A definition of background independence

DOI10.1088/0264-9381/27/21/215018MaRDI QIDQ3065923zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Sean Gryb

Publication date 7 January 2011

Published in Classical and Quantum Gravity (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1003.1973

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Relativistic dynamics for problems in Hamiltonian and Lagrangian mechanics (70H40) Quantum field theory on curved space or space-time backgrounds (81T20) Einstein's equations (general structure, canonical formalism, Cauchy problems) (83C05) Quantization of the gravitational field (83C45)

Abstract: We propose a definition for background (in)/dependence in dynamical theories of the evolution of configurations that have a continuous symmetry and test this definition on particle models and on gravity. Our definition draws from Barbour's best-matching framework developed for the purpose of implementing spatial and temporal relationalism. Among other interesting theories, general relativity can be derived within this framework in novel ways. We study the detailed canonical structure of a wide range of best matching theories and show that their actions must have a local gauge symmetry. When gauge theory is derived in this way, we obtain at the same time a conceptual framework for distinguishing between background dependent and independent theories. Gauge invariant observables satisfying Kuchar's criterion are identified and, in simple cases, explicitly computed. We propose a procedure for inserting a global background time into temporally relational theories. Interestingly, using this procedure in general relativity leads to unimodular gravity.

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Cited in

(9)

• The role of time in relational quantum theories
• Perspectives of the numerical order of material changes in timeless approaches in physics
• The case for background independence
• Symmetry and evolution in quantum gravity
• Remarks on the notions of general covariance and background independence
• Background Independence in Classical and Quantum Gravity
• Background-independence
• Background independence: lessons for further decades of dispute
• Can Bohmian mechanics be made background independent?

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