Quantum gravity and the algebra of tangles

DOI10.1088/0264-9381/10/4/006zbMATH Open0788.46073arXivhep-th/9205007OpenAlexW3102367704WikidataQ62443710 ScholiaQ62443710MaRDI QIDQ4032968FDOQ4032968

Authors: John Baez 

Publication date: 23 May 1993

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

Abstract: In Rovelli and Smolin's loop representation of nonperturbative quantum gravity in 4 dimensions, there is a space of solutions to the Hamiltonian constraint having as a basis isotopy classes of links in R^3. The physically correct inner product on this space of states is not yet known, or in other words, the *-algebra structure of the algebra of observables has not been determined. In order to approach this problem, we consider a larger space H of solutions of the Hamiltonian constraint, which has as a basis isotopy classes of tangles. A certain algebra T, the ``tangle algebra, acts as operators on H. The ``empty state, corresponding to the class of the empty tangle, is conjectured to be a cyclic vector for T. We construct simpler representations of T as quotients of H by the skein relations for the HOMFLY polynomial, and calculate a *-algebra structure for T using these representations. We use this to determine the inner product of certain states of quantum gravity associated to the Jones polynomial (or more precisely, Kauffman bracket).

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/9205007

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zbMATH Keywords

Jones polynomialKauffman brackettangle algebralink invariants\(*\)-algebra structure of the algebra of observablesempty linkinner products on quotientsloop representation of quantum gravity in \(3+1\) dimensionsSU(2) Chern-Simons theory

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Applications of functional analysis in quantum physics (46N50) Infinite-dimensional groups and algebras motivated by physics, including Virasoro, Kac-Moody, (W)-algebras and other current algebras and their representations (81R10) Methods of quantum field theory in general relativity and gravitational theory (83C47)

Cited In (7)

• Linking topological quantum field theory and nonperturbative quantum gravity
• Resonant algebras and gravity
• Cauchy slice holography: a new AdS/CFT dictionary
• Symmetry and entropy of black hole horizons
• REIDEMEISTER TORSION AND SIMPLICIAL QUANTUM GRAVITY
• Use of quantum algebras in quantum gravity
• The physical Hamiltonian in nonperturbative quantum gravity

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