arXiv subjects

J. E. Nelson

Publications and source records attributed to J. E. Nelson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2018

Quantum Holonomies and the Heisenberg Group

Quantum holonomies of closed paths on the torus $T^2$ are interpreted as elements of the Heisenberg group $H_1$. Group composition in $H_1$ corresponds to path concatenation and the group commutator is a deformation of the relator of the fundamental group $π_1$ of $T^2$, making explicit the signed area phases between quantum holonomies of homotopic paths. Inner automorphisms of $H_1$ adjust these signed areas, and the discrete symplectic transformations of $H_1$ generate the modular group of $T^2$.

hep-th↗

arXiv2018

2+1 dimensional gravity

It gives me great pleasure to review some of the joint work by Tullio Regge and myself. We worked intensely on 2+1-dimensional gravity from 1989 for about five years, and published 16 articles. I will present and review two of our early articles, highlighting what I believe are the most important results, some of them really surprising, and discuss later developments.

hep-th↗

arXiv2014

Theory of intersecting loops on a torus

We continue our investigation into intersections of closed paths on a torus, to further our understanding of the commutator algebra of Wilson loop observables in 2+1 quantum gravity, when the cosmological constant is negative. We give a concise review of previous results, e.g. that signed area phases relate observables assigned to homotopic loops, and present new developments in this theory of intersecting loops on a torus. We state precise rules to be applied at intersections of both straight and crooked/rerouted paths in the covering space $\mathbb{R}^2$. Two concrete examples of combinations of different rules are presented.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2010

Quantum geometry from 2+1 AdS quantum gravity on the torus

Wilson observables for 2+1 quantum gravity with negative cosmological constant, when the spatial manifold is a torus, exhibit several novel features: signed area phases relate the observables assigned to homotopic loops, and their commutators describe loop intersections, with properties that are not yet fully understood. We describe progress in our study of this bracket, which can be interpreted as a q-deformed Goldman bracket, and provide a geometrical interpretation in terms of a quantum version of Pick's formula for the area of a polygon with integer vertices.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2009

A Quantum Goldman Bracket for Loops on Surfaces

In the context of (2+1)--dimensional gravity, we use holonomies of constant connections which generate a $q$--deformed representation of the fundamental group to derive signed area phases which relate the quantum matrices assigned to homotopic loops. We use these features to determine a quantum Goldman bracket (commutator) for intersecting loops on surfaces, and discuss the resulting quantum geometry.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2008

A quantum Goldman bracket in 2+1 quantum gravity

In the context of quantum gravity for spacetimes of dimension 2+1, we describe progress in the construction of a quantum Goldman bracket for intersecting loops on surfaces. Using piecewise linear paths in R^2 (representing loops on the spatial manifold, i.e. the torus) and a quantum connection with noncommuting components, we review how holonomies and Wilson loops for two homotopic paths are related by phases in terms of the signed area between them. Paths rerouted at intersection points with other paths occur on the r.h.s. of the Goldman bracket. To better understand their nature we introduce the concept of integer points inside the parallelogram spanned by two intersecting paths, and show that the rerouted paths must necessarily pass through these integer points.

math-ph↗

arXiv2005

Extension of geodesic algebras to continuous genus

Using the Penner--Fock parameterization for Teichmuller spaces of Riemann surfaces with holes, we construct the string-like free-field representation of the Poisson and quantum algebras of geodesic functions in the continuous-genus limit. The mapping class group acts naturally in the obtained representation.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2005

Constant connections, quantum holonomies and the Goldman bracket

In the context of (2+1)--dimensional quantum gravity with negative cosmological constant and topology R x T^2, constant matrix--valued connections generate a q--deformed representation of the fundamental group, and signed area phases relate the quantum matrices assigned to homotopic loops. Some features of the resulting quantum geometry are explored, and as a consequence a quantum version of the Goldman bracket is obtained

math-ph↗

arXiv2005

Classical and quantum geometry of moduli spaces in three-dimensional gravity

We describe some results concerning the phase space of 3-dimensional Einstein gravity when space is a torus and with negative cosmological constant. The approach uses the holonomy matrices of flat SL(2,R) connections on the torus to parametrise the geometry. After quantization, these matrices acquire non-commuting entries, in such a way that they satisfy q-commutation relations and exhibit interesting geometrical properties. In particular they lead to a quantization of the Goldman bracket.

math-ph↗

arXiv2004

Some Applications of the ADM Formalism

The ADM Formalism is discussed in the context of 2+1--dimensional gravity, uniting two areas of relativity theory in which Stanley Deser has been particularly active. For spacetimes with topology R x T^2 the partially reduced and fully reduced ADM formalism are related and quantized, and the role of "large diffeomorphisms" (the modular group) in the quantum theory is illustrated.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2004

Quantum Holonomies in (2+1)-Dimensional Gravity

We describe an approach to the quantization of (2+1)--dimensional gravity with topology R x T^2 and negative cosmological constant, which uses two quantum holonomy matrices satisfying a q--commutation relation. Solutions of diagonal and upper--triangular form are constructed, which in the latter case exhibit additional, non--trivial internal relations for each holonomy matrix. This leads to the notion of quantum matrix pairs. These are pairs of matrices with non-commuting entries, which have the same pattern of internal relations, q-commute with each other under matrix multiplication, and are such that products of powers of the matrices obey the same pattern of internal relations as the original pair. This has implications for the classical moduli space, described by ordered pairs of commuting SL(2,R) matrices modulo simultaneous conjugation by SL(2,R) matrices.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2003

Global constants in (2+1)--dimensional gravity

The extended conformal algebra (so)(2,3) of global, quantum, constants of motion in 2+1 dimensional gravity with topology R x T^2 and negative cosmological constant is reviewed. It is shown that the 10 global constants form a complete set by expressing them in terms of two commuting spinors and the Dirac gamma matrices. The spinor components are the globally constant holonomy parameters, and their respective spinor norms are their quantum commutators.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2003

Parametrization of the moduli space of flat SL(2,R) connections on the torus

The moduli space of flat SL(2,R)-connections modulo gauge transformations on the torus may be described by ordered pairs of commuting SL(2,R) matrices modulo simultaneous conjugation by SL(2,R) matrices. Their spectral properties allow a classification of the equivalence classes, and a unique canonical form is given for each of these. In this way the moduli space becomes explicitly parametrized, and has a simple structure, resembling that of a cell complex, allowing it to be depicted. Finally, a Hausdorff topology based on this classification and parametrization is proposed.

math-ph↗

arXiv2000

Quantum Matrix Pairs

The notion of quantum matrix pairs is defined. These are pairs of matrices with non-commuting entries, which have the same pattern of internal relations, q-commute with each other under matrix multiplication, and are such that products of powers of the matrices obey the same pattern of internal relations as the original pair. Such matrices appear in an approach by the authors to quantizing gravity in 2 space and 1 time dimensions with negative cosmological constant on the torus. Explicit examples and transformations which generate new pairs from a given pair are presented.

math.QA↗

arXiv1999

Quantum Holonomies in (2+1)-Dimensional Gravity

We describe an approach to the quantisation of (2+1)-dimensional gravity with topology R x T^2 and negative cosmological constant, which uses two quantum holonomy matrices satisfying a q-commutation relation. Solutions of diagonal and upper-triangular form are constructed, which in the latter case exhibit additional, non-trivial internal relations for each holonomy matrix. Representations are constructed and a group of transformations - a quasi-modular group - which preserves this structure, is presented.

gr-qc↗

arXiv1998

The Quantum Modular Group in (2+1)-Dimensional Gravity

The role of the modular group in the holonomy representation of (2+1)-dimensional quantum gravity is studied. This representation can be viewed as a "Heisenberg picture", and for simple topologies, the transformation to the ADM "Schr{ö}dinger picture" may be found. For spacetimes with the spatial topology of a torus, this transformation and an explicit operator representation of the mapping class group are constructed. It is shown that the quantum modular group splits the holonomy representation Hilbert space into physically equivalent orthogonal ``fundamental regions'' that are interchanged by modular transformations.

gr-qc↗

arXiv1997

Constants of the Motion and the Quantum Modular Group in (2+1) - Dimensional Gravity

Constants of motion are calculated for 2+1 dimensional gravity with topology R \times T^2 and negative cosmological constant. Certain linear combinations of them satisfy the anti - de Sitter algebra so(2,2) in either ADM or holonomy variables. Quantisation is straightforward in terms of the holonomy parameters, and the modular group is generated by these conserved quantities. On inclusion of the Hamiltonian three new global constants are derived and the quantum algebra extends to the conformal algebra so(2,3).

gr-qc↗

arXiv1997

Constants of motion and the conformal anti - de Sitter algebra in (2+1)-Dimensional Gravity

Constants of motion are calculated for 2+1 dimensional gravity with topology R x T^2 and negative cosmological constant. Certain linear combinations of them satisfy the anti - de Sitter algebra so(2,2) in either ADM or holonomy variables. Quantisation is straightforward in terms of the holonomy parameters. On inclusion of the Hamiltonian three new global constants are derived and the quantum algebra extends to that of the conformal algebra so(2,3). The modular group appears as a discrete subgroup of the conformal group. Its quantum action is generated by these conserved quantities.

gr-qc↗