arXiv subjects

Piero Nicolini

Publications and source records attributed to Piero Nicolini.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

A noncommutative approach to the cosmological constant problem

In this paper we study the cosmological constant emerging from the Wheeler-DeWitt equation as an eigenvalue of the related Sturm-Liouville problem. We employ Gaussian trial functionals and we perform a mode decomposition to extract the transverse-traceless component, namely, the graviton contribution, at one loop. We implement a noncommutative-geometry- induced minimal length to calculate the number of graviton modes. As a result, we find regular graviton fluctuation energies for the Schwarzschild, de Sitter, and anti-de Sitter backgrounds. No renormalization scheme is necessary to remove infinities, in contrast to what happens in conventional approaches.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2011

Hausdorff dimension of a particle path in a quantum manifold

After recalling the concept of the Hausdorff dimension, we study the fractal properties of a quantum particle path. As a novelty we consider the possibility for the space where the particle propagates to be endowed with a quantum-gravity-induced minimal length. We show that the Hausdorff dimension accounts for both the quantum mechanics uncertainty and manifold fluctuations. In addition the presence of a minimal length breaks the self-similarity property of the erratic path of the quantum particle. Finally we establish a universal property of the Hausdorff dimension as well as the spectral dimension: They both depend on the amount of resolution loss which affects both the path and the manifold when quantum gravity fluctuations occur.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2010

Un-spectral dimension and quantum spacetime phases

In this Letter, we propose a new scenario emerging from the conjectured presence of a minimal length $\ell$ in the spacetime fabric, on the one side, and the existence of a new scale invariant, continuous mass spectrum, of un-particles on the other side. We introduce the concept of \textit{un-spectral dimension} $\mathbb{D}_U$ of a $d$-dimensional, euclidean (quantum) spacetime, as the spectral dimension measured by an "un-particle" probe. We find a general expression for the un-spectral dimension $\mathbb{D}_U$ labelling different spacetime phases: a semi-classical phase, where ordinary spectral dimension gets contribution from the scaling dimension $d_U$ of the un-particle probe ; a critical "Planckian phase", where four-dimensional spacetime can be effectively considered two-dimensional when $d_U=1$; a "Trans-Planckian phase", which is accessible to un-particle probes only, where spacetime as we currently understand it looses its physical meaning.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

A minimal length versus the Unruh effect

In this Letter we study the radiation measured by an accelerated detector, coupled to a scalar field, in the presence of a fundamental minimal length. The latter is implemented by means of a modified momentum space Green's function. After calibrating the detector, we find that the net flux of field quanta is negligible, and that there is no Planckian spectrum. We discuss possible interpretations of this result, and we comment on experimental implications in heavy ion collisions and atomic systems.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Black holes in an ultraviolet complete quantum gravity

In this Letter we derive the gravity field equations by varying the action for an ultraviolet complete quantum gravity. Then we consider the case of a static source term and we determine an exact black hole solution. As a result we find a regular spacetime geometry: in place of the conventional curvature singularity extreme energy fluctuations of the gravitational field at small length scales provide an effective cosmological constant in a region locally described in terms of a de Sitter space. We show that the new metric coincides with the noncommutative geometry inspired Schwarzschild black hole. Indeed, we show that the ultraviolet complete quantum gravity, generated by ordinary matter is the dual theory of ordinary Einstein gravity coupled to a noncommutative smeared matter. In other words we obtain further insights about that quantum gravity mechanism which improves Einstein gravity in the vicinity of curvature singularities. This corroborates all the existing literature in the physics and phenomenology of noncommutative black holes.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2010

Minimal Scales from an Extended Hilbert Space

We consider an extension of the conventional quantum Heisenberg algebra, assuming that coordinates as well as momenta fulfil nontrivial commutation relations. As a consequence, a minimal length and a minimal mass scale are implemented. Our commutators do not depend on positions and momenta and we provide an extension of the coordinate coherent state approach to Noncommutative Geometry. We explore, as toy model, the corresponding quantum field theory in a (2+1)-dimensional spacetime. Then we investigate the more realistic case of a (3+1)-dimensional spacetime, foliated into noncommutative planes. As a result, we obtain propagators, which are finite in the ultraviolet as well as the infrared regime.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Charged rotating noncommutative black holes

In this paper we complete the program of the noncomutative geometry inspired black holes, providing the richest possible solution, endowed with mass, charge and angular momentum. After providing a prescription for employing the Newman-Janis algorithm in the case of nonvanishing stress tensors, we find regular axisymmetric charged black holes in the presence of a minimal length. We study also the new thermodynamics and we determine the corresponding higher-dimensional solutions. As a conclusion we make some consideration about possible applications.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2010

Entropic force, noncommutative gravity and ungravity

After recalling the basic concepts of gravity as an emergent phenomenon, we analyze the recent derivation of Newton's law in terms of entropic force proposed by Verlinde. By reviewing some points of the procedure, we extend it to the case of a generic quantum gravity entropic correction to get compelling deviations to the Newton's law. More specifically, we study: (1) noncommutative geometry deviations and (2) ungraviton corrections. As a special result in the noncommutative case, we find that the noncommutative character of the manifold would be equivalent to the temperature of a thermodynamic system. Therefore, in analogy to the zero temperature configuration, the description of spacetime in terms of a differential manifold could be obtained only asymptotically. Finally, we extend the Verlinde's derivation to a general case, which includes all possible effects, noncommutativity, ungravity, asymptotically safe gravity, electrostatic energy, and extra dimensions, showing that the procedure is solid versus such modifications.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2010

Fuzziness at the horizon

We study the stability of the noncommutative Schwarzschild black hole interior by analysing the propagation of a massless scalar field between the two horizons. We show that the spacetime fuzziness triggered by the field higher momenta can cure the classical exponential blue shift divergence, suppressing the emergence of infinite energy density in a region nearby the Cauchy horizon.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2010

Large extra dimensions and small black holes at the LHC

We present an overview of the conjectured production of microscopic black holes as a consequence of high energy hadronic collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), CERN (Geneva, Switzerland) from this year on. Provided the presence of large extra-dimensions, we analyze some possible scenarios that could turn out to be outstanding experimental discoveries. We also discuss some new models which have been recently proposed on the ground of quantum gravity arguments. The final comments are devoted to supposed potential risks connected with the formation of black holes in particle detectors.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Spectral dimension of a quantum universe

In this paper, we calculate in a transparent way the spectral dimension of a quantum spacetime, considering a diffusion process propagating on a fluctuating manifold. To describe the erratic path of the diffusion, we implement a minimal length by averaging the graininess of the quantum manifold in the flat space case. As a result we obtain that, for large diffusion times, the quantum spacetime behaves like a smooth differential manifold of discrete dimension. On the other hand, for smaller diffusion times, the spacetime looks like a fractal surface with a reduced effective dimension. For the specific case in which the diffusion time has the size of the minimal length, the spacetime turns out to have a spectral dimension equal to 2, suggesting a possible renormalizable character of gravity in this regime. For smaller diffusion times, the spectral dimension approaches zero, making any physical interpretation less reliable in this extreme regime. We extend our result to the presence of a background field and curvature. We show that in this case the spectral dimension has a more complicated relation with the diffusion time, and conclusions about the renormalizable character of gravity become less straightforward with respect to what we found with the flat space analysis.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

Noncommutative geometry inspired dirty black holes

We provide a new exact solution of the Einstein equations which generalizes the noncommutative geometry inspired Schwarzschild metric, we previously obtained. We consider here more general relations between the energy density and the radial pressure and find new a geometry describing a regular ``dirty black hole''. We discuss strong and weak energy condition violations and various aspects of the regular dirty black hole thermodynamics.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2009

Noncommutative Black Holes, The Final Appeal To Quantum Gravity: A Review

We present the state of the art regarding the relation between the physics of Quantum Black Holes and Noncommutative Geometry. We start with a review of models proposed in the literature for describing deformations of General Relativity in the presence of noncommutativity, seen as an effective theory of Quantum Gravity. We study the resulting metrics, proposed to replace or at least to improve the conventional black hole solutions of Einstein's equation. In particular, we analyze noncommutative-inspired solutions obtained in terms of quasi-classical noncommutative coordinates: indeed because of their surprising new features, these solutions enable us to circumvent long standing problems with Quantum Field Theory in Curved Space and to cure the singular behavior of gravity at the centers of black holes. As a consequence, for the first time, we get a complete description of what we may call the black hole SCRAM, the shut down of the emission of thermal radiation from the black hole: in place of the conventional scenario of runaway evaporation in the Planck phase, we find a zero temperature final state, a stable black hole remnant, whose size and mass are determined uniquely in terms of the noncommutative parameter $θ$. This result turns out to be of vital importance for the physics of the forthcoming experiments at the LHC, where mini black hole production is foreseen in extreme energy hadron collisions. Because of this, we devote the final part of this review to higher dimensional solutions and their phenomenological implications for TeV Gravity.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

Non-commutative geometry inspired higher-dimensional charged, black holes

We obtain a new, exact, solution of the Einstein's equation in higher dimensions. The source is given by a static spherically symmetric, Gaussian distribution of mass and charge. De-localization of mass and charge is due to the presence of a "minimal length" in the spacetime fabric, coming from quantum gravitational effects, e.g. string induced non-commutative geometry. The resulting metric describes a regular, i.e. curvature singularity free, charged black hole in higher dimensions. The metric smoothly interpolates between Reissner-Nordstrom geometry at large distance, and deSitter spacetime at short distance. Thermodynamical properties of the black hole are investigated and the form of the Area Law is determined. We show that back reaction effects are negligible even near the temperature maximum for any reasonable number of extra dimensions. We study pair creation and show that the upper bound on the discharge time increases with the number of extra dimensions.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

The decay-time of non-commutative micro-black holes

Non-commutative black holes are characterised by a minimum mass which would result in a remnant after the Hawking evaporation ends. We numerically study the decay of neutral non-commutative black holes for up to ten spatial dimensions and typical parameters that would make their production possible at the LHC. Neglecting possible accretion mechanism, we find that decay-times are extremely short.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

On the existence of canonical gyrokinetic variables for chaotic magnetic fields

The gyrokinetic description of particle dynamics faces a basic difficulty when a special type of canonical variables is sought, i.e., the so-called \textit{gyrokinetic canonical variables}. These are defined in such a way that two of them are respectively identified with the gyrophase-angle, describing the fast particle gyration motion around magnetic field lines, and its canonically conjugate momentum. In this paper we intend to discuss the conditions of existence for these variables.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2008

Lagrangian dynamics of incompressible thermofluids

A key aspect of fluid dynamics is the correct definition of the \textit{% phase-space} Lagrangian dynamics which characterizes arbitrary fluid elements of an incompressible fluid. Apart being an unsolved theoretical problem of fundamental importance, the issue is relevant to exhibit the connection between fluid dynamics and the classical dynamical systems underlying incompressible and non-isothermal fluid, typically founded either on: a) a \textit{configuration-space} Lagrangian description of the dynamics of fluid elements; b) a kinetic description of the molecular dynamics, based on a discrete representation of the fluid. The goal of this paper is to show that the exact Lagrangian dynamics can be established based on the inverse kinetic theory (IKT) for incompressible fluids recently pointed out (Ellero \textit{et al.}, 2004-2006, \cite{Ellero2004}). The result is reached by adopting an IKT approach based on a \textit{restricted phase-space representation} of the fluid, in which the configuration space coincides with the physical fluid domain. The result appears of potential importance in applied fluid dynamics and CFD.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2006

An exact pressure evolution equation for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations

In this paper the issue of the determination of the fluid pressure in incompressible fluids is addressed, with particular reference to the search of algorithms which permit to advance in time the fluid pressure without actually solving numerically the Poisson equation. Based on an inverse kinetic approach recently proposed for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations we intend to prove that an exact evolution equation can be obtained which advances in time self-consistently the fluid pressure. The new equation is susceptible of numerical implementation in Lagrangian CFD simulation codes.

physics.flu-dyn↗