Aspects of quantum gravity phenomenology

Abstract

Quantum gravity effects modify the Heisenberg's uncertainty principle to the generalized uncertainty principle (GUP). Earlier work showed that the GUP-induced corrections to the Schrödinger equation, when applied to a non-relativistic particle in a one-dimensional box, led to the quantization of length. Similarly, corrections to the Klein-Gordon and the Dirac equations, gave rise to length, area and volume quantizations. These results suggest a fundamental granular structure of space and the existence of a minimum measurable length. This thesis investigates how spacetime curvature and gravity might influence this discreteness of space. In particular, by adding a weak background gravitational field to the above three quantum equations, it is shown that quantization of lengths, areas and volumes continue to hold. Although the nature of this new quantization is quite complex, under proper limits, it reduces to cases without gravity. These results indicate the universality of quantum gravity effects