arXiv subjects

Ilkka Mäkinen

Publications and source records attributed to Ilkka Mäkinen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Time evolution of semiclassical states in the one-vertex model of quantum-reduced loop gravity

We compute numerically the time evolution of simple semiclassical states describing homogeneous and isotropic spatial geometries in quantum-reduced loop gravity under a deparametrized formulation of the dynamics, in which a reference matter field is taken as a relational time variable for the dynamics of quantum states of the gravitational field. The states which we consider are defined on the Hilbert space of a spin network graph formed by a single six-valent vertex. We find that the quantum dynamics is generally in close agreement with the semiclassical effective dynamics of a homogeneous and isotropic universe throughout the range of validity of the numerical approximation. In particular, an initial state describing a contracting geometry undergoes a dynamical "bounce", where the contraction is halted and turned into an expansion by the quantum dynamics.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Effective dynamics of a homogeneous and isotropic universe with quantum curvature

We consider the effective dynamics of a new, tentative model of a homogeneous and isotropic universe in loop quantum cosmology. The new model consists of modifying the standard Hamiltonian of loop quantum cosmology by adding a Lorentzian term corresponding to the scalar curvature of the spatial manifold. The expression of the new Lorentzian term is motivated by a heuristic argument based on the form of an operator representing the scalar curvature in the one-vertex model of quantum-reduced loop gravity. The effective dynamics of the new model is not identical to standard LQC but all the key features of the dynamics are qualitatively reproduced. The classical cosmological singularity is resolved by a "quantum bounce" and the effective dynamics trajectory as a function of time is symmetric around the bounce; however, in comparison with the standard LQC scenario the bounce takes place at a significantly lower value of the volume.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Emergent Thiemann coherent states in the near-kernel sector of quantum reduced loop gravity

We study the near-kernel sector of the Hamiltonian constraint operator in the one-vertex model of quantum reduced loop gravity using variational Monte Carlo methods with neural quantum states. The analysis is based on the symmetric Hamiltonian containing both Euclidean and Lorentzian contributions, and on the variational minimization of the positive quadratic operator $\hat{\mathcal Q}=\hat C \hat C^\dagger$ in truncated Hilbert spaces with spin cutoff up to $j_{\mathrm{max}}=1001$. The resulting near-kernel states are found to organize into three qualitatively distinct classes. At low cutoffs, we find solutions that do not factorize across the three edge degrees of freedom. At larger cutoffs, we find two different factorized branches, both described to very high accuracy by products of one-edge wavefunctions but localized in different spin regimes. One of these branches is matched with near-unit fidelity by reduced Thiemann coherent states, providing evidence for an emergent semiclassical organization of the near-kernel sector. The other is likewise strongly factorized, but its one-edge factors are not well described by the same coherent-state family.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

On the non-commutativity of geometric observables in different Lorentz frames

Our aim is to establish whether geometric observables, such as length, area or volume of a physical object, viewed by different observers Poisson commute or not. To illustrate this, we compute the Poisson bracket of two lengths associated to a rigid rod and measured by two different geodesic (inertial) observers, one of which is at rest while the other is moving with respect to the rod. Our calculation shows that geometric observables measured by different observers generically do not Poisson commute, not even in Minkowski spacetime. This non-trivial result provides interesting insights into questions related to the presence of a fundamental scale in the context of quantum gravity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

On the dynamics of single-vertex states in quantum-reduced loop gravity

In this article we examine a Hamiltonian constraint operator governing the dynamics of simple quantum states, whose graph consists of a single six-valent vertex, in quantum-reduced loop gravity. To this end, we first derive the action of the Hamiltonian constraint on generic basis states in the Hilbert space of quantum-reduced loop gravity. Specializing to the example of the single-vertex states, we find that the Euclidean part of the Hamiltonian bears a close formal similarity to the Hamiltonian constraint of Bianchi I models in loop quantum cosmology. Extending the formal analogy to the Lorentzian part of the Hamiltonian suggests a possible modified definition of the Hamiltonian constraint for loop quantum cosmology, in which the Lorentzian part, corresponding to the scalar curvature of the spatial surfaces, is not assumed to be identically vanishing, and is represented by a non-trivial operator in the quantum theory.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

Quantum-reduced loop gravity: New perspectives on the kinematics and dynamics

We present a systematic approach to the kinematics of quantum-reduced loop gravity, a model originally proposed by Alesci and Cianfrani as an attempt to probe the physical implications of loop quantum gravity. We implement the quantum gauge-fixing procedure underlying quantum-reduced loop gravity by introducing a master constraint operator on the kinematical Hilbert space of loop quantum gravity, representing a set of gauge conditions which classically constrain the densitized triad to be diagonal. The standard Hilbert space of quantum-reduced loop gravity can be recovered as a space of solutions of the master constraint operator, while on the other hand the master constraint approach provides a useful starting point for considering possible generalizations of the standard construction. We also examine the quantum dynamics of states consisting of a single six-valent node in the quantum-reduced framework. We find that the Hamiltonian which governs the dynamics of such states bears a close formal resemblance to the Hamiltonian constraint of Bianchi I models in loop quantum cosmology.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

Scalar curvature operator for quantum-reduced loop gravity

In a previous article we have introduced an operator representing the three-dimensional scalar curvature in loop quantum gravity. In this article we examine the new curvature operator in the setting of quantum-reduced loop gravity. We derive the explicit form of the curvature operator as an operator on the Hilbert space of the quantum-reduced model. As a simple practical example, we study the expectation values of the operator with respect to basis states of the reduced Hilbert space.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

On the covariant formulation of gauge theories with boundaries

In the present article, we review the classical covariant formulation of Yang-Mills theory and general relativity in the presence of spacetime boundaries, focusing mainly on the derivation of the presymplectic forms and their properties. We further revisit the introduction of the edge modes and the conditions which justify them, in the context where only field-independent gauge transformations are considered. We particularly show that the presence of edge modes is not justified by gauge invariance of the presymplectic form, but rather by the condition that the presymplectic form is degenerate on the initial field space, which allows to relate this presymplectic form to the symplectic form on the gauge reduced field space via pullback.

hep-th↗

arXiv2024

Master constraint approach to quantum-reduced loop gravity

We introduce a master constraint operator on the kinematical Hilbert space of loop quantum gravity representing a set of gauge conditions which classically fix the densitized triad to be diagonal. We argue that the master constraint approach provides a natural and systematic way of carrying out the quantum gauge-fixing procedure which underlies the model known as quantum-reduced loop gravity. The Hilbert space of quantum-reduced loop gravity is obtained as a particular space of solutions of the gauge-fixing master constraint operator. We give a concise summary of the fundamental structure of the quantum-reduced framework, and consider several possible extensions thereof, for which the master constraint formulation provides a convenient starting point. In particular, we propose a generalization of the standard Hilbert space of quantum-reduced loop gravity, which may be relevant in the application of the quantum-reduced model to physical situations in which the Ashtekar connection is not diagonal.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2023

Scalar curvature operator for models of loop quantum gravity on a cubical graph

In this article we introduce a new operator representing the three-dimensional scalar curvature in loop quantum gravity. Our construction does not apply to the entire kinematical Hilbert space of loop quantum gravity; instead, the operator is defined on the Hilbert space of a fixed cubical graph. The starting point of our work is to write the spatial Ricci scalar classically as a function of the densitized triad and its SU(2)-covariant derivatives. We pass from the classical expression to a quantum operator through a regularization procedure, in which covariant derivatives of the triad are discretized as finite differences of gauge covariant flux variables on the cubical lattice provided by the graph. While more work is needed in order to extend our construction to encompass states based on all possible graphs, the operator presented here can be applied in models such as quantum-reduced loop gravity and effective dynamics, which are derived from the kinematical framework of full loop quantum gravity, and are formulated in terms of states defined on cubical graphs.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2023

Graphical calculus of spin networks

Graphical techniques provide a very useful practical device for calculations involving the so-called spin network states, which encode the quantum degrees of freedom of spatial geometry in loop quantum gravity. Graphical calculus of SU(2), which has been originally introduced in the literature in order to deal with calculations arising from the coupling of angular momenta in quantum mechanics, can be used as a simple but powerful method for computing the action of various physically interesting operators in the spin network representation. Compared with conventional manipulation of algebraic expressions, calculations in the graphical approach are typically more convenient, concise and visually transparent. The goal of this chapter is to provide an accessible introduction to graphical methods in SU(2) recoupling theory and a brief description of their use as a tool for practical calculations in loop quantum gravity. We introduce the basics of the graphical formalism, and establish the representation of the elementary states and operators of loop quantum gravity in graphical form. Several example calculations are given to illustrate the use of the graphical techniques, including a computation of the matrix elements of a Hamiltonian constraint operator in the spin network basis.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2023

Scalar curvature operator for loop quantum gravity on a cubical graph

We introduce a new operator representing the three-dimensional scalar curvature in loop quantum gravity. The operator is constructed by writing the Ricci scalar classically as a function of the Ashtekar variables and regularizing the resulting expression on a cubical spin network graph. While our construction does not apply to the entire Hilbert space of loop quantum gravity, the proposed operator can be applied to concrete calculations in various approaches which are derived from the framework of full loop quantum gravity using states defined on cubical graphs.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2020

Dynamics in canonical models of loop quantum gravity

In this thesis we consider the problem of dynamics in canonical loop quantum gravity, primarily in the context of deparametrized models, in which a scalar field is taken as a physical time variable for the dynamics of the gravitational field. The dynamics of the quantum states of the gravitational field is then generated directly by a physical Hamiltonian operator, instead of being implicitly defined through the kernel of a Hamiltonian constraint. We introduce a new construction of a Hamiltonian operator for loop quantum gravity, which has both mathematical and practical advantages in comparison to earlier proposals. Most importantly, the new Hamiltonian can be constructed as a symmetric operator, and is therefore a mathematically consistent candidate for a generator of physical time evolution in deparametrized models. We develop methods for approximately evaluating the dynamics generated by a given physical Hamiltonian, even if an exact solution to the eigenvalue problem of the Hamiltonian cannot be achieved. We also introduce a new representation for intertwiners in loop quantum gravity, based on projecting intertwiners onto coherent states of angular momentum, and in which intertwiners are represented as polynomials of certain complex variables, and operators in loop quantum gravity are expressed as differential operators acting on these variables. In addition to reviewing the results of the author's scientific work, this thesis also gives a thorough introduction to the basic framework of canonical loop quantum gravity, and a self-contained presentation of the graphical formalism for SU(2) recoupling theory, which is the invaluable tool for performing practical calculations in loop quantum gravity. The author therefore hopes that parts of this thesis could serve as a comprehensible source of information for anyone interested in learning the elements of loop quantum gravity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2020

Operators of quantum-reduced loop gravity from the perspective of full loop quantum gravity

Quantum-reduced loop gravity is a model of loop quantum gravity, which - from the technical point of view - is characterized by the remarkably simple form of its basic operators. In this article we examine the operators of the quantum-reduced model from the perspective of full loop quantum gravity. We show that, in spite of their simplicity, the operators of the quantum-reduced model are simply the operators of the full theory acting on states in the Hilbert space of the quantum-reduced model. The passage from the full theory operators to the "reduced" operators simply consists of noting that the states of the quantum-reduced model are assumed to carry large spin quantum numbers, and discarding terms which are of lower than leading order in $j$. Our findings clarify the relation between the quantum-reduced model and full loop quantum gravity, and strengthen the technical foundations on which the kinematical structure of the quantum-reduced model is based.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2019

Introduction to SU(2) recoupling theory and graphical methods for loop quantum gravity

We present a pedagogical introduction to SU(2) recoupling theory, focusing on those aspects of the topic which are useful for practical calculations in loop quantum gravity. In particular, we give a self-contained presentation of the powerful graphical formalism, which is an indispensable tool for performing computations in the spin network basis of loop quantum gravity. The use of the graphical techniques in loop quantum gravity is illustrated by several detailed example calculations. Plenty of exercises are included for the benefit of the ambitious student.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2017

Time evolution in deparametrized models of loop quantum gravity

An important aspect in understanding the dynamics in the context of deparametrized models of LQG is to obtain a sufficient control on the quantum evolution generated by a given Hamiltonian operator. More specifically, we need to be able to compute the evolution of relevant physical states and observables with a relatively good precision. In this article, we introduce an approximation method to deal with the physical Hamiltonian operators in deparametrized LQG models, and apply it to models in which a free Klein-Gordon scalar field or a non-rotational dust field is taken as the physical time variable. This method is based on using standard time-independent perturbation theory of quantum mechanics to define a perturbative expansion of the Hamiltonian operator, the small perturbation parameter being determined by the Barbero-Immirzi parameter $β$. This method allows us to define an approximate spectral decomposition of the Hamiltonian operators and hence to compute the evolution over a certain time interval. As a specific example, we analyze the evolution of expectation values of the volume and curvature operators starting with certain physical initial states, using both the perturbative method and a straightforward expansion of the expectation value in powers of the time variable. This work represents a first step towards achieving the goal of understanding and controlling the new dynamics developed in [25, 26].

gr-qc↗

arXiv2016

Coherent 3j-symbol representation for the loop quantum gravity intertwiner space

We introduce a new technique for dealing with the matrix elements of the Hamiltonian operator in loop quantum gravity, based on the use of intertwiners projected on coherent states of angular momentum. We give explicit expressions for the projections of intertwiners on the spin coherent states in terms of complex numbers describing the unit vectors which label the coherent states. Operators such as the Hamiltonian can then be reformulated as differential operators acting on polynomials of these complex numbers. This makes it possible to describe the action of the Hamiltonian geometrically, in terms of the unit vectors originating from the angular momentum coherent states, and opens up a way towards investigating the semiclassical limit of the dynamics via asymptotic approximation methods.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2015

Hamiltonian operator for loop quantum gravity coupled to a scalar field

We present the construction of a physical Hamiltonian operator in the deparametrized model of loop quantum gravity coupled to a free scalar field. This construction is based on the use of the recently introduced curvature operator, and on the idea of so-called "special loops". We discuss in detail the regularization procedure and the assignment of the loops, along with the properties of the resulting operator. We compute the action of the squared Hamiltonian operator on spin network states, and close with some comments and outlooks.

gr-qc↗