arXiv subjects

Jack Gegenberg

Publications and source records attributed to Jack Gegenberg.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking To GR in SO(4,2) Gravitational Yang-Mills Theory

We consider a Yang-Mills type gauge theory of gravity based on the conformal group SO(4,2) coupled to a conformally invariant real scalar field. The goal is to generate fundamental dimensional constants via spontaneous breakdown of the conformal symmetry. In the absence of other matter couplings the resulting theory resembles Weyl-Einstein gravity, {with the Newton constant given by the square of the (constant) vacuum expectation value of the scalar, the cosmological constant determined by the quartic coupling constant of the scalar field and the Weyl to Einstein transition scale determined by the Yang-Mills coupling constant.} The emergent theory in the long-wave-length limit is Einstein gravity with cosmological constant. As an illustrative example we present an exact spherically symmetric cosmological solution with perfect fluid energy-momentum tensor that reduces to $\Lambda$FRW in the long-wavelength limit.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2018

Gravitational wave defocussing in quadratic gravity

We demonstrate that Huygens' principle for gravitational waves fails in quadratic gravity models that exhibit conformal symmetry at high energies. This results in the blurring of gravitational wave signals over finite timescales related to the energy scale of new physics $M_{\star}$. Furthermore, on very small scales the gravitational wave Green's function reduces to that of the wave equation in two dimensions. In principle, $M_{\star}$ could be constrained directly from gravitational wave observations.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2017

A big bounce, slow-roll inflation and dark energy from conformal gravity

We examine the cosmological sector of a gauge theory of gravity based on the SO(4,2) conformal group of Minkowski space. We allow for conventional matter coupled to the spacetime metric as well as matter coupled to the field that gauges special conformal transformations. An effective cosmological constant is generated dynamically via solution of the equations of motion, and this allows us to recover the late time acceleration of the universe. Furthermore, gravitational fields sourced by ordinary cosmological matter (i.e. dust and radiation) are significantly weakened in the very early universe, which has the effect of replacing the big bang with a big bounce. Finally, we find that this bounce is followed by a period of nearly-exponential slow roll inflation that can last long enough to explain the large scale homogeneity of the cosmic microwave background.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2016

Polymer Quantization of a Self-Gravitating Thin Shell

We study the quantum mechanics of self-gravitating thin shell collapse by solving the polymerized Wheeler-DeWitt equation. We obtain the energy spectrum and solve the time dependent equation using numerics. In contradistinction to the continuum theory, we are able to consistently quantize the theory for super-Planckian black holes, and find two choices of boundary conditions which conserve energy and probability, as opposed to one in the continuum theory. Another feature unique to the polymer theory is the existence of negative energy stationary states that disappear from the spectrum as the polymer scale goes to zero. In both theories the probability density is positive semi-definite only for the space of positive energy stationary states. Dynamically, we find that an initial Gaussian probability density develops regions of negative probability as the wavepacket approaches $R=0$ and bounces. This implies that the bouncing state is a sum of both positive and negative eigenstates.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2016

Infrared modification of gravity from conformal symmetry

We reconsider a gauge theory of gravity in which the gauge group is the conformal group SO(4,2) and the action is of the Yang-Mills form, quadratic in the curvature. The resulting gravitational theory exhibits local conformal symmetry and reduces to Weyl-squared gravity under certain conditions. When the theory is linearized about flat spacetime, we find that matter which couples to the generators of special conformal transformations reproduces Newton's inverse square law. Conversely, matter which couples to generators of translations induces a constant and possibly repulsive force far from the source, which may be relevant for explaining the late time acceleration of the universe. The coupling constant of theory is dimensionless, which means that it is potentially renormalizable.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2015

Discrete Hamiltonian for General Relativity

Beginning from the Ashtekar formulation of canonical general relativity, we derive a physical Hamiltonian written in terms of (classical) loop gravity variables. This is done by gauge-fixing the gravitational fields within a complex of three-dimensional cells such that curvature and torsion vanish within each cell. The resulting theory is holographic, with the bulk dynamics being captured completely by degrees of freedom living on cell boundaries. Quantization is readily obtainable by existing methods.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2015

Two Dimensional Gravity as a modified Yang-Mills Theory

We study a deSitter/Anti-deSitter/Poincare Yang-Mills theory of gravity in d-space-time dimensions in an attempt to retain the best features of both general relativity and Yang-Mills theory: quadratic curvature, dimensionless coupling and background independence. We derive the equations of motion for Lie algebra valued scalars and show that in the geometric optics limit they traverse geodesics with respect to the Lorentzian geometry determined by the frame fields. Mixing between components appears to next to leading order in the WKB approximation. We then restrict to two space-time dimensions for simplicity, in which case the theory reduces to the well known Katanaev-Volovich model. We complete the Hamiltonian analysis of the vacuum theory and use it to prove a generalized Birkhoff theorem. There are two classes of solutions: with torsion and without torsion. The former are parametrized by two constants of motion, have event horizons for certain ranges of the parameters and a curvature singularity. The latter yield a unique solution, up to diffeomorphisms, that describes a space constant curvature .

gr-qc↗

arXiv2014

Solvable model for quantum gravity

We study a type of geometric theory with a non-dynamical one-form field. Its dynamical variables are an $su(2)$ gauge field and a triad of $su(2)$ valued one-forms. Hamiltonian decomposition reveals that the theory has a true Hamiltonian, together with spatial diffeomorphism and Gauss law constraints, which generate the only local symmetries. Although perturbatively non-renormalizable, the model provides a test bed for the non-perturbative quantization techniques of loop quantum gravity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2014

Bosonic string theory with dust

We study a modified bosonic string theory that has a pressureless ``dust'' field on the string worldsheet. The dust is a real scalar field with unit gradient which breaks conformal invariance. Hamiltonian analysis reveals a time reparametrization constraint linear in the dust field momentum and a spatial diffeomorphism constraint. This feature provides a natural ``dust time" gauge in analogy with the parametrized particle. In this gauge we give a Fock quantization of the theory, which is complete and self-consistent in d<26. The Hamiltonian of the theory is not a constraint; as a consequence the Hilbert space and mass spectrum are characterized by an additional parameter, and includes the usual string spectrum as a special case. The other sectors provide new particle spectra, some of which do not have tachyons.

hep-th↗

arXiv2012

An instability of hyperbolic space under the Yang-Mills flow

We consider the Yang-Mills flow on hyperbolic 3-space. The gauge connection is constructed from the frame-field and (not necessarily compatible) spin connection components. The fixed points of this flow include zero Yang-Mills curvature configurations, for which the spin connection has zero torsion and the associated Riemannian geometry is one of constant curvature. Perturbations to the fixed point corresponding to hyperbolic 3-space can be expressed as a linear superposition of distinct modes, some of which are exponentially growing along the flow. The growing modes imply the divergence of the (gauge invariant) perturbative torsion for a wide class of initial data, indicating an instability of the background geometry that we confirm with numeric simulations in the partially compactified case. There are stable modes with zero torsion, but all the unstable modes are torsion-full. This leads us to speculate that the instability is induced by the torsion degrees of freedom present in the Yang-Mills flow.

hep-th↗

arXiv2012

Quantum Mechanics of the Interior of Radiating 2-D Black Holes

We study the homogeneous sector of the RST model describing the gravitational dynamics, including back-reaction, of radiating 2-d black holes. We find the exact solutions both in conformal gauge and in time-parametrized form, isolate the black hole sector of the classical phase space and quantize the near singularity dynamics in conformal gauge. We show that different choices of measure and different self-adjoint extensions can lead to inequivalent quantum theories, all of which resolve the singularity. For a specific range of extension parameters, the Hamiltonian spectrum admits bound states that correspond physically to stable remnants. Finally, we argue that our work provides a good starting point for quantization of the full homogeneous theory using both reduced and Dirac quantization.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2012

Local Hamiltonian for Spherically Symmetric Collapse: Geometrodynamics Approach

Recently a {\it local} true (completely gauge fixed) Hamiltonian for spherically symmetric collapse was derived in terms of Ashtekar variables. We show that such a local Hamiltonian follows directly from the geometrodynamics of gravity theories that obey a Birkhoff theorem and possess a mass function that is constant on the constraint surface in vacuum. In addition to clarifying the geometrical content, our approach has the advantage that it can be directly applied to a large class of spherically symmetric and 2D gravity theories, including $p$-th order Lovelock gravity in D dimensions. The resulting expression for the true local Hamiltonian is universal and remarkably simple in form.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2011

Tomimatsu-Sato geometries, holography and quantum gravity

We analyze the $δ=2$ Tomimatsu-Sato spacetime in the context of the proposed Kerr/CFT correspondence. This 4-dimensional vacuum spacetime is asymptotically flat and has a well-defined ADM mass and angular momentum, but also involves several exotic features including a naked ring singularity, and two disjoint Killing horizons separated by a region with closed timelike curves and a rod-like conical singularity. We demonstrate that the near horizon geometry belongs to a general class of Ricci-flat metrics with $SL(2,\mathbb{R})\times U(1)$ symmetry that includes both the extremal Kerr and extremal Kerr-bolt geometries. We calculate the central charge and temperature for the CFT dual to this spacetime and confirm the Cardy formula reproduces the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy. We find that all of the basic parameters of the dual CFT are most naturally expressed in terms of charges defined intrinsically on the horizon, which are distinct from the ADM charges in this geometry.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

Gravitational non-commutativity and Gödel-like spacetimes

We derive general conditions under which geodesics of stationary spacetimes resemble trajectories of charged particles in an electromagnetic field. For large curvatures (analogous to strong magnetic fields), the quantum mechanicical states of these particles are confined to gravitational analogs of {\it lowest Landau levels}. Furthermore, there is an effective non-commutativity between their spatial coordinates. We point out that the Som-Raychaudhuri and Gödel spacetime and its generalisations are precisely of the above type and compute the effective non-commutativities that they induce. We show that the non-commutativity for Gödel spacetime is identical to that on the fuzzy sphere. Finally, we show how the star product naturally emerges in Som-Raychaudhuri spacetimes.

hep-th↗

arXiv2003

A finite action for three dimensional gravity with a minimally coupled scalar field

Three-dimensional gravity with a minimally coupled self-interacting scalar is considered. The fall-off of the fields at infinity is assumed to be slower than that of a localized distribution of matter, so that the asymptotic symmetry group is the conformal group. The counterterm Lagrangian needed to render the action finite is found by demanding that the action attain an extremum for the boundary conditions implied by the above fall-off of the fields at infinity. These counterterms explicitly depend on the scalar field. As a consequence, the Brown-York stress-energy tensor acquires a non trivial contribution from the matter sector. Static circularly symmetric solutions with a regular scalar field are explored for a one-parameter family of potentials. Their masses are computed via the Brown-York quasilocal stress-energy tensor, and they coincide with the values obtained from the Hamiltonian approach. The thermal behavior, including the transition between different configurations, is analyzed, and it is found that the scalar black hole can decay into the BTZ solution irrespective of the horizon radius. It is also shown that the AdS/CFT correspondence yields the same central charge as for pure gravity.

hep-th↗