Path integral quantization of volume

DOI10.1007/S00023-019-00882-4MaRDI QIDQ2308089zbMATH OpenOpenAlexWikidataFDO

Authors Adrian P. C. Lim

Publication date 25 March 2020

Published in Annales Henri Poincaré (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1706.01011

zbMATH Keywords

Einstein-Hilbert actionloop representationpath integralquantum gravityvolume

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Topological quantum field theories (aspects of differential topology) (57R56) Moduli problems for differential geometric structures (58D27) Eta-invariants, Chern-Simons invariants (58J28) Path integrals in quantum mechanics (81S40) Yang-Mills and other gauge theories in quantum field theory (81T13) Topological field theories in quantum mechanics (81T45) Quantization of the gravitational field (83C45) Relativistic gravitational theories other than Einstein's, including asymmetric field theories (83D05)

Abstract: A hyperlink is a finite set of non-intersecting simple closed curves in $mathbbRimesmathbb{R}^3$. Let $R$ be a compact set inside $mathbf{R}^3$. The dynamical variables in General Relativity are the vierbein $e$ and a $mathfraksu(2)imesmathfraksu(2)$-valued connection $omega$. Together with Minkowski metric, $e$ will define a metric $g$ on the manifold. Denote $V_R(e)$ as the volume of $R$, for a given choice of $e$. The Einstein-Hilbert action $S(e,omega)$ is defined on $e$ and $omega$. We will quantize the volume of $R$ by integrating $V_R(e)$ against a holonomy operator of a hyperlink $L$, disjoint from $R$, and the exponential of the Einstein-Hilbert action, over the space of vierbein $e$ and $mathfraksu(2)imesmathfraksu(2)$-valued connection $omega$. Using our earlier work done on Chern-Simons path integrals in $mathbb{R}^3$, we will write this infinite dimensional path integral as the limit of a sequence of Chern-Simons integrals. Our main result shows that the volume operator can be computed by counting the number of half-twists in the projected hyperlink, which lie inside $R$. By assigning an irreducible representation of $mathfraksu(2)imesmathfraksu(2)$ to each component of $L$, the volume operator gives the total kinetic energy, which comes from translational and angular momentum.

Recommendations

• Quantized curvature in loop quantum gravity
• Area operator in loop quantum gravity
• Quantum theory of geometry. II: Volume operators
• Discreteness of area and volume in quantum gravity
• Volume and quantizations

Cites work

• Area operator in loop quantum gravity
• Background independent quantum gravity: a status report
• Chern-Simons path integrals in \(S^2\times S^1\)
• Discreteness of area and volume in quantum gravity
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 706259 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 2079216 (Why is no real title available?)
• Loop quantum gravity
• Non-Abelian gauge theory for Chern-Simons path integral on \(\mathbb R^{3}\)
• Quantum field theory and the Jones polynomial
• Quantum Gravity
• Spin networks in gauge theory

Cited in

(4)

• Area operator in loop quantum gravity
• Quantized curvature in loop quantum gravity
• Invariants in quantum geometry
• Loop representation of quantum gravity

This page was built for publication: Path integral quantization of volume

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q2308089)