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Lee Smolin

Publications and source records attributed to Lee Smolin.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
arXiv2005

Self-organized criticality in quantum gravity

We study a simple model of spin network evolution motivated by the hypothesis that the emergence of classical space-time from a discrete microscopic dynamics may be a self-organized critical process. Self organized critical systems are statistical systems that naturally evolve without fine tuning to critical states in which correlation functions are scale invariant. We study several rules for evolution of frozen spin networks in which the spins labelling the edges evolve on a fixed graph. We find evidence for a set of rules which behaves analogously to sand pile models in which a critical state emerges without fine tuning, in which some correlation functions become scale invariant.

hep-th↗
arXiv2005

Gauge fixing in Causal Dynamical Triangulations

We relax the definition of the Ambjorn-Loll causal dynamical triangulation model in 1+1 dimensions to allow for a varying lapse. We show that, as long as the spatially averaged lapse is constant in time, the physical observables are unchanged in the continuum limit. This supports the claim that the time slicing of the model is the result of a gauge fixing, rather than a physical preferred time slicing.

hep-th↗
arXiv2005

Falsifiable predictions from semiclassical quantum gravity

Quantum gravity is studied in a semiclassical approximation and it is found that to first order in the Planck length the effect of quantum gravity is to make the low energy effective spacetime metric energy dependent. The diffeomorphism invariance of the semiclassical theory forbids the appearance of a preferred frame of reference, consequently the local symmetry of this energy-dependent effective metric is a non-linear realization of the Lorentz transformations, which renders the Planck energy observer independent. This gives a form of deformed or doubly special relativity (DSR), previously explored with Magueijo, called the rainbow metric. The general argument determines the sign, but not the exact coefficient of the effect. But it applies in all dimensions with and without supersymmetry, and is, at least to leading order, universal for all matter couplings. A consequence of DSR realized with an energy dependent effective metric is a helicity independent energy dependence in the speed of light to first order in the Planck length. However, thresholds for Tev photons and GZK protons are unchanged from special relativistic predictions. These predictions of quantum gravity are falsifiable by the upcoming AUGER and GLAST experiments.

hep-th↗
arXiv2005

A quantization of topological M theory

A conjecture is made as to how to quantize topological M theory. We study a Hamiltonian decomposition of Hitchin's 7-dimensional action and propose a formulation for it in terms of 13 first class constraints. The theory has 2 degrees of freedom per point, and hence is diffeomorphism invariant, but not strictly speaking topological. The result is argued to be equivalent to Hitchin's formulation. The theory is quantized using loop quantum gravity methods. An orthonormal basis for the diffeomorphism invariant states is given by diffeomorphism classes of networks of two dimensional surfaces in the six dimensional manifold. The hamiltonian constraint is polynomial and can be regulated by methods similar to those used in LQG. To connect topological M theory to full M theory, a reduction from 11 dimensional supergravity to Hitchin's 7 dimensional theory is proposed. One important conclusion is that the complex and symplectic structures represent non-commuting degrees of freedom. This may have implications for attempts to construct phenomenologies on Calabi-Yau compactifications.

hep-th↗
arXiv2004

Scientific alternatives to the anthropic principle

It is explained in detail why the Anthropic Principle (AP) cannot yield any falsifiable predictions, and therefore cannot be a part of science. Cases which have been claimed as successful predictions from the AP are shown to be not that. Either they are uncontroversial applications of selection principles in one universe (as in Dicke's argument), or the predictions made do not actually logically depend on any assumption about life or intelligence, but instead depend only on arguments from observed facts (as in the case of arguments by Hoyle and Weinberg). The Principle of Mediocrity is also examined and shown to be unreliable, as arguments for factually true conclusions can easily be modified to lead to false conclusions by reasonable changes in the specification of the ensemble in which we are assumed to be typical. We show however that it is still possible to make falsifiable predictions from theories of multiverses, if the ensemble predicted has certain properties specified here. An example of such a falsifiable multiverse theory is cosmological natural selection. It is reviewed here and it is argued that the theory remains unfalsified. But it is very vulnerable to falsification by current observations, which shows that it is a scientific theory. The consequences for recent discussions of the AP in the context of string theory are discussed.

hep-th↗
arXiv2004

Quantum Gravity and Inflation

Using the Ashtekar-Sen variables of loop quantum gravity, a new class of exact solutions to the equations of quantum cosmology is found for gravity coupled to a scalar field, that corresponds to inflating universes. The scalar field, which has an arbitrary potential, is treated as a time variable, reducing the hamiltonian constraint to a time-dependent Schroedinger equation. When reduced to the homogeneous and isotropic case, this is solved exactly by a set of solutions that extend the Kodama state, taking into account the time dependence of the vacuum energy. Each quantum state corresponds to a classical solution of the Hamiltonian-Jacobi equation. The study of the latter shows evidence for an attractor, suggesting a universality in the phenomena of inflation. Finally, wavepackets can be constructed by superposing solutions with different ratios of kinetic to potential scalar field energy, resolving, at least in this case, the issue of normalizability of the Kodama state.

hep-th↗
arXiv2004

Triply Special Relativity

We describe an extension of special relativity characterized by {\it three} invariant scales, the speed of light, $c$, a mass, $κ$ and a length $R$. This is defined by a non-linear extension of the Poincare algerbra, $\cal A$, which we describe here. For $R\to \infty$, $\cal A$ becomes the Snyder presentation of the $κ$-Poincare algebra, while for $κ\to \infty$ it becomes the phase space algebra of a particle in deSitter spacetime. We conjecture that the algebra is relevant for the low energy behavior of quantum gravity, with $κ$ taken to be the Planck mass, for the case of a nonzero cosmological constant $Λ= R^{-2}$. We study the modifications of particle motion which follow if the algebra is taken to define the Poisson structure of the phase space of a relativistic particle.

hep-th↗
arXiv2004

Quantum Theory from Quantum Gravity

We provide a mechanism by which, from a background independent model with no quantum mechanics, quantum theory arises in the same limit in which spatial properties appear. Starting with an arbitrary abstract graph as the microscopic model of spacetime, our ansatz is that the microscopic dynamics can be chosen so that 1) the model has a low low energy limit which reproduces the non-relativistic classical dynamics of a system of N particles in flat spacetime, 2) there is a minimum length, and 3) some of the particles are in a thermal bath or otherwise evolve stochastically. We then construct simple functions of the degrees of freedom of the theory and show that their probability distributions evolve according to the Schroedinger equation. The non-local hidden variables required to satisfy the conditions of Bell's theorem are the links in the fundamental graph that connect nodes adjacent in the graph but distant in the approximate metric of the low energy limit. In the presence of these links, distant stochastic fluctuations are transferred into universal quantum fluctuations.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2004

Gravity's Rainbow

Non-linear special relativity (or doubly special relativity) is a simple framework for encoding properties of flat quantum space-time. In this paper we show how this formalism may be generalized to incorporate curvature (leading to what might be called ``doubly general relativity''). We first propose a dual to non-linear realizations of relativity in momentum space, and show that for such a dual the space-time invariant is an energy-dependent metric. This leads to an energy-dependent connection and curvature, and a simple modification to Einstein's equations. We then examine solutions to these equations. We find the counterpart to the cosmological metric, and show how cosmologies based upon our theory of gravity may solve the ``horizon problem''. We discuss the Schwarzchild solution, examining the conditions for which the horizon is energy dependent. We finally find the weak field limit.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2004

String theories with deformed energy momentum relations, and a possible non-tachyonic bosonic string

We consider a prescription for introducing deformed dispersion relations in the bosonic string action. We find that in a subset of such theories it remains true that the embedding coordinates propagate linearly on the worldsheet. While both the string modes and the center of mass propagate with deformed dispersion relations, the speed of light remains energy independent. We consider the canonical quantization of these strings, and find that it is possible to choose theories so that ghost modes still decouple, as usual. However the Virasoro algebra now exhibits an energy dependent central charge. We also find that there are examples where the tachyon is eliminated from the spectrum of the free bosonic string.

hep-th↗
arXiv2003

General relativity with a topological phase: an action principle

An action principle is described which unifies general relativity and topological field theory. An additional degree of freedom is introduced and depending on the value it takes the theory has solutions that reduce it to 1) general relativity in Palatini form, 2) general relativity in the Ashtekar form, 3) $F\wedge F$ theory for SO(5) and 4) $BF$ theory for SO(5). This theory then makes it possible to describe explicitly the dynamics of phase transition between a topological phase and a gravitational phase where the theory has local degrees of freedom. We also find that a boundary between adymnamical and topological phase resembles an horizon.

hep-th↗
arXiv2003

The linearization of the Kodama state

We study the question of whether the linearization of the Kodama state around classical deSitter spacetime is normalizable in the inner product of the theory of linearized gravitons on deSitter spacetime. We find the answer is no in the Lorentzian theory. However, in the Euclidean theory the corresponding linearized Kodama state is delta-functional normalizable. We discuss whether this result invalidates the conjecture that the full Kodama state is a good physical state for quantum gravity with positive cosmological constant.

hep-th↗
arXiv2003

2+1 gravity and Doubly Special Relativity

It is shown that gravity in 2+1 dimensions coupled to point particles provides a nontrivial example of Doubly Special Relativity (DSR). This result is obtained by interpretation of previous results in the field and by exhibiting an explicit transformation between the phase space algebra for one particle in 2+1 gravity found by Matschull and Welling and the corresponding DSR algebra. The identification of 2+1 gravity as a $DSR$ system answers a number of questions concerning the latter, and resolves the ambiguity of the basis of the algebra of observables. Based on this observation a heuristic argument is made that the algebra of symmetries of ultra high energy particle kinematics in 3+1 dimensions is described by some DSR theory.

hep-th↗
arXiv2003

Quantum symmetry, the cosmological constant and Planck scale phenomenology

We present a simple algebraic argument for the conclusion that the low energy limit of a quantum theory of gravity must be a theory invariant, not under the Poincare group, but under a deformation of it parameterized by a dimensional parameter proportional to the Planck mass. Such deformations, called kappa-Poincare algebras, imply modified energy-momentum relations of a type that may be observable in near future experiments. Our argument applies in both 2+1 and 3+1 dimensions and assumes only 1) that the low energy limit of a quantum theory of gravity must involve also a limit in which the cosmological constant is taken very small with respect to the Planck scale and 2) that in 3+1 dimensions the physical energy and momenta of physical elementary particles is related to symmetries of the full quantum gravity theory by appropriate renormalization depending on Lambda l^2_{Planck}. The argument makes use of the fact that the cosmological constant results in the symmetry algebra of quantum gravity being quantum deformed, as a consequence when the limit Λl^2_{Planck} -> 0 is taken one finds a deformed Poincare invariance. We are also able to isolate what information must be provided by the quantum theory in order to determine which presentation of the kappa-Poincare algebra is relevant for the physical symmetry generators and, hence, the exact form of the modified energy-momentum relations. These arguments imply that Lorentz invariance is modified as in proposals for doubly special relativity, rather than broken, in theories of quantum gravity, so long as those theories behave smoothly in the limit the cosmological constant is taken to be small.

hep-th↗
arXiv2003

How far are we from the quantum theory of gravity?

An assessment is offered of the progress that the major approaches to quantum gravity have made towards the goal of constructing a complete and satisfactory theory. The emphasis is on loop quantum gravity and string theory, although other approaches are discussed, including dynamical triangulation models (euclidean and lorentzian) regge calculus models, causal sets, twistor theory, non-commutative geometry and models based on analogies to condensed matter systems. We proceed by listing the questions the theories are expected to be able to answer. We then compile two lists: the first details the actual results so far achieved in each theory, while the second lists conjectures which remain open. By comparing them we can evaluate how far each theory has progressed, and what must still be done before each theory can be considered a satisfactory quantum theory of gravity. We find there has been impressive recent progress on several fronts. At the same time, important issues about loop quantum gravity are so far unresolved, as are key conjectures of string theory. However, there is a reasonable expectation that experimental tests of lorentz invariance at Planck scales may in the near future make it possible to rule out one or more candidate quantum theories of gravity.

hep-th↗
arXiv2002

Quantum gravity with a positive cosmological constant

A quantum theory of gravity is described in the case of a positive cosmological constant in 3+1 dimensions. Both old and new results are described, which support the case that loop quantum gravity provides a satisfactory quantum theory of gravity. These include the existence of a ground state, discoverd by Kodama, which both is an exact solution to the constraints of quantum gravity and has a semiclassical limit which is deSitter spacetime. The long wavelength excitations of this state are studied and are shown to reproduce both gravitons and, when matter is included, quantum field theory on deSitter spacetime. Furthermore, one may derive directly from the Wheeler-deWitt equation, Planck scale, computable corrections to the energy-momentum relations for matter fields. This may lead in the next few years to experimental tests of the theory. To study the excitations of the Kodama state exactly requires the use of the spin network representation, which is quantum deformed due to the cosmological constant. The theory may be developed within a single horizon, and the boundary states described exactly in terms of a boundary Chern-Simons theory. The Bekenstein bound is recovered and the N bound of Banks is given a background independent explanation. The paper is written as an introduction to loop quantum gravity, requiring no prior knowledge of the subject. The deep relationship between quantum gravity and topological field theory is stressed throughout.

hep-th↗
arXiv2002

Generalized Lorentz invariance with an invariant energy scale

The hypothesis that the Lorentz transformations may be modified at Planck scale energies is further explored. We present a general formalism for theories which preserve the relativity of inertial frames with a non-linear action of the Lorentz transformations on momentum space. Several examples are discussed in which the speed of light varies with energy and elementary particles have a maximum momenta and/or energy. Energy and momentum conservation are suitably generalized and a proposal is made for how the new transformation laws apply to composite systems. We then use these results to explain the ultra high energy cosmic ray anomaly and we find a form of the theory that explains the anomaly, and leads also to a maximum momentum and a speed of light that diverges with energy. We finally propose that the spatial coordinates be identified as the generators of translation in Minkowski spacetime. In some examples this leads to a commutative geometry, but with an energy dependent Planck constant.

gr-qc↗