Action and observer dependence in Euclidean quantum gravity

DOI10.1088/1361-6382/AA9FDFzbMATH Open1382.83043arXiv1705.02504OpenAlexW2612286152MaRDI QIDQ4607290FDOQ4607290

Authors: Dawood Kothawala 

Publication date: 13 March 2018

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

Abstract: Given a Lorentzian spacetime $(M,g)$ and a non-vanishing timelike vector field $u(lambda)$ with level surfaces $Sigma$, one can construct on $M$ a Euclidean metric $g_E^{ab}=g^{ab}+2u^a{u}^b$. Motivated by this, we consider a class of metrics $hat{g}^{ab}=g^{ab}-Theta(lambda),u^a{u}^b$ with an arbitrary function $Theta$ that interpolates between the Euclidean ($Theta=-2$) and Lorentzian ($Theta=0$) regimes. The Euclidean regime is in general different from that obtained from Wick rotation $tightarrow-it$. For example, if $g_{ab}$ is the $k=0$ Lorentzian de Sitter metric corresponding to $Lambda>0$, the Euclidean regime of $hat{g}_{ab}$ is the $k=0$ Euclidean anti-de Sitter space with $Lambda<0$. We analyze the curvature tensors associated with $hatg$ for arbitrary Lorentzian metrics $g$ and timelike geodesic fields $u^a$, and show that they have interesting and remarkable mathematical structures: (i) Additional terms arise in the Euclidean regime $Thetao-2$ of $hat{g}_{ab}$. (ii) For the simplest choice of a step profile for $Theta$, the Ricci scalar Ric$[widehatg]$ of $hat{g}_{ab}$ reduces, in the Lorentzian regime $Thetao0$, to the complete Einstein-Hilbert lagrangian with the correct Gibbons-Hawking-York boundary term; the latter arises as a delta-function of strength $2K$ supported on $Sigm{a}_0$. (iii) In the Euclidean regime $Thetao-2$, Ric$[hatg]$ also has an extra term $2,{}^{3}R$ of the $u$-foliation. We highlight similar foliation dependent terms in the full Riemann tensor. We present some explicit examples and briefly discuss implications of the results for Euclidean quantum gravity and quantum cosmology.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1705.02504

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zbMATH Keywords

Wick rotationEuclidean spacetimesFLRW spacetimesfreely falling framesGibbons-Hawking-York boundary timeobserver dependence in quantum gravity

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Applications of differential geometry to physics (53Z05) Quantum measurement theory, state operations, state preparations (81P15) Einstein's equations (general structure, canonical formalism, Cauchy problems) (83C05) Quantization of the gravitational field (83C45) Relativistic cosmology (83F05)

Cites Work

• The Large Scale Structure of Space-Time
• Quantum Fields in Curved Space
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• Lifting general relativity to observer space
• Intrinsic and extrinsic curvatures in Finsler \textit{esque} spaces
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Cited In (8)

• On the Existence of a Kazantzis--Kravaris/Luenberger Observer
• Quantum metric for null separated events and spacetime atoms
• Probing the Planck scale: the modification of the time evolution operator due to the quantum structure of spacetime
• Parisi-Sourlas-like dimensional reduction of quantum gravity in the presence of observers
• Information content and minimum-length metric: a drop of light
• Feynman's \(i\epsilon\) prescription, almost real spacetimes, and acceptable complex spacetimes
• First-order action and Euclidean quantum gravity
• Overall signature of the metric and the cosmological constant

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