Massive gravity as a quantum gauge theory

We present a new point of view on the quantization of the massive gravitational field, namely we use exclusively the quantum framework of the second quantization. The Hilbert space of the many-gravitons system is a Fock space F⁺ (H_graviton) where the one-particle Hilbert space H_graviton carries the direct sum of two unitary irreducible representations of the Poincaré group corresponding to two particles of mass m > 0 and spins 2 and 0, respectively. This Hilbert space is canonically isomorphic to a space of the type Ker(Q)/Im(Q) where Q is a gauge charge defined in an extension of the Hilbert space H_graviton generated by the gravitational field h and some ghosts fields u, (which are vector Fermi fields) and v (which is a vector Bose field).Then we study the self interaction of massive gravity in the causal framework. We obtain a solution which goes smoothly to the zero-mass solution of linear quantum gravity up to a term depending on the bosonic ghost field. This solution depends on two real constants as it should be; these constants are related to the gravitational constant and the cosmological constant. In the second order of the perturbation theory we do not need a Higgs field, in sharp contrast to Yang-Mills theory.     

Fermions in three-dimensional spinfoam quantum gravity

We study the coupling of massive fermions to the quantum mechanical dynamics of spacetime emerging from the spinfoam approach in three dimensions. We first recall the classical theory before constructing a spinfoam model of quantum gravity coupled to spinors. The technique used is based on a finite expansion in inverse fermion masses leading to the computation of the vacuum to vacuum transition amplitude of the theory. The path integral is derived as a sum over closed fermionic loops wrapping around the spinfoam. The effects of quantum torsion are realised as a modification of the intertwining operators assigned to the edges of the two-complex, in accordance with loop quantum gravity. The creation of non-trivial curvature is modelled by a modification of the pure gravity vertex amplitudes. The appendix contains a review of the geometrical and algebraic structures underlying the classical coupling of fermions to three dimensional gravity.     

Regular black holes in UV self-complete quantum gravity

In this Letter we investigate the role of regular (curvature singularity-free) black holes in the framework of UV self-complete quantum gravity. The existence of a minimal length, shielding the trans-Planckian regime to any physical probe, is self-consistently included into the black hole probe itself. In this way we obtain to slightly shift the barrier below the Planck length, with the UV self-complete scenario self-consistently confirmed.     

The physics of quantum gravity

Quantum gravity is still very mysterious and far from being well understood. In this text we review the motivations for the quantification of gravity, and some expected physical consequences. We discuss the remarkable relations between scattering processes in quantum gravity and in Yang–Mills theory, and the role of string theory as a unifying theory.     

量子引力的曲率两点真空相关

以平坦的Minkowski时空为背景，得到了任意坐标系和谐和坐标系中，n维GR引力和高导数引力的引力子自由传播子，求得了四种可能的曲率两点真空相关函数的首项.用微扰计算证明了曲率的两点真空相关函数在GR引力中为零，而在高导数引力中不为零.讨论了高导数引力与GR的引力子传播子、曲率相关函数的关系. 关键词： GR 高导数引力 引力子自由传播子 曲率真空相关函数 平移传播子     

Exact uncertainty approach in quantum mechanics and quantum gravity

The assumption that an ensemble of classical particles is subject to nonclassical momentum fluctuations, with the fluctuation uncertainty fully determined by the position uncertainty, has been shown to lead from the classical equations of motion to the Schrödinger equation. This ‘exact uncertainty’ approach may be generalised to ensembles of gravitational fields, where nonclassical fluctuations are added to the field momentum densities, of a magnitude determined by the uncertainty in the metric tensor components. In this way one obtains the Wheeler-DeWitt equation of quantum gravity, with the added bonus of a uniquely specified operator ordering. No a priori assumptions are required concerning the existence of wave functions, Hilbert spaces, Planck's constant, linear operators, etc. Thus this approach has greater transparency than the usual canonical approach, particularly in regard to the connections between quantum and classical ensembles. Conceptual foundations and advantages are emphasised.     

String theory as a theory of quantum gravity: a status report

We review the status of string theory as a quantum theory of gravity. Our emphasis is on outstanding questions and remaining challenges rather then on well-established results and successes.     

Bimetric truncations for quantum Einstein gravity and asymptotic safety

In the average action approach to the quantization of gravity the fundamental requirement of “background independence” is met by actually introducing a background metric but leaving it completely arbitrary. The associated Wilsonian renormalization group defines a coarse graining flow on a theory space of functionals which, besides the dynamical metric, depend explicitly on the background metric. All solutions to the truncated flow equations known to date have a trivial background field dependence only, namely via the classical gauge fixing term. In this paper, we analyze a number of conceptual issues related to the bimetric character of the gravitational average action and explore a first nontrivial bimetric truncation in the simplified setting of conformally reduced gravity. Possible implications for the Asymptotic Safety program and the cosmological constant problem are discussed in detail.     

A proposal for covariant renormalizable field theory of gravity

The class of covariant gravity theories which have nice ultraviolet behavior and seem to be (super)-renormalizable is proposed. The apparent breaking of Lorentz invariance occurs due to the coupling with the effective fluid which is induced by Lagrange multiplier constrained scalar field. Spatially-flat FRW cosmology for such covariant field gravity may have accelerating solutions. Renormalizable versions of more complicated modified gravity which depends on Riemann and Ricci tensor squared may be constructed in the same way.     

Some surprising implications of background independence in canonical quantum gravity

There is a precise sense in which the requirement of background independence suffices to uniquely select the kinematics of loop quantum gravity (LQG). Specifically, the fundamental kinematic algebra of LQG admits a unique diffeomorphism invariant state. Although this result has been established rigorously, it comes as a surprise to researchers working with other approaches to quantum gravity. The goal of this article is to explain the underlying reasons in a pedagogical fashion using geometrodynamics, keeping the technicalities at their minimum. This discussion will bring out the surprisingly powerful role played by diffeomorphism invariance (and covariance) in non-perturbative, canonical quantum gravity.     

Semiclassical quantum gravity: statistics of combinatorial Riemannian geometries

This paper is a contribution to the development of a framework, to be used in the context of semiclassical canonical quantum gravity, in which to frame questions about the correspondence between discrete spacetime structures at “quantum scales” and continuum, classical geometries at large scales. Such a correspondence can be meaningfully established when one has a “semiclassical” state in the underlying quantum gravity theory, and the uncertainties in the correspondence arise both from quantum fluctuations in this state and from the kinematical procedure of matching a smooth geometry to a discrete one. We focus on the latter type of uncertainty, and suggest the use of statistical geometry as a way to quantify it. With a cell complex as an example of discrete structure, we discuss how to construct quantities that define a smooth geometry, and how to estimate the associated uncertainties. We also comment briefly on how to combine our results with uncertainties in the underlying quantum state, and on their use when considering phenomenological aspects of quantum gravity.     

Quantum gravity stability of isotropy in homogeneous cosmology

It has been shown that anisotropy of homogeneous spacetime described by the general Kasner metric can be damped by quantum fluctuations coming from perturbative quantum gravity in one-loop approximation. Also, a formal argument, not limited to one-loop approximation, is put forward in favor of stability of isotropy in the exactly isotropic case.     

Universal theory of weak interactions in the paracharge scheme and quark-lepton analogy

A universal theory of weak interaction is constructed by exploiting an analogy inherent between the four leptons and the four quarks of the paracharge scheme proposed recently to deal with theψ-particles. The leptons (ν _e,ν _μ,e _L,μ _L) are assigned to the representation (1/2, 1/2) and the quarks (p, n _W)_L and (χ,λ _W)_L to the representations (1/2, 0) and (0, 1/2), respectively, of the groupO ₄ (L stands for the left-handed projections and W for the Cabibbo rotated orthogonal combinations ofn andλ). Universality is ensured by embedding the above (weak)O ₄ into thesimple groupO ₅ and gauging the latter. In the final effective weak interaction, besides the conventionalV-A charged-current part, a (V-A)neutral current interaction (consistent with the present data) is naturally present. The neutral current has a \(\bar \nu _\mu \nu _\mu \) term but no \(\bar \nu _e \nu _e \) term, thus providing a crucial test of the theory.     

Bimetric renormalization group flows in quantum Einstein gravity

The formulation of an exact functional renormalization group equation for quantum Einstein gravity necessitates that the underlying effective average action depends on two metrics, a dynamical metric giving the vacuum expectation value of the quantum field, and a background metric supplying the coarse graining scale. The central requirement of “background independence” is met by leaving the background metric completely arbitrary. This bimetric structure entails that the effective average action may contain three classes of interactions: those built from the dynamical metric only, terms which are purely background, and those involving a mixture of both metrics. This work initiates the first study of the full-fledged gravitational RG flow, which explicitly accounts for this bimetric structure, by considering an ansatz for the effective average action which includes all three classes of interactions. It is shown that the non-trivial gravitational RG fixed point central to the asymptotic safety program persists upon disentangling the dynamical and background terms. Moreover, upon including the mixed terms, a second non-trivial fixed point emerges, which may control the theory’s IR behavior.     

Classical gravity and quantum matter fields in unified field theory

The Einstein-Schrödinger purely affine field theory of the non-symmetric field provides canonical field equations without constraints. These equations imply the Heisenberg-Pauli commutation rules of quantum field theory. In the Schrödinger gauging of the Einstein field coordinatesU _kl ⁱ = _kl ⁱ – _l ⁱ _km ^m , this unified geometric field theory becomes a model of the coupling between a quantized Maxwellian field in a medium and classical gravity. Therefore, independently of the question as to the physical truth of this model, its analysis performed in the present paper demonstrates that, in the framework of a quantized unified field theory, gravity can appear as a genuinely classical field.     

A predictive framework for quantum gravity and black hole to white hole transition

The apparent incompatibility between quantum theory and general relativity has long hampered efforts to find a quantum theory of gravity. The recently proposed positive formalism for quantum theory purports to remove this incompatibility. We showcase the power of the positive formalism by applying it to the black hole to white hole transition scenario that has been proposed as a possible effect of quantum gravity. We show how the characteristic observable of this scenario, the bounce time, can be predicted within the positive formalism, while a traditional S-matrix approach fails at this task. Our result also involves a conceptually novel use of positive operator valued measures.     

Perturbative modes and black hole entropy in f(Ricci) gravity

f(Ricci) gravity is a special kind of higher curvature gravity whose bulk Lagrangian density is the trace of a matrix-valued function of the Ricci tensor. It is shown that under some mild constraints, f(Ricci) gravity admits Einstein manifolds as exact vacuum solutions, and can be ghost-free and tachyon-free around maximally symmetric Einstein vacua. It is also shown that the entropy for spherically symmetric black holes in f(Ricci) gravity calculated via the Wald method and the boundary Noether charge approach are in good agreement.