Discrete quantum gravity and anomalies

A new version of quantum gravity on discrete spaces (simplicial complexes) is proposed. A theory of gravitation interacting with Dirac field is considered. This theory is shown to be free of reparametrization anomaly. The problem of axial gauge anomaly and the associated problem of the doubling of fermion states on a lattice are discussed.     

Doubling of states, quantum anomalies, and possible cosmological consequences in the continuum limit of the theory of discrete quantum gravity

The problem of the doubling of states is investigated in the framework of the theory of discrete quantum gravity under the assumption that the theory has a continuum (macroscopic) limit. It is demonstrated that irregular (in some sense) modes of fields (i.e., modes that change abruptly on scales of a lattice step and have a finite energy when the lattice step tends to zero) are separated from the normal modes. Some cosmological consequences of this finding are discussed.     

The U(1) anomaly in a chiral invariant lattice action

A chiral invariant lattice fermion action which violates reflection positivity and avoids the doubling of fermion species is studied in perturbation theory in two-dimensional spacetime. The absence of anomalies in the lattice regularization is shown to be compatible with the identification of current operators which reproduce the correct (axial) vector current Ward identities.     

Finite element methods for low-dimensional fermion field theories

We examine lattice fermion models based on operator difference equations derived using the method of finite elements, motivated by the absence of species doubling in such formulations. Interacting fermion theories in (0+1) and (1+1) spacetime dimensions are constructed, and shown to be consistent in the sense that suitably defined equal time commutation relations are preserved from timeslice to timeslice. Using weak coupling perturbation theory to calculate the two-point function, we show that the non-locality inherent in the differencing scheme results in a violation of microcasuality in the continuum limit.     

Axial anomalies of Lifshitz fermions

We compute the axial anomaly of a Lifshitz fermion theory with anisotropic scaling z = 3 which is minimally coupled to geometry in 3+1 space‐time dimensions. We find that the result is identical to the relativistic case using path integral methods. An independent verification is provided by showing with spectral methods that the η‐invariant of the Dirac and Lifshitz fermion operators in three dimensions are equal. Thus, by the integrated form of the anomaly, the index of the Dirac operator still accounts for the possible breakdown of chiral symmetry in non‐relativistic theories of gravity. We apply this framework to the recently constructed gravitational instanton backgrounds of Hořava–Lifshitz theory and find that the index is non‐zero provided that the space‐time foliation admits leaves with harmonic spinors. Using Hitchin's construction of harmonic spinors on Berger spheres, we obtain explicit results for the index of the fermion operator on all such gravitational instanton backgrounds with SU(2) × U(1) isometry. In contrast to the instantons of Einstein gravity, chiral symmetry breaking becomes possible in the unimodular phase of Hořava–Lifshitz theory arising at λ = 1/3 provided that the volume of space is bounded from below by the ratio of the Ricci to Cotton tensor couplings raised to the third power. Some other aspects of the anomalies in non‐relativistic quantum field theories are also discussed.     

Unified model of loop quantum gravity and matter

We reconsider the unified model of gravitation and Yang–Mills interactions proposed by Chakraborty and Peldán, in the light of recent formal developments in loop quantum gravity. In particular, we show that one can promote the Hamiltonian constraint of the unified model to a well defined anomaly-free quantum operator using the techniques introduced by Thiemann, at least for the Euclidean theory. The Lorentzian version of the model can be consistently constructed, but at the moment appears to yield a correct weak field theory only under restrictive assumptions, and its quantization appears problematic.     

Once again on Wilson fermion doubling

Two classes of irregular lattices, in one of which the Wilson fermion doubling is absent, whereas in the other it is formally present, have been presented in my previous works. Irregular lattices are simplicial complexes that are used to define discrete gravity. It has been shown that Wilson fermion doubling is always absent in this discrete gravity with any lattice class, because anomalous modes do not propagate.     

Gauge invariance and fermion doubling on the lattice

(1) We consider a possible chiral invariant solution of the lattice fermion doubling problem. This makes the unwanted states decouple in the continuum limit, at least in the non-interacting theory. The introduction of gauge interactions restores doubling. We examine how local gauge invariance makes all the species in a doubled spectrum act alike. (2) We generalise earlier results to show how gauge invariance forces a doubled spectrum on us even when other considerations do not.     

Discrete gauge symmetry anomalies

It has been recently argued that quantum gravity effects strongly violate all non-gauge symmetries. This would suggest that all low energy discrete symmetries should be gauge symmetries, either continuous or discrete. Acceptable continuous gauge symmetries are constrained by the condition they should be anomaly free. We show here that any discrete gauge symmetry should also obey certain “discrete anomaly cancellation” conditions. These conditions strongly constrains the massles fermion content of the theory and follow from the “parent” cancellation of the usual continuous gauge anomalies. They have interesting applications in model building. As an example we consider the constraints on the Z_N “generalized matter parities” of the supersymmetric standard model. We show that only a few (including the standard R-parity) are “discrete anomaly free” unless the fermion content of the minimal supersymmetric standard model is enlarged.     

Quantizing QED2 on the light-cone

The method of discretized light-cone quantization (DLCQ) is applied to quantum electrodynamics in one space and one time dimension (QED₂) with different initial conditions. This leads to different representations of the operators of the constants of motion. Within the fermion-antifermion approximation we perform analytically the transition to the continuum limit and show that the discrete massive and massless representations are equivalent. We compare a semiclassical calculation of the number of bound states with the results obtained in the continuum limit. Furthermore a discrete bosonized version of QED₂ is discussed.     

Bosonization,topological solitons and fractional charges in two-dimensional quantum field theory

We further develop the quantization of topological solitons in two-dimensional quantum field theory in terms of Euclidean region functional integrals. Our approach is nonperturbative and mathematically rigorous. We apply it to construct physical states with fractional fermion number in models of interacting bosons and fermions without recurring to a semiclassical approximation. A related issue discussed in this paper is two-dimensional chiral bosonization.     

从离散Wigner函数的角度探讨量子相干性度量

量子相干性是量子信息处理的基本要素,在量子计算中扮演着重要的角色.为了便于讨论量子相干性在量子计算中的作用,本文从离散Wigner函数角度对量子相干性进行了探讨.首先对奇素数维量子系统的离散Wigner函数进行了分析,分离出表征相干性的部分,提出了一种可能的基于离散Wigner函数的量子相干性度量方法,并对其进行了量子相干性度量规范的分析;同时也比较了该度量与l_1范数相干性度量之间的关系.重要的是,这种度量方法能够明确给出量子相干性程度与衡量量子态量子计算加速能力的负性和之间不等式关系,由此可以解析地解释量子相干性仅是量子计算加速的必要条件.     

Dynamical method for quantizing gravity and the problem of decoherence in quantum cosmology

A regularized quantum theory of gravity interacting with matter is constructed. The construction is made on the basis of the method of dynamical quantization of generally covariant theories. A solution of the problem of decoherence in quantum cosmology is proposed on the basis of this method.     

Quantum cellular automata and free quantum field theory

In a series of recent papers [1–4] it has been shown how free quantum field theory can be derived without using mechanical primitives (including space-time, special relativity, quantization rules, etc.), but only considering the easiest quantum algorithm encompassing a countable set of quantum systems whose network of interactions satisfies the simple principles of unitarity, homogeneity, locality, and isotropy. This has opened the route to extending the axiomatic information-theoretic derivation of the quantum theory of abstract systems [5, 6] to include quantum field theory. The inherent discrete nature of the informational axiomatization leads to an extension of quantum field theory to a quantum cellular automata theory, where the usual field theory is recovered in a regime where the discrete structure of the automata cannot be probed. A simple heuristic argument sets the scale of discreteness to the Planck scale, and the customary physical regime where discreteness is not visible is the relativistic one of small wavevectors.     

Towards the deformation quantization of linearized gravity

We present a first attempt to apply the approach of deformation quantization to linearized Einstein's equations. We use the analogy with Maxwell equations to derive the field equations of linearized gravity from a modified Maxwell Lagrangian which allows the construction of a Hamiltonian in the standard way. The deformation quantization procedure for free fields is applied to this Hamiltonian. As a result we obtain the complete set of quantum states and the discrete energy spectrum of linearized gravity.     

Broken symmetries from minimally doubled fermions

Novel chirally symmetric fermion actions containing the minimum amount of fermion doubling have been recently proposed in the literature. We study the symmetries and renormalization of these actions and find that in each case, discrete symmetries, such as parity and time-reversal, are explicitly broken. Consequently, when the gauge interactions are included, these theories radiatively generate relevant and marginal operators. The restoration of these symmetries and the approach to the continuum limit thus require the fine-tuning of several parameters. With some assumptions, we show that this behavior is expected for actions displaying minimal fermion doubling.     

Absence of species doubling in finite-element quantum electrodynamics

In this Letter, it will be demonstrated explicitly that the finite-element formulation of quantum electrodynamics is free from fermion doubling. We do this by (1) examining the lattice fermion propagator and using it to compute the one-loop vacuum polarization on the lattice, and (2) by an explict computation of vector and axial-vector current anomalies for an arbitrary rectangular lattice in the Schwinger model. There it is shown that requiring that the vector current be conserved necessitates the use of a square lattice, in which case the axial-vector current is anomalous.