Finitary, Causal, and Quantal Vacuum Einstein Gravity

We continue recent work (Mallios and Raptis, International Journal of Theoretical Physics 40, 1885, 2001; in press) and formulate the gravitational vacuum Einstein equations over a locally finite space-time by using the basic axiomatics, techniques, ideas, and working philosophy of Abstract Differential Geometry. The main kinematical structure involved, originally introduced and explored in (Mallios and Raptis, International Journal of Theoretical Physics 40, 1885, 2001), is a curved principal finitary space-time sheaf of incidence algebras, which have been interpreted as quantum causal sets, together with a nontrivial locally finite spin-Loretzian connection on it which lays the structural foundation for the formulation of a covariant dynamics of quantum causality in terms of sheaf morphisms. Our scheme is innately algebraic and it supports a categorical version of the principle of general covariance that is manifestly independent of a background -smooth space-time manifold M. Thus, we entertain the possibility of developing a fully covariant path integral-type of quantum dynamical scenario for these connections that avoids ab initio various problems that such a dynamics encounters in other current quantization schemes for gravity—either canonical (Hamiltonian) or covariant (Lagrangian)—involving an external, base differential space-time manifold, namely, the choice of a diffeomorphism-invariant measure on the moduli space of gauge-equivalent (self-dual) gravitational spin-Lorentzian connections and the (Hilbert space) inner product that could in principle be constructed relative to that measure in the quantum theory—the so-called inner product problem, as well as the problem of time that also involves the Diff(M) structure group of the classical -smooth space-time continuum of general relativity. Hence, by using the inherently algebraico—sheaf—theoretic and calculus-free ideas of Abstract Differential Geometry, we are able to draw preliminary, albeit suggestive, connections between certain nonperturbative (canonical or covariant) approaches to quantum general relativity (e.g., Ashtekar's new variables and the loop formalism that has been developed along with them) and Sorkin et al.'s causal set program. As it were, we noncommutatively algebraize, differential geometrize and, as a result, dynamically vary causal sets. At the end, we anticipate various consequences that such a scenario for a locally finite, causal and quantal vacuum Einstein gravity might have for the obstinate (from the viewpoint of the smooth continuum) problem of -smooth space-time singularities.     

Glafka-2004: Categorical Quantum Gravity

A synopsis-cum-update of work in the past half-decade or so on applying the algebraico-categorical concepts, technology and general philosophy of Abstract Differential Geometry (ADG) to various issues in current classical and quantum gravity research is presented. The exposition is mainly discursive, with conceptual, interpretational and philosophical matters emphasized throughout, while their formal technical-mathematical underpinnings have been left to the original papers. The general position is assumed that Quantum Gravity is in need of a new mathematical, novel physical concepts and principles introducing, framework in which old and current problems can be reformulated, readdressed and potentially retackled afresh. It is suggested that ADG can qualify as such a theoretical framework.Paper version of a talk given at the Glafka–2004: Iconoclastic Approaches to Quantum Gravity international theoretical physics conference, held in Athens, Greece (summer 2004).     

Finitary Čech-de Rham Cohomology

The present paper continues (Mallios & Raptis, International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 2001, 40, 1885) and studies the curved finitary spacetime sheaves of incidence algebras presented therein from a ech cohomological perspective. In particular, we entertain the possibility of constructing a nontrivial de Rham complex on these finite dimensional algebra sheaves along the lines of the first author's axiomatic approach to differential geometry via the theory of vector and algebra sheaves (Mallios, Geometry of Vector Sheaves: An Axiomtic Approach to Differential Geometry, Vols. 1–2, Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1998a; Mathematica Japonica (International Plaza), 1998b, 48, 93). The upshot of this study is that important classical differential geometric constructions and results usually thought of as being intimately associated with C-smooth manifolds carry through, virtually unaltered, to the finitary-algebraic regime with the help of some quite universal, because abstract, ideas taken mainly from sheaf-cohomology as developed in Mallios (1998a,b). At the end of the paper, and due to the fact that the incidence algebras involved have been interpreted as quantum causal sets (Raptis, International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 2000, 39, 1233; Mallios & Raptis, 2001), we discuss how these ideas may be used in certain aspects of current research on discrete Lorentzian quantum gravity.     

Quantum Observables Algebras and Abstract Differential Geometry: The Topos-Theoretic Dynamics of Diagrams of Commutative Algebraic Localizations

We construct a sheaf-theoretic representation of quantum observables algebras over a base category equipped with a Grothendieck topology, consisting of epimorphic families of commutative observables algebras, playing the role of local arithmetics in measurement situations. This construction makes possible the adaptation of the methodology of Abstract Differential Geometry (ADG), à la Mallios, in a topos-theoretic environment, and hence, the extension of the “mechanism of differentials” in the quantum regime. The process of gluing information, within diagrams of commutative algebraic localizations, generates dynamics, involving the transition from the classical to the quantum regime, formulated cohomologically in terms of a functorial quantum connection, and subsequently, detected via the associated curvature of that connection.     

Finitary-Algebraic ‘Resolution’ of the Inner Schwarzschild Singularity

A ‘resolution’ of the interior singularity of the spherically symmetric Schwarzschild solution of the Einstein equations for the gravitational field of a point-particle is carried out entirely and solely by finitistic and algebraic means. To this end, the background differential spacetime manifold and, in extenso, Differential Calculus-free purely algebraic (:sheaf-theoretic) conceptual and technical machinery of Abstract Differential Geometry (ADG) is employed. As in previous works [Mallios, A. and Raptis, I. (2001). Finitary spacetime sheaves of quantum causal sets: Curving quantum causality. International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 40, 1885 [gr-qc/0102097]; Mallios, A. and Raptis, I. (2002). Finitary Čech-de Rham cohomology. International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 41, 1857 [gr-qc/0110033]; Mallios, A. and Raptis, I. (2003). Finitary, causal and quantal vacuum Einstein gravity. International Journal of Theoretical Physics 42, 1479 [gr-qc/0209048]], which this paper continues, the starting point for the present application of ADG is Sorkin's finitary (:locally finite) poset (:partially ordered set) substitutes of continuous manifolds in their Gel'fand-dual picture in terms of discrete differential incidence algebras and the finitary spacetime sheaves thereof. It is shown that the Einstein equations hold not only at the finitary poset level of ‘discrete events,’ but also at a suitable ‘classical spacetime continuum limit’ of the said finitary sheaves and the associated differential triads that they define ADG-theoretically. The upshot of this is two-fold: On the one hand, the field equations are seen to hold when only finitely many events or ‘degrees of freedom’ of the gravitational field are involved, so that no infinity or uncontrollable divergence of the latter arises at all in our inherently finitistic-algebraic scenario. On the other hand, the law of gravity—still modelled in ADG by a differential equation proper—does not break down in any (differential geometric) sense in the vicinity of the locus of the point-mass as it is traditionally maintained in the usual manifold-based analysis of spacetime singularities in General Relativity (GR). At the end, some brief remarks are made on the potential import of ADG-theoretic ideas in developing a genuinely background-independent Quantum Gravity (QG). A brief comparison between the ‘resolution’ proposed here and a recent resolution of the inner Schwarzschild singularity by Loop QG means concludes the paper. PACS numbers: 04.60.−m, 04.20.Gz, 04.20.−q