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Claudio F. Paganini

Publications and source records attributed to Claudio F. Paganini.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

On the Conicality of Spacetimes

The notion of conicality, recently introduced in [2403.00916], captures the extent to which the joint future of a finite set in spacetime uniquely determines the generating subset via its light cone structure. In the same paper it was mentioned that conicality holds for Minkowski spacetime of dimension $1+N$ with $N\geq 2$ and it has been conjectured that this property holds more generally. In this work, we show that neither homotopy with Minkowski space nor global hyperbolicity alone are sufficient for the spacetime to satisfy conicality. We then establish that causally simple, future cohesive spacetimes of dimension $1+N$ with $N\geq 2$ are conical. This class of spacetimes includes, in particular, TIP spacetimes, which can be understood as the timelike past of an observer. This is in line with the origin of causal modeling since the past of an observer is the natural domain for the description of experiments.

math-ph↗
arXiv2026

A Collapse Mechanism Without Heating

It is shown that the collapse model derived from the theory of causal fermion systems does not give rise to a heating of the probe, up to higher order corrections in the Planck length. Experimental consequences are worked out. The connections to the continuous spontaneous localization (CSL) model, models involving a second-quantized background and the events-trees-histories (ETH) formulation of quantum theory are discussed.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2026

Pseudodifferential Weyl calculus on vector bundles

We develop a geometric framework for Weyl quantization on pseudo-Riemannian manifolds, in which pseudodifferential operators act on sections of vector bundles equipped with pseudo-Hermitian metrics and compatible connections. We construct the associated star product and compute its semiclassical expansion up to third order in the semiclassical parameter. A central feature of our approach is a correspondence, modulo smoothing remainders, between formally self-adjoint symbols and formally self-adjoint operators, extending known results from flat space to curved geometries. In addition, we analyze the Moyal equation satisfied by the Wigner function in this setting and provide explicit computations of Weyl symbols for several physically significant operators, including the Dirac, Maxwell, linearized Yang-Mills, and linearized Einstein operators. Our results lay the foundation for future developments in quantum field theory on curved spacetimes, semiclassical analysis, and chiral kinetic theory.

math-ph↗
arXiv2026

Quantum Reference Frames and Correlation Geometry

The aim of this paper is to provide a largely self-contained, compact and comprehensible introduction to the basic ideas behind correlation geometry, which underlies the theory of causal fermion system (CFS). A key focus here is on the manner in which the framework deals with gauge transformations, including diffeomorphisms via the principle of unitary equivalence. We will argue that, conceptually, the fundamental description of a physical system in terms of its correlation geometry is much closer to thermodynamics than quantum theory.

math-ph↗
arXiv2026

Causal Fermion Systems, Non-Commutative Geometry and Generalized Trace Dynamics

We compare the structures and methods in the theory of causal fermion systems with generalized trace dynamics and non-commutative geometry. Although the three theories differ on many aspects, they agree in that the geometric structure to be recovered in the continuum limit is not the bare spacetime but a suitable fiber bundle. Furthermore, the comparison leads us to the conclusion that the key innovation in causal fermion systems lies in the manner in which the relation between different spacetime points is encoded. The role of Synge's classical world function $σ(x,y)$ that encodes the geodesic distance between any two points in the manifold, is taken by a generalized two-point correlator. We show that this idea can be transferred to non-commutative geometry and generalized trace dynamics.

math-ph↗
arXiv2025

Causal Fermion Systems: Spacetime as the web of correlations of a many-body quantum system

In this paper, we argue that spacetime in causal fermion systems can be understood as the web of correlations of a many-body quantum system.This argument highlights the fact that causal fermion systems is a completely relational theory. We also explain how our perception of a background (spacetime) emerges in the limit where the number of states taken in consideration goes to infinity. This thereby constitutes a complete viable ontology for causal fermion systems which are not reliant on the continuum limit. A key insight is the fact that in a relevant subset of causal fermion systems, which includes the continuum limit of the Minkowski vacuum spacetime, minimization of the causal action can be understood as a minimization of fluctuations in the causal structure of spacetime.

math-ph↗
arXiv2024

Causal Fermion Systems and Octonions

We compare the structures and methods in the theory of causal fermion systems with approaches to fundamental physics based on division algebras, in particular the octonions. We find that octonions and, more generally, tensor products of division algebras come up naturally to describe the symmetries of the vacuum configuration of a causal fermion system. This is achieved by associating the real and imaginary octonion basis elements with the neutrino and charged sectors of the vacuum fermionic projector, respectively. Conversely, causal fermion systems provide octonionic theories with spacetime structures and dynamical equations via the causal action principle. In this way, octonionic theories and causal fermion systems complement each other..

math-ph↗
arXiv2024

Causal Fermion Systems as an Effective Collapse Theory

It is shown that, in the non-relativistic limit, causal fermion systems give rise to an effective collapse theory. The nonlinear and stochastic correction terms to the Schrödinger equation are derived from the causal action principle. The dynamics of the statistical operator is described by a deterministic equation of Kossakowski-Lindblad form. Moreover, the quantum state undergoes a dynamical collapse compatible with the Born rule. The effective model has similarities with the continuous spontaneous localization model, but differs from it by a conservation law for the probability integral as well as a non-locality in time on a microscopic length scale $\ell_{\min}$.

math-ph↗
arXiv2024

Gravitation as a Statistical Theory on the Light Cone

In this paper, we will explore Padmanabhan's mesoscopic, statistical approach to gravity [62] with a twist. The general picture of his approach is that spacetime is made of large numbers of localized quantum degrees of freedom. Padmanabhan assumed that the degrees of freedom of a given quantum state of geometry contribute, after averaging over fluctuations, a vector degree of freedom for space-time at a point. For null vectors, this can be regarded as corresponding to one single vector, i.e. a pure state, for the statistical ensemble on the light cone at every point. In the present paper, we consider instead the case where the states of the gravitational degrees of freedom are spread out and overlap, with only probabilistic information on which of them determines the actual spacetime at a point. In the continuum limit, this corresponds to a mixed state for the statistical ensemble on the light cone at every point. This change in assumptions leads to some interesting observations. When we define a statistical ensemble on the light cone, its variance "knows" about the interior of the light cone. As an intriguing consequence, we find that the cosmological constant can be related to the variance over the light cone. With a mixed state, we can no longer derive the gravitational field equations from an entropy functional. Here, instead, we show that a naive implementation of the measure of a mixed state on the light cone in the variation principle leads to modified measure theories (MMT) as the grand canonical ensemble and allows one to reframe unimodular gravity as the canonical ensemble of a statistical theory on the light cone.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2024

Theoretically motivated dark electromagnetism as the origin of relativistic MOND

The present paper is a modest attempt to initiate the research program outlined in this abstract. We propose that general relativity and relativistic MOND (RelMOND) are analogues of the broken electroweak symmetry. That is, $SU(2)_R \times U(1)_{YDEM} \rightarrow U(1)_{DEM}$ (DEM stands for dark electromagnetism), and GR is assumed to arise from the broken $SU(2)_R$ symmetry, and is analogous to the weak force. RelMOND is identified with dark electromagnetism $U(1)_{DEM}$, which is the remaining unbroken symmetry after spontaneous symmetry breaking of the darkelectro-grav sector $SU(2)_R \times U(1)_{YDEM}$. This sector, as well as the electroweak sector, arise from the breaking of an $E_8 \times E_8$ symmetry, in a recently proposed model of unification of the standard model with pre-gravitation, this latter being an $SU(2)_R$ gauge theory. The source charge for the dark electromagnetic force is square-root of mass, motivated by the experimental fact that the square-roots of the masses of the electron, up quark, and down quark, are in the ratio 1:2:3, which is a flip of their electric charge ratios 3:2:1 The introduction of the dark electromagnetic force helps understand the weird mass ratios of the second and third generation of charged fermions. We also note that in the deep MOND regime, acceleration is proportional to square-root of mass, which motivates us to propose the relativistic $U(1)_{DEM}$ gauge symmetry as the origin of MOND. We explain why the dark electromagnetic force falls inversely with distance, as in MOND, and not as the inverse square of distance. We conclude that dark electromagnetism is a good mimicker of cold dark matter, and the two are essentially indistinguishable in those cosmological situations where CDM is successful in explaining observations, such as CMB anisotropies, and gravitational lensing.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2023

Modified Measures as an Effective Theory for Causal Fermion Systems

We compare the structures of the theory of causal fermion systems (CFS), an approach to unify quantum theory with general relativity (GR), with those of modified measure theories (MMT), which are a set of modified gravity theories. Classical spacetimes with MMT can be obtained as the continuum limit of a CFS. This suggests that MMT could serve as effective descriptions of modifications to GR implied by CFS. The goal is to lay the foundation for future research on exploring which MMTs are consistent with the causal action principle of CFS.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2023

A Mechanism of Baryogenesis for Causal Fermion Systems

It is shown that the theory of causal fermion systems gives rise to a novel mechanism of baryogenesis. This mechanism is worked out computationally in globally hyperbolic spacetimes in a way which enables the quantitative study in concrete cosmological situations.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2021

No Events on Closed Causal Curves

We introduce the Causal Compatibility Conjecture for the Events, Trees, Histories (ETH) approach to Quantum Theory (QT) in the semi-classical setting. We then prove that under the assumptions of the conjecture, points on closed causal curves are physically indistinguishable in the context of the ETH approach to QT and thus the conjecture implies a compatibility of the causal structures even in presence of closed causal curves. As a consequence of this result there is no observation that could be made by an observer to tell any two points on a closed causal curve apart. We thus conclude that closed causal curves have no physical significance in the context of the ETH approach to QT. This is an indication that time travel will not be possible in a full quantum theory of gravity and thus forever remain a fantasy.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2020

Causal Fermion Systems and the ETH Approach to Quantum Theory

After reviewing the theory of "causal fermion systems" (CFS theory) and the "Events, Trees, and Histories Approach" to quantum theory (ETH approach), we compare some of the mathematical structures underlying these two general frameworks and discuss similarities and differences. For causal fermion systems, we introduce future algebras based on causal relations inherent to a causal fermion system. These algebras are analogous to the algebras previously introduced in the ETH approach. We then show that the spacetime points of a causal fermion system have properties similar to those of "events", as defined in the ETH approach. Our discussion is underpinned by a survey of results on causal fermion systems describing Minkowski space that show that an operator representing a spacetime point commutes with the algebra in its causal future, up to tiny corrections that depend on a regularization length.

math-ph↗
arXiv2020

Characterization of Null Geodesics on Kerr Spacetimes

We consider null geodesics in the exterior region of a subextremal Kerr spacetime. We show that most well-known fundamental properties of null geodesics can be represented on one plot. In particular, one can see immediately that the ergoregion and trapping are separated in phase space. Furthermore, we show that from the point of view of any timelike observer outside of the black hole, trapping can be understood as a smooth set of spacelike directions on the celestial sphere of the observer. Finally, we discuss some applications of these insights.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2020

Gravitational spin Hall effect of light

The propagation of electromagnetic waves in vacuum is often described within the geometrical optics approximation, which predicts that wave rays follow null geodesics. However, this model is valid only in the limit of infinitely high frequencies. At large but finite frequencies, diffraction can still be negligible, but the ray dynamics becomes affected by the evolution of the wave polarization. Hence, rays can deviate from null geodesics, which is known as the gravitational spin Hall effect of light. In the literature, this effect has been calculated ad hoc for a number of special cases, but no general description has been proposed. Here, we present a covariant Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin analysis from first principles for the propagation of light in arbitrary curved spacetimes. We obtain polarization-dependent ray equations describing the gravitational spin Hall effect of light. We also present numerical examples of polarization-dependent ray dynamics in the Schwarzschild spacetime, and the magnitude of the effect is briefly discussed. The analysis reported here is analogous to that of the spin Hall effect of light in inhomogeneous media, which has been experimentally verified.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2019

An overview of the gravitational spin Hall effect

In General Relativity, the propagation of electromagnetic waves is usually described by the vacuum Maxwell's equations on a fixed curved background. In the limit of infinitely high frequencies, electromagnetic waves can be localized as point particles, following null geodesics. However, at finite frequencies, electromagnetic waves can no longer be treated as point particles following null geodesics, and the spin angular momentum of light comes into play, via the spin-curvature coupling. We will refer to this effect as the gravitational spin Hall effect of light. Here, we review a series of theoretical results related to the gravitational spin Hall effect of light, and we compare the predictions of different models. The analogy with the spin Hall effect in Optics is also explored, since in this field the effect is well understood, both theoretically and experimentally.

gr-qc↗