The problem of time and gauge invariance in the quantization of cosmological models. I: Canonical quantization methods (Q1772176)

The authors recall the basic features of quantum geometrodynamics and minisuperspace cosmological models, and discuss fundamental problems of the Wheeler-DeWitt theory. Various attempts to find a solution to the problem of time are considered in the framework of the canonical approach. Possible solutions are investigated making use of minisuperspace models, that is, using systems with a finite number of degree of freedom. Finally, the authors extend the considerations beyond the minisuperspace approximation and briefly review two approaches dealing with the full theory: the first one consists in a proposal of Brown and Kuchař for using dust as time within the canonical formalism; this leads to a constraint linear in the momentum conjugated to the corresponding field, and therefore to a Schrödinger equation; the second one is Barvinsky's programme, presented both in the canonical and path integral formalisms; this contains the basic ideas underlying and deparametrization procedure.