The vacuum state of quantum gravity contains large virtual masses

DOI10.1088/0264-9381/24/8/001MaRDI QIDQ3435844zbMATH OpenOpenAlexWikidataFDO

Authors G. Modanese

Publication date 7 May 2007

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

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0605076

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Path integrals in quantum mechanics (81S40) Quantization of the gravitational field (83C45)

Abstract: In the functional integral approach to quantum gravity, the quantum configurations are usually treated to order hbar through a stationary phase approximation around the saddle point of the action where spacetime is flat. We show that from this point a "level line" in functional space departs, which comprises a family of static non-flat metrics with zero scalar curvature, depending on a continuous mass parameter. Furthermore, each of these metrics can be perturbed by an arbitrary function in such a way to still satisfy the condition Int(gR)d4x=0. We thus find a set of zero-modes of the gravitational action which has non-vanishing measure in the functional space. These metrics will contribute to the functional integral as vacuum fluctuations, on the same footing as those near the saddle point.

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(2)

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