arXiv subjects

Javier Olmedo

Publications and source records attributed to Javier Olmedo.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

Evolution in totally constrained models: Schrödinger vs. Heisenberg pictures

We study the relation between two evolution pictures that are currently considered for totally constrained theories. Both descriptions are based on Rovelli's evolving constants approach, where one identifies a (possibly local) degree of freedom of the system as an internal time. This method is well understood classically in several situations. The purpose of this paper is to further analyze this approach at the quantum level. Concretely, we will compare the (Schrödinger-like) picture where the physical states evolve in time with the (Heisenberg-like) picture in which one defines parametrized observables (or evolving constants of the motion). We will show that in the particular situations considered in this manuscript (the parametrized relativistic particle and a spatially flat homogeneous and isotropic spacetime coupled to a massless scalar field) both descriptions are equivalent. We will finally comment on possible issues and on the genericness of the equivalence between both pictures.

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arXiv2016

Schrödinger-like quantum dynamics in loop quantized black holes

We show, following a previous quantization of a vacuum spherically symmetric spacetime carried out in Ref. \cite{gop}, that this setting admits a Schrödinger-like picture. More precisely, the technique adopted there for the definition of parametrized Dirac observables (that codify local information of the quantum theory) can be extended in order to accommodate different pictures. In this new picture, the quantum states are parametrized in terms of suitable gauge parameters and the observables constructed out of the kinematical ones on this space of parametrized states.

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arXiv2016

Brief review on black hole loop quantization

Here, we present a review about the quantization of spherically-symmetric spacetimes adopting loop quantum gravity techniques. Several models that have been studied so far share similar properties: the resolution of the classical singularity and some of them an intrinsic discretization of the geometry. We also explain the extension to Reissner---Nordström black holes. Besides, we review how quantum test fields on these quantum geometries allow us to study phenomena, like the Casimir effect or Hawking radiation. Finally, we briefly describe a recent proposal that incorporates spherically-symmetric matter, discussing its relevance for the understanding of black hole evolution.

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arXiv2016

Primordial tensor modes of the early Universe

We study cosmological tensor perturbations on a quantized background within the hybrid quantization approach. In particular, we consider a flat, homogeneous and isotropic spacetime and small tensor inhomogeneities on it. We truncate the action to second order in the perturbations. The dynamics is ruled by a homogeneous scalar constraint. We carry out a canonical transformation in the system where the Hamiltonian for the tensor perturbations takes a canonical form. The new tensor modes now admit a standard Fock quantization with a unitary dynamics. We then combine this representation with a generic quantum scheme for the homogeneous sector. We adopt a Born-Oppenheimer ansatz for the solutions to the constraint operator, previously employed to study the dynamics of scalar inhomogeneities. We analyze the approximations that allow us to recover, on the one hand, a Schrödinger equation similar to the one emerging in the dressed metric approach and, on the other hand, the ones necessary for the effective evolution equations of these primordial tensor modes within the hybrid approach to be valid. Finally, we consider loop quantum cosmology as an example where these quantization techniques can be applied and compare with other approaches.

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arXiv2016

Quantum self-gravitating collapsing matter in a quantum geometry

The problem of how space-time responds to gravitating quantum matter in full quantum gravity has been one of the main questions that any program of quantization of gravity should address. Here we analyze this issue by considering the quantization of a collapsing null shell coupled to spherically symmetric loop quantum gravity. We show that the constraint algebra of canonical gravity is Abelian both classically and when quantized using loop quantum gravity techniques. The Hamiltonian constraint is well defined and suitable Dirac observables characterizing the problem were identified at the quantum level. We can write the metric as a parameterized Dirac observable at the quantum level and study the physics of the collapsing shell and black hole formation. We show how the singularity inside the black hole is eliminated by loop quantum gravity and how the shell can traverse it. The construction is compatible with a scenario in which the shell tunnels into a baby universe inside the black hole or one in which it could emerge through a white hole.

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arXiv2014

Casimir effect in a quantum space-time

We apply quantum field theory in quantum space-time techniques to study the Casimir effect for large spherical shells. As background we use the recently constructed exact quantum solution for spherically symmetric vacuum space-time in loop quantum gravity. All calculations are finite and one recovers the usual results without the need of regularization or renormalization. This is an example of how loop quantum gravity provides a natural resolution to the infinities of quantum field theories.

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arXiv2014

Cosmological perturbations in Hybrid Loop Quantum Cosmology: Mukhanov-Sasaki variables

We study cosmological perturbations in the framework of Loop Quantum Cosmology, using a hybrid quantization approach and Mukhanov-Sasaki variables. The formulation in terms of these gauge invariants allows one to clarify the independence of the results on choices of gauge and facilitates the comparison with other approaches proposed to deal with cosmological perturbations in the context of Loop Quantum Theory. A kind of Born-Oppenheimer ansatz is employed to extract the dynamics of the inhomogeneous perturbations, separating them from the degrees of freedom of the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker geometry. With this ansatz, we derive an approximate Schrödinger equation for the cosmological perturbations and study its range of validity. We also prove that, with an alternate factor ordering, the dynamics deduced for the perturbations is similar to the one found in the so-called "dressed metric approach", apart from a possible scaling of the matter field in order to preserve its unitary evolution in the regime of Quantum Field Theory in a curved background and some quantization prescription issues. Finally, we obtain the effective equations that are naturally associated with the Mukhanov-Sasaki variables, both with and without introducing the Born-Oppenheimer ansatz, and with the different factor orderings that we have studied.

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arXiv2014

The SL(2,R) totally constrained model: three quantization approaches

We provide a detailed comparison of the different approaches available for the quantization of a totally constrained system with a constraint algebra generating the non-compact $SL(2,\mathbb{R})$ group. In particular, we consider three schemes: the Refined Algebraic Quantization, the Master Constraint Programme and the Uniform Discretizations approach. For the latter, we provide a quantum description where we identify semiclassical sectors of the kinematical Hilbert space. We study the quantum dynamics of the system in order to show that it is compatible with the classical continuum evolution. Among these quantization approaches, the Uniform Discretizations provides the simpler description in agreement with the classical theory of this particular model, and it is expected to give new insights about the quantum dynamics of more realistic totally constrained models such as canonical general relativity.

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arXiv2014

Quantum black holes in Loop Quantum Gravity

We study the quantization of spherically symmetric vacuum spacetimes within loop quantum gravity. In particular, we give additional details about our previous work in which we showed that one could complete the quantization the model and that the singularity inside black holes is resolved. Moreover, we consider an alternative quantization based on a slightly different kinematical Hilbert space. The ambiguity in kinematical spaces stems from how one treats the periodicity of one of the classical variables in these models. The corresponding physical Hilbert spaces solve the diffeomorphism and Hamiltonian constraint but their intrinsic structure is radically different depending on the kinematical Hilbert space one started from. In both cases there are quantum observables that do not have a classical counterpart. However, one can show that at the end of the day, by examining Dirac observables, both quantizations lead to the same physical predictions.

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arXiv2014

Effective dynamics of scalar perturbations in a flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker spacetime in Loop Quantum Cosmology

We study the evolution of a homogeneous and isotropic spacetime whose spatial sections have three-torus topology, coupled to a massless scalar field with small scalar perturbations within loop quantum cosmology. We consider a proposal for the effective dynamics based on a previous hybrid quantization completed by us. Consequently, we introduce a convenient gauge fixing and adopt reduced canonical variables adapted to that hybrid quantum description. Besides, we keep backreaction contributions on the background coming from terms quadratic in the perturbations in the action of the system. We carry out a numerical analysis assuming that the inhomogeneities were in a massless vacuum state at distant past (where the initial data are set). At distant future, we observe a statistical amplification of the modes amplitude in the infrared region, as well as a phase synchronization arising from quantum gravity phenomena. A description of the perturbations in terms of the Mukhanov-Sasaki gauge invariants provides the same qualitative results. Finally, we analyze some consequences of the backreaction in our effective description.

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arXiv2013

Unitary evolution as a uniqueness criterion

We briefly review the use of unitary evolution as a uniqueness criterion in the selection of quantum representations, in the context of scalar fields in non-stationary situations.

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arXiv2013

Hybrid quantization of an inflationary model: The flat case

We present a complete quantization of an approximately homogeneous and isotropic universe with small scalar perturbations. We consider the case in which the matter content is a minimally coupled scalar field and the spatial sections are flat and compact, with the topology of a three-torus. The quantization is carried out along the lines that were put forward by the authors in a previous work for spherical topology. The action of the system is truncated at second order in perturbations. The local gauge freedom is fixed at the classical level, although different gauges are discussed and shown to lead to equivalent conclusions. Moreover, descriptions in terms of gauge-invariant quantities are considered. The reduced system is proven to admit a symplectic structure, and its dynamical evolution is dictated by a Hamiltonian constraint. Then, the background geometry is polymerically quantized, while a Fock representation is adopted for the inhomogeneities. The latter is selected by uniqueness criteria adapted from quantum field theory in curved spacetimes, which determine a specific scaling of the perturbations. In our hybrid quantization, we promote the Hamiltonian constraint to an operator on the kinematical Hilbert space. If the zero mode of the scalar field is interpreted as a relational time, a suitable ansatz for the dependence of the physical states on the polymeric degrees of freedom leads to a quantum wave equation for the evolution of the perturbations. Alternatively, the solutions to the quantum constraint can be characterized by their initial data on the minimum-volume section of each superselection sector. The physical implications of this model will be addressed in a future work, in order to check whether they are compatible with observations.

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arXiv2012

Criteria for the determination of time dependent scalings in the Fock quantization of scalar fields with a time dependent mass in ultrastatic spacetimes

For Klein-Gordon fields, it is well known that there exist an infinite number of nonequivalent Fock representations of the canonical commutation relations and, therefore, of inequivalent quantum theories. A context in which this kind of ambiguities arises and prevents the derivation of robust results is, e.g., in the quantum analysis of cosmological perturbations. In these situations, typically, a suitable scaling of the field by a time dependent function leads to a description in an auxiliary static background, though the nonstationarity still shows up in a time dependent mass. For such a field description, and assuming the compactness of the spatial sections, we recently proved in three or less spatial dimensions that the criteria of a natural implementation of the spatial symmetries and of a unitary time evolution are able to select a unique class of unitarily equivalent vacua, and hence of Fock representations. In this work, we succeed to extend our uniqueness result to the consideration of all possible field descriptions that can be reached by a time dependent canonical transformation which, in particular, involves a scaling of the field by a function of time. This kind of canonical transformations modify the dynamics of the system and introduce a further ambiguity in its quantum description, exceeding the choice of a Fock representation. Remarkably, for any compact spatial manifold in less than four dimensions, we show that our criteria eliminate any possible nontrivial scaling of the field other than that leading to the description in an auxiliary static background. Besides, we show that either no time dependent redefinition of the field momentum is allowed or, if this may happen, the redefinition does not introduce any Fock representation that cannot be obtained by a unitary transformation.

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arXiv2012

A complete hybrid quantization in inhomogeneous cosmology

A complete quantization of a homogeneous and isotropic spacetime with closed spatial sections coupled to a massive scalar field is provided, within the framework of Loop Quantum Cosmology. We identify solutions with their initial data on the minimum volume section, and from this we construct the physical Hilbert space. Moreover, a perturbative study allows us to introduce small inhomogeneities. After gauge fixing, the inhomogeneous part of the system is reduced to a linear field theory. We then adopt a standard Fock representation to quantize these degrees of freedom. For the considered case of compact spatial topology, the requirements of: i) invariance under the spatial isometries, and ii) unitary implementation of the quantum dynamics, pick up a unique Fock representation and a particular set of canonical fields (up to unitary equivalence).

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arXiv2012

Unique Fock quantization of scalar cosmological perturbations

We investigate the ambiguities in the Fock quantization of the scalar perturbations of a Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker model with a massive scalar field as matter content. We consider the case of compact spatial sections (thus avoiding infrared divergences), with the topology of a three-sphere. After expanding the perturbations in series of eigenfunctions of the Laplace-Beltrami operator, the Hamiltonian of the system is written up to quadratic order in them. We fix the gauge of the local degrees of freedom in two different ways, reaching in both cases the same qualitative results. A canonical transformation, which includes the scaling of the matter field perturbations by the scale factor of the geometry, is performed in order to arrive at a convenient formulation of the system. We then study the quantization of these perturbations in the classical background determined by the homogeneous variables. Based on previous work, we introduce a Fock representation for the perturbations in which: (a) the complex structure is invariant under the isometries of the spatial sections and (b) the field dynamics is implemented as a unitary operator. These two properties select not only a unique unitary equivalence class of representations, but also a preferred field description, picking up a canonical pair of field variables among all those that can be obtained by means of a time-dependent scaling of the matter field (completed into a linear canonical transformation). Finally, we present an equivalent quantization constructed in terms of gauge-invariant quantities. We prove that this quantization can be attained by a mode-by-mode time-dependent linear canonical transformation which admits a unitary implementation, so that it is also uniquely determined.

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arXiv2012

Hybrid quantization of an inflationary universe

We quantize to completion an inflationary universe with small inhomogeneities in the framework of loop quantum cosmology. The homogeneous setting consists of a massive scalar field propagating in a closed, homogeneous scenario. We provide a complete quantum description of the system employing loop quantization techniques. After introducing small inhomogeneities as scalar perturbations, we identify the true physical degrees of freedom by means of a partial gauge fixing, removing all the local degrees of freedom except the matter perturbations. We finally combine a Fock description for the inhomogeneities with the polymeric quantization of the homogeneous background, providing the quantum Hamiltonian constraint of the composed system. Its solutions are then completely characterized, owing to the suitable choice of quantum constraint, and the physical Hilbert space is constructed. Finally, we consider the analog description for an alternate gauge and, moreover, in terms of gauge-invariant quantities. In the deparametrized model, all these descriptions are unitarily equivalent at the quantum level.

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arXiv2011

A uniqueness criterion for the Fock quantization of scalar fields with time dependent mass

A major problem in the quantization of fields in curved spacetimes is the ambiguity in the choice of a Fock representation for the canonical commutation relations. There exists an infinite number of choices leading to different physical predictions. In stationary scenarios, a common strategy is to select a vacuum (or a family of unitarily equivalent vacua) by requiring invariance under the spacetime symmetries. When stationarity is lost, a natural generalization consists in replacing time invariance by unitarity in the evolution. We prove that, when the spatial sections are compact, the criterion of a unitary dynamics, together with the invariance under the spatial isometries, suffices to select a unique family of Fock quantizations for a scalar field with time dependent mass.

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arXiv2011

Prescriptions in Loop Quantum Cosmology: A comparative analysis

Various prescriptions proposed in the literature to attain the polymeric quantization of a homogeneous and isotropic flat spacetime coupled to a massless scalar field are carefully analyzed in order to discuss their differences. A detailed numerical analysis confirms that, for states which are not deep in the quantum realm, the expectation values and dispersions of some natural observables of interest in cosmology are qualitatively the same for all the considered prescriptions. On the contrary, the amplitude of the wave functions of those states differs considerably at the bounce epoch for these prescriptions. This difference cannot be absorbed by a change of representation. Finally, the prescriptions with simpler superselection sectors are clearly more efficient from the numerical point of view.

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