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F. Englert

Publications and source records attributed to F. Englert.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2003

G+++ Invariant Formulation of Gravity and M-Theories: Exact BPS Solutions

We present a tentative formulation of theories of gravity with suitable matter content, including in particular pure gravity in D dimensions, the bosonic effective actions of M-theory and of the bosonic string, in terms of actions invariant under very-extended Kac-Moody algebras G+++. We conjecture that they host additional degrees of freedom not contained in the conventional theories. The actions are constructed in a recursive way from a level expansion for all very-extended algebras G+++. They constitute non-linear realisations on cosets, a priori unrelated to space-time, obtained from a modified Chevalley involution. Exact solutions are found for all G+++. They describe the algebraic properties of BPS extremal branes, Kaluza-Klein waves and Kaluza-Klein monopoles. They illustrate the generalisation to all G+++ invariant theories of the well-known duality properties of string theories by expressing duality as Weyl invariance in G+++. Space-time is expected to be generated dynamically. In the level decomposition of E8+++ = E11, one may indeed select an A10 representation of generators Pa which appears to engender space-time translations by inducing infinite towers of fields interpretable as field derivatives in space and time.

hep-th↗
arXiv2003

The Symmetry of M-Theories

We consider the Cartan subalgebra of any very extended algebra G+++ where G is a simple Lie algebra and let the parameters be space-time fields. These are identified with diagonal metrics and dilatons. Using the properties of the algebra, we find that for all very extensions G+++ of simple Lie algebras there are theories of gravity and matter, which admit classical solutions carrying representations of the Weyl group of G+++. We also identify the T and S-dualities of superstrings and of the bosonic string with Weyl reflections and outer automorphisms of well-chosen very extended algebras and we exhibit specific features of the very extensions. We take these results as indication that very extended algebras underlie symmetries of any consistent theory of gravity and matter, and might encode basic information for the construction of such theory.

hep-th↗
arXiv2000

The Fefferman-Graham Ambiguity and AdS Black Holes

Asymptotically anti-de Sitter space-times in pure gravity with negative cosmological constant are described, in all space-time dimensions greater than two, by classical degrees of freedom on the conformal boundary at space-like infinity. Their effective boundary action has a conformal anomaly for even dimensions and is conformally invariant for odd ones. These degrees of freedom are encoded in traceless tensor fields in the Fefferman-Graham asymptotic metric for any choice of conformally flat boundary and generate all Schwarzschild and Kerr black holes in anti-de Sitter space-time. We argue that these fields describe components of an energy-momentum tensor of a boundary theory and show explicitly how this is realized in 2+1 dimensions. There, the Fefferman-Graham fields reduce to the generators of the Virasoro algebra and give the mass and the angular momentum of the BTZ black holes. Their local expression is the Liouville field in a general curved background.

hep-th↗
arXiv1999

Primordial Inflation

A macroscopic universe may emerge naturally from a Planck cell fluctuation by unfolding through a stage of exponential expansion towards a homogeneous cosmological background. Such primordial inflation requires a large and presumably infinite degeneracy at the Planck scale, rooted in the unbounded negative gravitational energy stored in conformal classes. This complex Planck structure is consistent with a quantum tunneling description of the transition from the Planck scale to the inflationary era and implies, in the limit of vanishing Planck size, the Hartle-Hawking no-time boundary condition. On the other hand, string theory give credence to the holographic principle and the concomitant depletion of states at the Planck scale. The apparent incompatibility of primordial inflation with holography either invalidates one of these two notions or relegates the nature of the Planck size outside the realm of quantum physics, as we know it.

hep-th↗
arXiv1998

Statistical Entropy of Schwarzschild Black Holes

The entropy of a seven dimensional Schwarzschild black hole of arbitrary large radius is obtained by a mapping onto a near extremal self-dual three-brane whose partition function can be evaluated. The three-brane arises from duality after submitting a neutral blackbrane, from which the Schwarzschild black hole can be obtained by compactification, to an infinite boost in non compact eleven dimensional space-time and then to a Kaluza-Klein compactification. This limit can be defined in precise terms and yields the Bekenstein-Hawking value up to a factor of order one which can be set to be exactly one with the extra assumption of keeping only transverse brane excitations. The method can be generalized to five and four dimensional black holes.

hep-th↗
arXiv1998

Statistical Entropy of the Four Dimensional Schwarzschild Black Hole

The entropy of the four dimensional Schwarzschild black hole is derived by mapping it onto a configuration of intersecting branes with four charges. This configuration is obtained by performing several boosts and dualities on a neutral black brane of M-theory to which the Schwarzschild black hole is related by trivial compactification. The infinite boost limit is well-defined and corresponds to extremality where the intersecting brane configuration is a marginal one on which a standard microscopic counting of the entropy can be safely performed. The result reproduces exactly the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of the four dimensional black hole.

hep-th↗
arXiv1997

On the black hole unitarity issue

I discuss features required for preserving unitarity in black hole decay and concepts underlying such a perspective. Unitarity requires that correlations extend on the scale of the horizon. I show, in a toy model inspired by string theories, that such correlations can indeed arise. The model suggests that, after a time of order 4M ln M following the onset of Hawking radiation, quantum effects could maintain throughout the decay a collapsing star within a Planck distance of its Schwarzschild radius. In this way information loss would be avoided. The concept of black hole ``complementarity'', which could reconcile these macroscopic departures from classical physics with the equivalence principle, is interpreted in terms of weak values of quantum operators.

hep-th↗
arXiv1997

On the Opening of Branes

We relate, in 10 and 11 dimensional supergravities, configurations of intersecting closed branes with vanishing binding energy to configurations where one of the branes opens and has its boundaries attached to the other. These boundaries are charged with respect to fields living on the closed brane. The latter hosts electric and magnetic charges stemming from dual pairs of open branes terminating on it. We show that charge conservation, gauge invariance and supersymmetry entirely determine these charges and these fields, which can be seen as Goldstone fields of broken supersymmetry. Open brane boundary charges can annihilate, restoring the zero binding energy configuration. This suggests emission of closed branes by branes, a generalization of closed string emission by D-branes. We comment on the relation of the Goldstone fields to matrix models approaches to M-theory.

hep-th↗
arXiv1997

Intersection Rules for p-Branes

We present a general rule determining how extremal branes can interesect in a configuration with zero binding energy. The rule is derived in a model independent way and in arbitrary spacetime dimensions $D$ by solving the equations of motion of gravity coupled to a dilaton and several different $n$-form field strengths. The intersection rules are all compatible with supersymmetry, although derived without using it. We then specialize to the branes occurring in type II string theories and in M-theory. We show that the intersection rules are consistent with the picture that open branes can have boundaries on some other branes. In particular, all the D-branes of dimension $q$, with $1\leq q \leq6$, can have boundaries on the solitonic 5-brane.

hep-th↗
arXiv1996

Black Hole Horizon Fluctuations

It is generally admitted that gravitational interactions become large at an invariant distance of order $1$ from the black hole horizon. We show that due to the ``atmosphere'' of high angular particles near the horizon strong gravitational interactions already occur at an invariant distance of the order of $\sqrt[3]{M}$. The implications of these results for the origin of black hole radiation, the meaning of black hole entropy and the information puzzle are discussed.

hep-th↗
arXiv1995

OPERATOR WEAK VALUES AND BLACK HOLE COMPLEMENTARITY

In conventional field theories, the emission of Hawking radiation in the background of a collapsing star requires transplanckian energy fluctuations. These fluctuations are encoded in the weak values of the energy-momentum operator constructed from matrix elements between both -in and -out states. It is argued that taming of these weak values by back-reaction may lead to geometrical backgrounds which are also build from weak values of the gravitational field operators. This leads to different causal histories of the black hole as reconstructed by observers crossing the horizon at different times but reduces, in accordance with the equivalence principle, to the classical description of the collapse for the proper history of the star as recorded by an observer comoving with it. For observers never crossing the horizon, the evaporation would be interpreted within a topologically trivial ``achronon geometry" void of horizon and singularity: after the initial ignition of the radiation from pair creation out of the vacuum of the collapsing star of mass M, as in the conventional theory, the source of the thermal radiation would shift gradually to the star itself in a time at least of order $4M\ln 2M$. The burning of the star could be consistent with a quantum unitary evolution along the lines suggested by 't Hooft. A provisional formal expression of general black hole complementarity is proposed and its possible relevance for testing features of a theory of quantum gravity is suggested.

gr-qc↗
arXiv1994

The Black Hole History in Tamed Vacuum

Quantum physics at scales large compared to the Planck scale is described in the framework of classical space-time geometries. A criterion for selecting these backgrounds out of quantized gravity is proposed. It leads to an instability of the black-hole geometry, as experienced by motion across the horizon, against emission of Hawking quanta. A phenomenological treatment of the evaporation process perceived by external observers who do not cross the event horizon is presented. Evaporation occurs within a topologically trivial ``achronon" geometrical background devoid of horizons and singularities describing a collapse frozen up to decay time scales. It is ignited as in the conventional theory from pair creation out of the vacuum of the collapsing star of mass $M$, but after a time of order $M\ln M$ the source of thermal radiation shifts gradually to the star itself. This allows for a unitary evolution except possibly for exponentially small background transition amplitudes. The emerging picture is compared with approaches of t'Hooft and Susskind and the problem of its overall quantum consistency is evoked. (Figures available upon request)

gr-qc↗
arXiv1994

Entropy Generation in Quantum Gravity and Black Hole Remnants

The area entropy $A/4$ and the related Hawking temperature in the presence of event horizons are rederived, for de Sitter and black hole topologies, as a consequence of a tunneling of the wave functional associated to the classical coupled matter and gravitational fields. The extension of the wave functional outside the barrier provides a reservoir of quantum states which allows for an additive constant to $A/4$. While, in a semi-classical analysis, this gives no new information in the de Sitter case, it yields an infinite constant in the black hole case. Evaporating black holes would then leave residual ``planckons" - Planckian remnants with infinite degeneracy. Generic planckons can neither decay into, nor be directly formed from, ordinary matter in a finite time. Such opening at the Planck scale of an infinite Hilbert space is expected to provide the ultraviolet cutoff required to render the theory finite in the sector of large scale physics.

gr-qc↗
arXiv1994

Source Vacuum Fluctuations of Black Hole Radiance

The emergence of Hawking radiation from vacuum fluctuations is analyzed in conventional field theories and their energy content is defined through the Aharonov weak value concept. These fluctuations travel in flat space-time and carry transplanckian energies sharply localized on cisplanckian distances. We argue that these features cannot accommodate gravitational nonlinearities. We suggest that the very emission of Hawking photons from tamed vacuum fluctuations requires the existence of an exploding set of massive fields. These considerations corroborate some conjectures of Susskind and may prove relevant for the back-reaction problem and for the unitarity issue.

gr-qc↗
arXiv1992

Black Hole Tunneling Entropy and the Spectrum of Gravity

The tunneling approach for entropy generation in quantum gravity is applied to black holes. The area entropy is recovered and shown to count only a tiny fraction of the black hole degeneracy. The latter stems from the extension of the wave function outside the barrier. In fact the semi-classical analysis leads to infinite degeneracy. Evaporating black holes leave then infinitely degenerate "planckons" remnants which can neither decay into, nor be formed from, ordinary matter in a finite time. Quantum gravity opens up at the Planck scale into an infinite Hilbert space which is expected to provide the ultraviolet cutoff required to render the theory finite in the sector of large scale physics.

gr-qc↗