arXiv subjects

Yongge Ma

Publications and source records attributed to Yongge Ma.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

Coherent intertwiner solution of simplicity constraint in all dimensional loop quantum gravity

We propose a new treatment of the quantum simplicity constraints appearing in the general ${SO(D+1)}$ formulation of loop quantum gravity for the ${(1+D)}$-dimensional space-time. Instead of strongly imposing the constraints, we construct a specific form of weak solutions by employing the spin net-work states with specific ${SO(D+1)}$ coherent intertwiners. These states weakly satisfy the quantum simplicity constraint via the vanishing expectation values, and the quantum Gaussian constraints can be imposed strongly. Remarkably, those specific ${SO(D+1)}$ coherent intertwiners used to construct our solutions have natural interpretations of the $D$-dimensional polytopes, commonly viewed as basic units of the discrete spatial geometry. Therefore, while the strong imposition of the quantum simplicity constraints leads to an over-constrained solution space, our weak solution space for the constraints may contain the correct semiclassical degrees of freedom for intrinsic geometry of the spatial hypersurfaces. Moreover, some concrete relations are established between our construction and other existing approaches in solving the simplicity constraints in all dimensional loop quantum gravity, providing valuable insights into this unresolved important issue.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2019

Bouncing evolution in a model of loop quantum gravity

To understand the dynamics of loop quantum gravity, the deparametrized model of gravity coupled to a scalar field is studied in a simple case, where the graph underlying the spin network basis is one loop based at a single vertex. The Hamiltonian operator $\hat{H}_v$ is chosen to be graph-preserving, and the matrix elements of $\hat{H}_v$ are explicitly worked out in a suitable basis. The non-trivial Euclidean part $\hat{H}_v^E$ of $\hat{H}_v$ is studied in details. It turns out that by choosing a specific symmetrization of $\hat{H}_v^E$, the dynamics driven by the Hamiltonian gives a picture of bouncing evolution. Our result in the model of full loop quantum gravity gives a significant echo of the well-known quantum bounce in the symmetry-reduced model of loop quantum cosmology, which indicates a closed relation between singularity resolution and quantum geometry.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2019

Pre-inflationary dynamics of Starobinsky inflation and its generization in Loop Quantum Brans-Dicke Cosmology

Recently, the nonperturbative quantization scheme of loop quantum gravity has been extended to the Brans-Dicke theory and the corresponding loop quantum Brans-Dicke cosmology has been derived, which provides an essential platform to explore inflationary models in this framework. In this paper, we consider two inflation models, the Starobinsky and $α$-attractor inflation whose cosmological predictions are in excellent agreement with Planck data, and study systematically their pre-inflationary dynamics as well as the slow-roll inflation. We show that for both models, the background evolution of a flat Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker universe in general can be divided into three different phases: the pre-inflationary quantum phase, quantum-to-classical transition, and the slow-roll inflation. The pre-inflationary dynamics are dominated by the quantum geometry effects of loop quantum Brans-Dicke cosmology and the corresponding Universe could be either initially expanding or contracting, depending on the initial velocity of inflaton field. It is shown that the detailed evolution of pre-inflationary quantum phase also depend on specific inflation models. After the pre-inflationary quantum phase, the universe gradually evolves into the slow-roll inflation with some of initial conditions for Starobinsky and $α$-attractor potentials. In addition, to be consistent with observational data, we also find the restricted parameter space of initial conditions that could produce at least $60$ $e$-folds during the slow-roll inflation.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2018

Anomaly freedom in perturbative models of Euclidean loop quantum gravity

Euclidean gravity provides an interesting test system for an analysis of cosmological perturbations in an effective Hamiltonian constraint with holonomy modifications from loop quantum gravity. This paper presents a discussion of scalar modes, with a specific form of the holonomy modification function derived from a general expansion in a connection formulation. Compared with some previous models, the constraint brackets are deformed in a different and more restricted way. A general comparison of anomaly-free brackets in various effective and operator versions shows overall consistency between different approaches.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2018

Hamiltonian structure and connection-dynamics of Weyl gravity

A crucial property of Weyl gravity is its conformal invariance. It is shown how this gauge symmetry is exactly reflected by the two constraints in the Hamiltonian framework. Since the spatial 3-metric is one of the configuration variables, the phase space of Weyl gravity can be extended to include internal gauge freedom by triad formalism. Moreover, by canonical transformations, we obtain two new Hamiltonian formulations of Weyl gravity with an SU(2) connection as one of its configuration variables. The connection-dynamical formalisms lay the foundation to quantize Weyl gravity nonperturbatively by applying the method of loop quantum gravity. In one of the formulations, the so-called Immirzi parameter ambiguity in loop quantum gravity is avoided by the conformal invariance.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2017

Distinguishing f(R) theories from general relativity by gravitational lensing effect

The post-Newtonian formulation of a general class of f(R) theories is set up to 3rd order approximation. It turns out that the information of a specific form of f(R) gravity is encoded in the Yukawa potential, which is contained in the perturbative expansion of the metric components. Although the Yukawa potential is canceled in the 2nd order expression of the effective refraction index of light, detailed analysis shows that the difference of the lensing effect between the f(R) gravity and general relativity does appear at the 3rd order when $\sqrt{f''(0)/f'(0)}$ is larger than the distance $d_0$ to the gravitational source. However, the difference between these two kinds of theories will disappear in the axially symmetric spacetime region. Therefore only in very rare case the f(R) theories are distinguishable from general relativity by gravitational lensing effect at the 3rd order post-Newtonian approximation.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2016

New volume and inverse volume operators for loop quantum gravity

A new alternative volume operator is constructed for loop quantum gravity by using the so-called cotriad operators as building blocks. It is shown that the new volume operator shares the same qualitative properties with the standard volume operator. Moreover, a new alternative inverse volume operator is also constructed in the light of the construction of the alternative volume operator, which is possessed of the same qualitative properties as those of the alternative volume operator. The new inverse volume operator can be employed to construct the Hamiltonian operator of matter fields, which may lead to an anomaly-free on-shell quantum constraint algebra without any special restriction on the regularization procedure for gravity coupled to matter fields.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2016

Graphical method in loop quantum gravity: I. Derivation of the closed formula for the matrix element of the volume operator

To adopt a practical method to calculate the action of geometrical operators on quantum states is a crucial task in loop quantum gravity. In the series of papers, we will introduce a graphical method, developed by Yutsis and Brink, to loop quantum gravity along the line of previous works. The graphical method provides a very powerful technique for simplifying complicated calculations. In this first paper, the closed formula of volume operator is derived via the graphical method. By employing suitable and non-ambiguous graphs to represent the acting of operators as well as the spin network states, we use the simple rules of transforming graphs to yield the resulting formula. Comparing with the complicated algebraic derivation in some literatures, our procedure is more concise, intuitive and visual. The resulting matrix elements of volume operator is compact and uniform, fitting for both gauge-invariant and gauge-variant spin network states.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2016

Graphical method in loop quantum gravity: II. The Hamiltonian constraint and inverse volume operators

This is the second paper in the series to introduce a graphical method to loop quantum gravity. We employ the graphical method as a powerful tool to calculate the actions of the Euclidean Hamiltonian constraint operator and the so-called inverse volume operator on spin network states with trivalent vertices. Both of the operators involve the co-triad operator which contains holonomies by construction. The non-ambiguous, concise and visual characters of our graphical method ensure the rigour for our calculations. Our results indicate some corrections to the existing results in literatures.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2015

New Hamiltonian constraint operator for loop quantum gravity

A new symmetric Hamiltonian constraint operator is proposed for loop quantum gravity, which is well defined in the Hilbert space of diffeomorphism invariant states up to non-planar vertices with valence higher than three. It inherits the advantage of the original regularization method, so that its regulated version in the kinematical Hilbert space is diffeomorphism covariant and creates new vertices to the spin networks. The quantum algebra of this Hamiltonian is anomaly-free on shell, and there is less ambiguity in its construction in comparison with the original method. The regularization procedure for this Hamiltonian constraint operator can also be applied to the symmetric model of loop quantum cosmology, which leads to a new quantum dynamics of the cosmological model.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2015

BF Theory Explanation of the Entropy for Non-rotating Isolated Horizons

We consider the nonrotating isolated horizon as an inner boundary of a four-dimensional asymptotically flat spacetime region. Due to the symmetry of the isolated horizon, it turns out that the boundary degrees of freedom can be described by a SO(1,1) BF theory with sources. This provides a new alternative approach to the usual one using Chern-Simons theory to study the black hole entropy. To count the microscopical degrees of freedom with the boundary BF theory, the entropy of the isolated horizon can also be calculated in the framework of loop quantum gravity. The leading-order contribution to the entropy coincides with the Bekenstein-Hawking area law only for a particular choice of the Barbero-Immirzi parameter, which is different from its value in the usual approach using Chern-Simons theory. Moreover, the quantum correction to the entropy formula is a constant term rather than a logarithmic term.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2015

Manifestly Gauge Invariant Perturbations of Scalar-Tensor Theories of Gravity

The general relativistic perturbations of scalar-tensor theories (STT) of gravity are studied in a manifestly gauge invariant Hamiltonian formalism. After the derivation of the Hamiltonian equations of motion in this framework, the gauge invariant formalism is used to compute the evolution equations of linear perturbations around a general relativistic spacetime background in the Jordan frame. These equations are then specialized to the case of a flat FRW cosmological background. Furthermore, the equivalence between the Jordan frame and the Einstein frame of STT in the manifestly gauge invariant Hamiltonian formalism is analyzed, and it is shown that also in this framework they can be related by a conformal transformation. Finally, the obtained evolution equations for the linear perturbations in our formalism are compared with those in the standard cosmological perturbation theory. It turns out that the perturbation equations in the two different formalisms coincide with each other in a suitable limit.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2014

Connection Dynamics for Higher Dimensional Scalar-Tensor Theories of Gravity

The scalar-tensor theories of gravity in spacetime dimensions $D+1>2$ are studied. By doing Hamiltonian analysis, we obtain the geometrical dynamics of the theories from their Lagrangian. The Hamiltonian formalism indicates that the theories are naturally divided into two sectors by the coupling parameter $ω$. The Hamiltonian structure in both sectors are similar to the corresponding structure of 4-dimensional cases. It turns out that there is a symplectic reduction from the canonical structure of $so(D+1)$ Yang-Mills theories coupled to the scalar field to the canonical structure of the geometrical scalar-tensor theories. Therefore the non-perturbative loop quantum gravity techniques can also be applied to the scalar-tensor theories in $D+1$ dimensions based on their connection-dynamical formalism.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2013

Connection dynamics of a gauge theory of gravity coupled with matter

We study the coupling of the gravitational action, which is a linear combination of the Hilbert-Palatini term and the quadratic torsion term, to the action of Dirac fermions. The system possesses local Poincare invariance and hence belongs to Poincare gauge theory with matter. The complete Hamiltonian analysis of the theory is carried out without gauge fixing but under certain ansatz on the coupling parameters, which leads to a consistent connection dynamics with second-class constraints and torsion. After performing a partial gauge fixing, all second-class constraints can be solved, and a SU(2)-connection dynamical formalism of the theory can be obtained. Hence, the techniques of loop quantum gravity can be employed to quantize this Poincare gauge theory with non-zero torsion. Moreover, the Barbero-Immirzi parameter in loop quantum gravity acquires its physical meaning as the coupling parameter between the Hilbert-Palatini term and the quadratic torsion term in this gauge theory of gravity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2013

Loop quantum Brans-Dicke cosmology

The spatially flat and isotropic cosmological model of Brans-Dicke theory with coupling parameter $ω\neq-3/2$ is quantized by the approach of loop quantum cosmology. An interesting feature of this model is that, although the Brans-Dicke scalar field is non-minimally coupled with curvature, it can still play the role of an emergent time variable. In the quantum theory, the classical differential equation which represents cosmological evolution is replaced by a quantum difference equation. The effective Hamiltonian and modified dynamical equations of loop quantum Brans-Dicke cosmology are also obtained, which lay a foundation for the phenomenological investigation to possible quantum gravity effects in cosmology. The effective equations indicate that the classical big bang singularity is again replaced by a quantum bounce in loop quantum Brans-Dicke cosmology.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2013

Action principle for the connection dynamics of scalar-tensor theories

A first-order action for scalar-tensor theories of gravity is proposed. The Hamiltonian analysis of the action gives the desired connection dynamical formalism, which was derived from the geometrical dynamics by canonical transformations. It is shown that this connection formalism in Jordan frame is equivalent to the alternative connection formalism in Einstein frame. Therefore, the action principle underlying loop quantum scalar-tensor theories is recovered.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2013

Anomaly freedom of the vector modes with holonomy corrections in perturbative Euclidean loop quantum gravity

We study the perturbation of the effective Hamiltonian constraint with holonomy correction from Euclidean loop quantum gravity. The Poisson bracket between the corrected Hamiltonian constraint and the diffeomorphism constraint is derived for vector modes. Some specific form of the holonomy correction function $f^{i}_{cd}$ is found, which satisfies that the constraint algebra is anomaly-free. This result confirms the possibility of non-trivial holonomy corrections from full theory while preserving anomaly-free constraint algebra in the perturbation framework. It also gives valuable hints on the possible form of holonomy corrections in effective loop quantum gravity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2012

Effective Theories of Quantum Cosmology

We introduce two possible ways of defining effective constraints of quantum systems and applied this effective constraint method to models of WDW Quantum Cosmology and Loop Quantum Cosmology. We analyze effective Hamiltonian constraint on both second and third order and calculate Hubble parameter as well as modified Friedmann equation of each model. Then we compare with a special case using coherent state. It shows that this method is reasonable and as before the classical Big Bang singularity is replaced by a quantum bounce in Loop Quantum Cosmology.

physics.gen-ph↗