational observables within a derivative expansion for different physical coordinate systems. As a first application we consider four scalar fields coupled to gravity to represent the physical coordinate frame from which relational observables c…
We consider conformal gravity as a gauge natural theory. We study its conservation laws and superpotentials. We also consider the Mannheim and Kazanas spherically symmetric vacuum solution and discuss conserved quantities associated to conformal and diffeomorphism symmetries.
Change and local spatial variation are missing in canonical General Relativity's observables as usually defined, part of the problem of time. Definitions can be tested using equivalent formulations, non-gauge and gauge, because they must have equivalent observables and everything is observable in the non-gauge formulation. Taking an observable from the non-gauge formulation and finding the equivalent in the gauge formulation, one requires that the equivalent be an observable, constraining definitions. For massive photons, the de Broglie-Proca non-gauge formulation observable A_μ is equivalent …
The quantum gravity is formulated based on principle of local gauge invariance. The model discussed in this paper has local gravitational gauge symmetry and gravitational field appears as gauge field. The problems on quantization and renormalization of the theory are also discussed in this paper. In leading order approximation, the gravitational gauge field theory gives out classical Newton's theory of gravity. In first order approximation and for vacuum, the gravitational gauge field theory gives out Einstein's general theory of relativity. This quantum gauge theory of gravity is a renormaliz…
We include a Chern-Simons term in a GL(3,R) gauge formulation of gravity with a cosmological contribution in 2+1 dimension and we explore consistence showing that excitations must be causal and standard topological massive gravity is recovered from this type of construction at the torsionless limit.
In this talk the description of gauge theories associated with internal symmetries is extended to the case in which the symmetry group is the space-time translation group (recovering Einstein's theory) using the standard jet-bundle formalism. We also reformulate these theories introducing the idea of jet-gauge and jet-diffeomorphism groups. Finally, we attempt to a simple, yet non-trivial, mixing of gravity and electromagnetism (or more general internal interaction) by turning to gauge symmetry a central extension of the Poincare group.
Using gauge/gravity duality, we deduce several nontrivial consequences of quantum gravity from simple properties of the dual field theory. These include: (1) a version of cosmic censorship, (2) restrictions on evolution through black hole singularities, and (3) the exclusion of certain cosmological bounces. In the classical limit, the latter implies a new singularity theorem.
In this paper we investigate the properties of gauge-invariant coherent states for Loop Quantum Gravity, for the gauge group U(1). This is done by projecting the corresponding complexifier coherent states, which have been applied in numerous occasions to investigate the semiclassical limit of the kinematical sector, to the gauge-invariant Hilbert space. This being the first step to construct physical coherent states, we arrive at a set of gauge-invariant states that approximate well the gauge-invariant degrees of freedom of abelian LQG. Furthermore, these states turn out to encode explicit inf…
A systematic method is developed to study classical motion of a mass point in gravitational gauge field. First, the formulation of gauge theory of gravity in arbitrary curvilinear coordinates is given. Then in spherical coordinates system, a spherical symmetric solution of the field equation of gravitational gauge field is obtained, which is just the Schwarzschild solution. In gauge theory of gravity, the equation of motion of a classical mass point in gravitational gauge field is given by Newton's second law of motion. A relativistic form of the gravitational force on a mass point is deduced …
In this paper, the cosmological "constant" and the Hubble parameter are considered in the Weyl theory of gravity, by taking them as functions of $r$ and $t$, respectively. Based on this theory and in the linear approximation, we obtain the values of $H_0$ and $Λ_0$ which are in good agreement with the known values of the parameters for the current state of the universe.
This article concerns the fate of local Lorentz invariance in quantum gravity, particularly for approaches in which a discrete structure replaces continuum spacetime. Some features of standard quantum mechanics, presented in a sum-over-histories formulation, are reviewed, and their consequences for such theories are discussed. It is argued that, if the individual histories of a theory give bad approximations to macroscopic continuum properties in some frames, then it is inevitable that the theory violates Lorentz symmetry.
We address the construction and interpretation of diffeomorphism-invariant observables in a low-energy effective theory of quantum gravity. The observables we consider are constructed as integrals over the space of coordinates, in analogy to the construction of gauge-invariant observables in Yang-Mills theory via traces. As such, they are explicitly non-local. Nevertheless we describe how, in suitable quantum states and in a suitable limit, the familiar physics of local quantum field theory can be recovered from appropriate such observables, which we term `pseudo-local.' We consider measuremen…
A gauge theory of quantum gravity is formulated, in which an internal, field dependent metric is introduced which non-linearly realizes the gauge fields on the non-compact group $SL(2,C)$, while linearly realizing them on $SU(2)$. Einstein's $SL(2,C)$ invariant theory of gravity emerges at low energies, since the extra degrees of freedom associated with the quadratic curvature and the internal metric only dominate at high energies. In a fixed internal metric gauge, only the the $SU(2)$ gauge symmetry is satisfied, the particle spectrum is identified and the Hamiltonian is shown to be bounded f…
The minimal coupling procedure, which is employed in standard Yang-Mills theories, appears to be ambiguous in the case of gravity. We propose a slight modification of this procedure, which removes the ambiguity. Our modification justifies some earlier results concerning the consequences of the Poincaré gauge theory of gravity. In particular, the predictions of the Einstein-Cartan theory with fermionic matter are rendered unique.
The quantum gravity is formulated based on principle of local gauge invariance. The model discussed in this paper has local gravitational gauge symmetry and gravitational field is represented by gauge field. In leading order approximation, it gives out classical Newton's theory of gravity. It can also give out Einstein's field equation with cosmological constant. For classical tests, it gives out the same theoretical predictions as those of general relativity. This quantum gauge theory of gravity is a renormalizable quantum theory.
A covariant scheme for matter coupling with a GL(3,R) gauge formulation of gravity is studied. We revisit a known Yang-Mills type construction, where quadratical power of cosmological constant have to be considered in consistence with vacuum Einstein's gravity. Then, matter coupling with gravity is introduced and some constraints on fields and background appear. Finally we elucidate that introduction of auxiliary fields decreases the number of these constraints.
We review the emergence of gravity from gauge theory in the context of AdS/CFT duality. We discuss the evidence for the duality, its lessons for gravitational physics, generalizations, and open questions.
The Newman-Janis technique and the semi-classical Hamilton-Jacobi approach are two distinct phenomena that we apply in this paper to examine the Hawking temperature $(T_{H})$ for $4$-dimensional gauge super gravity like black hole with rotation parameters. First, using the Newman-Janis algorithmic approach, we compute the gauge super gravity like black holes solution. We use surface gravity to derive the $T_H$ for a gauge super gravity like black hole. In order to do this, we use the Lagrangian field equation in the background of generalized uncertainty principle, semi-classical Hamilton-Jacob…
We explore the high and low temperature behavior of non-local observables in strongly coupled gauge theories that are dual to AdS. We develop a systematic expansion for equal time two-point correlation, spatial Wilson loops and entanglement entropy at finite temperature using the AdS/CFT correspondence, leading to analytic expressions for these observables at high and low temperature limits. This approach enables the identification of the contributions of different regions of the bulk geometry to these gauge theory observables.
Observables 'are observed' whereas beables just 'are'. This gives beables more scope in the cosmological and quantum domains. Both observables and beables are entities that form 'brackets' with 'the constraints' that are 'equal to' zero. We explain how depending on circumstances, these could be, e.g., Poisson, Dirac, commutator, histories, Schouten-Nijenhuis, double or Nambu brackets, first-class, gauge, linear or effective constraints, and strong, weak or weak-effective equalities. The Dirac-Bergmann distinction in notions of gauge leads to further notions of observables or beables, and is ti…
We review the basics and the current status of the Poincaré gauge theory of gravity. The general dynamical scheme of Poincaré gauge gravity (PG) is formulated, and its physical consequences are outlined. In particular, we discuss exact solutions with and without torsion, highlight the cosmological aspects, and consider the probing of the spacetime geometry.
The metric-affine gauge theory of gravity provides a broad framework in which gauge theories of gravity can be formulated. In this article we fit metric-affine gravity into the covariant BRST--antifield formalism in order to obtain gauge fixed quantum actions. As an example the gauge fixing of a general two-dimensional model of metric-affine gravity is worked out explicitly. The result is shown to contain the gauge fixed action of the bosonic string in conformal gauge as a special case.
