45 pages, 6 figures, PDFLaTeX; written for "Applied Bohmian Mechanics: From Nanoscale Systems to Cosmology", edited by Xavier Oriols Pladevall and Jordi Mompart; v2 typos corrected
Quantum gravity aims to describe gravity in quantum mechanical terms. How exactly this needs to be done remains an open question. Various proposals have been put on the table, such as canonical quantum gravity, loop quantum gravity, string theory, etc. These proposals often encounter technical and conceptual problems. In this chapter, we focus on canonical quantum gravity and discuss how many conceptual problems, such as the measurement problem and the problem of time, can be overcome by adopting a Bohmian point of view. In a Bohmian theory (also called pilot-wave theory or de Broglie-Bohm theory, after its originators de Broglie and Bohm), a system is described by certain variables in space-time such as particles or fields or something else, whose dynamics depends on the wave function. In the context of quantum gravity, these variables are a space-time metric and suitable variable for the matter fields (e.g., particles or fields). In addition to solving the conceptual problems, the Bohmian approach yields new applications and predictions in quantum cosmology. These include space-time singularity resolution, new types of semi-classical approximations to quantum gravity, and approximations for quantum perturbations moving in a quantum background.
In this paper we have investigated the classical limit in Bohmian quantum cosmology. It is observed that in the quantum regime where the quantum potential is greater than the classical one, one has an expansion in terms of negative powers of the Planck constant. But in the classical limit there are regions having positive powers of the Planck constant, and regions having negative powers and also regions having both. The conclusion is that the Bohmian classical limit cannot be obtained by letting the Planck constant goes to zero.
The classical trajectories for FLRW universe with varying speed of light are obtained for the cases in which the cosmological constant depends or not depend on the velocity of light. The theory is then quantized and the corresponding WDW equation is solved. It is shown that the method of causal interpretation of Bohm can be applied successfully to the theory. Finally the Bohmian trajectories are obtained and compared with the classical ones.
Loop quantum gravity is believed to eliminate singularities such as the big bang and big crunch singularity. This belief is based on studies of so-called loop quantum cosmology which concerns symmetry-reduced models of quantum gravity. In this paper, the problem of singularities is analysed in the context of the Bohmian formulation of loop quantum cosmology. In this formulation there is an actual metric in addition to the wave function, which evolves stochastically (rather than deterministically as the case of the particle evolution in non-relativistic Bohmian mechanics). Thus a singularity oc…
Alcubierre warp drive metric is coupled to quantum mechanical scalar matter field. The requirement of the exotic matter for the warp drive is mapped into a conformal wave equation. This result into a fourth order partial differential equation in terms of the quantum mechanical density. Finding a proper quantum mechanical density obeying the proposed partial differential equation will be a resolution to the exotic matter problem of Alcubierre warp drive in Bohmian Quantum Gravity context.
It is shown explicitly that in the framework of Bohmian quantum gravity, the equations of motion of the space-time metric are Einstein's equations plus some quantum corrections. It is observed that these corrections are not covariant. So that in the framework of Bohmian quantum gravity the general covariance principle breaks down at the individual level. This principle is restored at the statistical level.
In this paper we have solved the Bohmian equations of quantum gravity, perturbatively. Solutions up to second order are derived explicitly, but in principle the method can be used in any order. Some consequences of the solution are disscused.
In this paper we have applied Bohmian quantum theory to the linear field approximation of gravity and present a self--consistent quantum gravity theory in the linear field approximation. The theory is then applied to some specific problems, the Newtonian limit, and the static spherically symmetric solution. Some observable effects of the theory are investigated.
In this paper we have investigated the pure quantum solutions of Bohmian quantum gravity. By pure quantum solution we mean a solution in which the quantum potential cannot be ignored with respect to the classical potential, especially in Bohmian quantum gravity we are interested in the case where these two potentials are equal in their magnitude and in fact their sum is zero. Such a solutions are obtained both using the perturbation and using the linear field approximation.
The predictions of the Bohmian and the decoherent (or consistent) histories formulations of the quantum mechanics of a closed system are compared for histories -- sequences of alternatives at a series of times. For certain kinds of histories, Bohmian mechanics and decoherent histories may both be formulated in the same mathematical framework within which they can be compared. In that framework, Bohmian mechanics and decoherent histories represent a given history by different operators. Their predictions for the probabilities of histories therefore generally differ. However, in an idealized mod…
Bohmian Quantum Cosmology from the Wheeler-DeWitt Equation
Academy of Athens（雅典科学院）；National Observatory of Athens（希腊国家天文台）；National Technical University of Athens（雅典国立技术大学）；CAS Key Laboratory for Researches in Galaxies and Cosmology, School of Astronomy and Space Science, University of Science and Technology of China（中国科学院星系与宇宙学重点实验室，中国科学技术大学天文与空间科学学院）；Universidad Católica del Norte（北天主教学会大学）；National & Kapodistrian University of Athens（雅典国立卡波蒂斯坦大学）
It is shown that introducing the quantum effects using deBroglie--Bohm theory in the canonical formulation of gravity would change the constraints algebra. The new algebra is derived and shown that it is the clear projection of general coordinate transformations to the spatial and temporal diffeomorphisms. The quantum Einstein's equations are derived and it is shown that they are manifestly covariant under the above diffeomorphisms, as it would be.
One of the basic peoblems of quantum cosmology is the problem of time. Various solutions have been proposed for this problem. One approach is to use the Bohmian time. Another Approach is to use the probabilistic time which was recently introduced by Castagnino. We consider both of these definitions as generalizations of a semi-classical time and compare them for a mini-super space.
We explore the possibility of a Bohmian approach to the problem of finding a quantum theory incorporating gravitational phenomena. The major conceptual problems of canonical quantum gravity are the problem of time and the problem of diffeomorphism invariant observables. We find that these problems are artifacts of the subjectivity and vagueness inherent in the framework of orthodox quantum theory. When we insist upon ontological clarity---the distinguishing characteristic of a Bohmian approach---these conceptual problems vanish. We shall also discuss the implications of a Bohmian perspective f…
Semi-classical theories are approximations to quantum theory that treat some degrees of freedom classically and others quantum mechanically. In the usual approach, the quantum degrees of freedom are described by a wave function which evolves according to some Schrödinger equation with a Hamiltonian that depends on the classical degrees of freedom. The classical degrees of freedom satisfy classical equations that depend on the expectation values of quantum operators. In this paper, we study an alternative approach based on Bohmian mechanics. In Bohmian mechanics the quantum system is not only d…
We derive the quantum Einstein equations (which are the quantum generalisation of the Einstein equations of classical gravity) from Bohmian quantum gravity. Bohmian quantum gravity is a non-classical geometrodynamics (in the ADM formalism) which describes the time evolution of a 3-geometry and of a matter field (or other matter degrees of freedom) on a three manifold. The evolution is determined by a velocity law which is defined by the wave function. The wave function itself satisfies the Wheeler-DeWitt equation. We cast the Bohmian dynamics into the form of the Einstein field equations, wher…
A classical origin for the Bohmian quantum potential, as that potential term arises in the quantum mechanical treatment of black holes and Einstein-Rosen (ER) bridges, can be based on 4th-order extensions of Einstein's equations. The required 4th-order extension of general relativity is given by adding quadratic curvature terms with coefficients that maintain a fixed ratio, as their magnitudes approach zero, with classical general relativity as a singular limit. If entangled particles are connected by a Planck-width ER bridge, as conjectured by Maldacena and Susskind, then a connection by a tr…
It is shown that the recently geometric formulation of quantum mechanics implies the use of Weyl geometry. It is discussed that the natural framework for both gravity and quantum is Weyl geometry. At the end a Weyl invariant theory is built, and it is shown that both gravity and quantum are present at the level of equations of motion.
Minisuperspace models derived from Kaluza-Klein theories and low energy string theory are studied. They are equivalent to one and two minimally coupled scalar fields. The general classical and quantum solutions are obtained. Gaussian superposition of WKB solutions are constructed. Contrarily to what is usually expected, these states are sharply peaked around the classical trajectories only for small values of the scale factor. This behaviour is confirmed in the framework of the causal interpretation: the Bohmian trajectories of many quantum states are classical for small values of the scale fa…
It is shown explicitly that in the framework of Bohmian quantum gravity, the equations of motion of the space-time metric are Einstein's equations plus some quantum corrections. It is observed that these corrections are not covariant. So that in the framework of Bohmian quantum gravity the general covariance principle breaks down at the individual level. This principle is restored at the statistical level.
We shall present here the causal interpretation of canonical quantum gravity in terms of new variables. Then we shall apply it to the minisuperspace of cosmology. A vacuum solution of quantum cosmology is obtained and the Bohmian trajectory is investigated. At the end a coherent state with matter is considered in the cosmological model.
Here we shall find the green's function of the difference equation of loop quantum cosmology. To illustrate how to use it, we shall obtain an iterative solution for closed model and evaluate its corresponding Bohmian trajectory.
We propose a new initial condition for the homogeneous and isotropic quantum cosmology, where the source of the gravitational field is a conformally coupled scalar field, and the maximally symmetric hypersurfaces have positive curvature. After solving corresponding Wheeler-DeWitt equation, we obtain exact solutions in both classical and quantum levels. We propose appropriate initial condition for the wave packets which results in a complete classical and quantum correspondence. These wave packets closely follow the classical trajectories and peak on them. We also quantify this correspondence u…
We have quantized a flat cosmological model in the context of the metric f(R) models, using the causal Bohmian quantum theory. The equations are solved and then we have obtained how the quantum corrections influence the classical equations.
The quantized Friedmann-Lema\^ıtre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) model minimally coupled to a free massless scalar field is studied and interpreted in the Bohm-de Broglie framework. We analyze the quantum bohmian trajectories corresponding to a certain class of gaussian packets, solutions of the Wheeler-DeWitt equation. We show that these bohmian trajectories undergo an accelerated expansion in the middle of its evolution due to the presence of quantum cosmological effects in this period. It is shown that the luminosity-redshift relation in the quantum cosmological model can be made close to the cor…
We shall show that it is possible to make a causal interpretation of loop quantum cosmology using the momentum as the dynamical variable. We shall show that one can derive Bohmian trajectories. For a sample cosmological solution with cosmological constant, the trajectory is plotted.
We propose a manifestly covariant canonical method of field quantization based on the classical De Donder-Weyl covariant canonical formulation of field theory. Owing to covariance, the space and time arguments of fields are treated on an equal footing. To achieve both covariance and consistency with standard noncovariant canonical quantization of fields in Minkowski spacetime, it is necessary to adopt a covariant Bohmian formulation of quantum field theory. A preferred foliation of spacetime emerges dynamically owing to a purely quantum effect. The application to a simple time-reparametrizatio…
We shall in the framework of Bohmian quantum gravity show that it is possible to find a {\it pure} quantum state which leads to the static Einstein universe whose classical counterpart is flat space--time. We obtain the solution not only in the long--wavelength approximation but also exactly.
There are two kinds of quantum fluctuations relevant to cosmology that we focus on in this article: those that form the seeds for structure formation in the early universe and those giving rise to Boltzmann brains in the late universe. First, structure formation requires slight inhomogeneities in the density of matter in the early universe, which then get amplified by the effect of gravity, leading to clumping of matter into stars and galaxies. According to inflation theory, quantum fluctuations form the seeds of these inhomogeneities. However, these quantum fluctuations are described by a qua…
In this work, we provide some simple analytical solutions to the Wheeler-DeWitt equation for the minisuperspace applied to de Broglie-Bohmian quantum cosmology for particular potentials of a scalar matter field $ϕ$. One solution describes a constantly rolling scalar field with a quadratic potential plus a negative cosmological constant. The scale factor is given by a Gaussian function. The other solution describes a flat Minkowski universe with the potential of a hilltop form.
A massless scalar field without self interaction and string coupled to gravity is quantized in the framework of quantum cosmology using the Bohm-de Broglie interpretation. Gaussian superpositions of the quantum solutions of the corresponding Wheeler-DeWitt equation in minisuperspace are constructed. The bohmian trajectories obtained exhibit a graceful exit from the inflationary Pre-Big Bang epoch to the decelerated expansion phase.
Universality of motion under gravity, the equivalence principle, is violated for quantum particles. Here, we study time it takes for a quantum particle to scatter from the gravitational potential, and show that the scattering time, formulated here using the opportune Bohmian formulation, acts as an indicator of the equivalence principle violation. The scattering times of wavepackets are distinctive enough to distinguish between the Bohmian and Copenhagen interpretations. The scattering time of mono-energetic stationary states, formulated here as a modification of the Bohmian time by probabilit…
We investigate $(n+1)$--dimensional cosmology with varying speed of light. After solving corresponding Wheeler-DeWitt equation, we obtain exact solutions in both classical and quantum levels for ($c $--$Λ$)--dominated Universe. We then construct the ``canonical'' wave packets which exhibit a good classical and quantum correspondence. We show that arbitrary but appropriate initial conditions lead to the same classical description. We also study the situation from de-Broglie Bohm interpretation of quantum mechanics and show that the corresponding Bohmian trajectories are in good agreement with t…
Semi-classical gravity is an approximation to quantum gravity where gravity is treated classically and matter quantum mechanically. Matter is described by quantum field theory on curved space-time, whereas gravity is described by a space-time metric which satisfies Einstein's field equations. In the usual approach to semi-classical gravity, the matter source term in Einstein's field equations is given by the expectation value of the energy-momentum tensor operator. In this paper, we suggest an alternative approach based on Bohmian mechanics. In Bohmian mechanics, a quantum system is described …
The perfect fluid cosmology in the 1+d+D dimensional Kaluza-Klein spacetimes for an arbitrary barotropic equation of state $p= n ρ$ is quantized by using the Schutz's variational formalism. We make efforts in the mathematics to solve the problems in two cases. For the first case of the stiff fluid $n=1$ we exactly solve the Wheeler-DeWitt equation when the $d$ space is flat. After the superposition of the solutions we analyze the Bohmian trajectories of the final-stage wave-packet functions and show that the flat $d$ spaces and the compact $D$ spaces will eventually evolve into finite scale fu…
The old cosmological-constant (CC) problem indicates an inconsistency of the usual formulation of semiclassical gravity. The usual formulation of semiclassical gravity also seems to be inconsistent with the conventional interpretation of quantum mechanics based on the discontinuous wave-function collapse. By reformulating semiclassical gravity in terms of Bohmian deterministic particle trajectories, the resulting semiclassical theory avoids both the old CC problem and the discontinuous collapse problem of the usual semiclassical theory. The relevance to the new CC problem and to particle creat…
This paper is a sequel to the series of papers [gr-qc/9409010, gr-qc/9505034, gr-qc/9603022, gr-qc/9609035, gr-qc/9609046, gr-qc/9704033, gr-qc/9704038, gr-qc/9708014, gr-qc/9802016, gr-qc/9802022]. We define a quantum measurement as a sequence of binary quantum jumps caused by a macroscopic apparatus. A dynamical theory of measurement is developed, the role of gravity and cosmology being emphasized.
A quantum cosmological model with radiation and a dilaton scalar field is analysed. The Wheeler-deWitt equation in the mini-superspace induces a Schrödinger equation, which can be solved. An explicit wavepacket is constructed for a particular choice of the ordering factor. A consistent solution is possible only when the scalar field is a phantom field. Moreover, although the wavepacket is time dependent, a Bohmian analysis allows to extract a bouncing behaviour for the scale factor.
In Crull (2015) it is argued that, in order to confront outstanding problems in cosmology and quantum gravity, interpretational aspects of quantum theory can by bypassed because decoherence is able to resolve them. As a result, Crull (2015) concludes that our focus on conceptual and interpretational issues, while dealing with such matters in Okon and Sudarsky (2014), is avoidable and even pernicious. Here we will defend our position by showing in detail why decoherence does not help in the resolution of foundational questions in quantum mechanics, such as the measurement problem or the emergen…
It was shown recently that replacing classical geodesics with quantal (Bohmian) trajectories gives rise to a quantum corrected Raychaudhuri equation (QRE). In this article we derive the second order Friedmann equations from the QRE, and show that this also contains a couple of quantum correction terms, the first of which can be interpreted as cosmological constant (and gives a correct estimate of its observed value), while the second as a radiation term in the early universe, which gets rid of the big-bang singularity and predicts an infinite age of our universe.
We examine in detail the cosmology based on quantal (Bohmian) trajectories as suggested in a recent study arXiv:1404.3093[gr-qc]. We disagree with the conclusions regarding predicting the value of the cosmological constant $Λ$ and evading the big bang singularity. Furthermore, we show that the approach of using a quantum corrected Raychaudhuri equation (QRE), as suggested in arXiv:1404.3093[gr-qc], is unsatisfactory, because, essentially, it uses the Raychaudhuri equation, which is a kinematical equation, in order to predict dynamics. In addition, even within this inconsistent framework, the a…
Quantization in the minisuperspace of non minimal scalar-tensor theories leads to a partial differential equation which is non separable. Through a conformal transformation we can recast the Wheeler-DeWitt equation in an integrable form, which corresponds to the minimal coupling case, whose general solution is known. Performing the inverse conformal transformation in the solution so found, we can construct the corresponding one in the original frame. This procedure can also be employed with the bohmian trajectories. In this way, we can study the classical limit of some solutions of this quantu…
The Averaging problem in general relativity and cosmology is discussed. The approach of macroscopic gravity to resolve the problem is presented. An exact cosmological solution to the equations of macroscopic gravity is given and its properties are discussed. Contents: 1. Introduction to General Relativity 2. General Relativity -> Relativistic Cosmology 3. Introduction to Relativistic Cosmology 4. Relativistic Cosmology -> Mathematical Cosmology 5. Averaging Problem in Relativistic Cosmology 6. History of the Averaging Problem 7. Averaging and FLRW Cosmologies 8. Averaging Problem in General Re…
We study a quantization via fractional derivative of a nonminimal derivative coupling cosmological theory, namely, the Fab Four John theory. Its Hamiltonian version presents the issue of fractional powers in the momenta. That problem is solved here by the application of the so-called conformable fractional derivative. This leads to a Wheeler-DeWitt equation of second order, showing that a Bohm-de Broglie interpretation can be constructed. That combination of fractional quantization and Bohmian interpretation provides us a new quantization method, in which the quantum potential is the criterion…
The search for a consistent and empirically established quantum theory of gravity is among the biggest open problems of fundamental physics. The obstacles are of formal and of conceptual nature. Here, I address the main conceptual problems, discuss their present status and outline further directions of research. For this purpose, the main current approaches to quantum gravity are briefly reviewed and compared.
Guided by a linearized approximation to Einstein theory, an interim prescription for ``weak source of gravity'' - - in ``particle'' energy-momentum distributed along standpoint light cone - - is formulated for (classical) standpoint cosmology.
The approach to incorporate quantum effects in gravity by replacing free particle geodesics with Bohmian non-geodesic trajectories has an equivalent description in terms of a conformally related geometry, where the motion is force free, with the quantum effects inside the conformal factor, i.e., in the geometry itself. For more general disformal transformations relating gravitational and physical geometries, we show how to establish this equivalence by taking the quantum effects inside the disformal degrees of freedom. We also show how one can solve the usual problems associated with the confo…
We display a number of advantages of objective collapse theories for the resolution of long-standing problems in cosmology and quantum gravity. In particular, we examine applications of objective reduction models to three important issues: the origin of the seeds of cosmic structure, the problem of time in quantum gravity and the information loss paradox; we show how reduction models contain the necessary tools to provide solutions for these issues. We wrap up with an adventurous proposal, which relates the spontaneous collapse events of objective collapse models to microscopic virtual black h…
A quantum cosmology in teleparallel gravity is presented in this article. Teleparallel gravity is used to perform such an analysis once in General Relativity (GR) the concept of gravitational energy is misleading preventing the establishment of a concise quantum cosmology. The Wheeler-DeWitt like equation is obtained using the Weyl quantization and the teleparallel expression of energy.
A short review of recent results on exact solutions in multidimensional cosmology and overview of reports at workshop in MG8 (held by the author) are presented.
A relativistic modified gravity (MOG) theory leads to a self-consistent, stable gravity theory that can describe the solar system, galaxy and clusters of galaxies data and cosmology.
