The microscopic dynamics of quantum space as a group field theory

We provide a rather extended introduction to the group field theory approach to quantum gravity, and the main ideas behind it. We present in some detail the GFT quantization of 3d Riemannian gravity, and discuss briefly the current status of the 4-dimensional extensions of this construction. We also briefly report on recent results obtained in this approach and related open issues, concerning both the mathematical definition of GFT models, and possible avenues towards extracting interesting physics from them.Comment: 60 pages. Extensively revised version of the contribution to "Foundations of Space and Time: Reflections on Quantum Gravity", edited by G. Ellis, J. Murugan, A. Weltman, published by Cambridge University Pres

3D Gravity and Gauge Theories

I argue that the complete partition function of 3D quantum gravity is given by a path integral over gauge-inequivalent manifolds times the Chern-Simons partition function. In a discrete version, it gives a sum over simplicial complexes weighted with the Turaev-Viro invariant. Then, I discuss how this invariant can be included in the general framework of lattice gauge theory (qQCD$_3$). To make sense of it, one needs a quantum analog of the Peter-Weyl theorem and an invariant measure, which are introduced explicitly. The consideration here is limited to the simplest and most interesting case of $SL_q(2)$, $q=e^{i\frac{2\pi}{k+2}}$. At the end, I dwell on 3D generalizations of matrix models.Comment: 20 pp., NBI-HE-93-67 (Contribution to Proceedings of 1993 Cargese workshop

Topological Decompositions for 3D Non-manifold Simplicial Shapes

Modeling and understanding complex non-manifold shapes is a key issue in several applications including form-feature identification in CAD/CAE, and shape recognition for Web searching. Geometric shapes are commonly discretized as simplicial 2- or 3-complexes embedded in the 3D Euclidean space. The topological structure of a non-manifold simplicial shape can be analyzed through its decomposition into a collection of components with simpler topology. The granularity of the decomposition depends on the combinatorial complexity of the components. In this paper, we present topological tools for structural analysis of three-dimensional non-manifold shapes. This analysis is based on a topological decomposition at two different levels. We discuss the topological properties of the components at each level, and we present algorithms for computing such decompositions. We investigate the relations among the components, and propose a graph-based representation for such relations

Towards classical geometrodynamics from Group Field Theory hydrodynamics

We take the first steps towards identifying the hydrodynamics of group field theories (GFTs) and relating this hydrodynamic regime to classical geometrodynamics of continuum space. We apply to GFT mean field theory techniques borrowed from the theory of Bose condensates, alongside standard GFT and spin foam techniques. The mean field configuration we study is, in turn, obtained from loop quantum gravity coherent states. We work in the context of 2d and 3d GFT models, in euclidean signature, both ordinary and colored, as examples of a procedure that has a more general validity. We also extract the effective dynamics of the system around the mean field configurations, and discuss the role of GFT symmetries in going from microscopic to effective dynamics. In the process, we obtain additional insights on the GFT formalism itself.Comment: revtex4, 32 pages. Contribution submitted to the focus issue of the New Journal of Physics on "Classical and Quantum Analogues for Gravitational Phenomena and Related Effects", R. Schuetzhold, U. Leonhardt and C. Maia, Eds; v2: typos corrected, references updated, to match the published versio

Spin Foam Diagrammatics and Topological Invariance

We provide a simple proof of the topological invariance of the Turaev-Viro model (corresponding to simplicial 3d pure Euclidean gravity with cosmological constant) by means of a novel diagrammatic formulation of the state sum models for quantum BF-theories. Moreover, we prove the invariance under more general conditions allowing the state sum to be defined on arbitrary cellular decompositions of the underlying manifold. Invariance is governed by a set of identities corresponding to local gluing and rearrangement of cells in the complex. Due to the fully algebraic nature of these identities our results extend to a vast class of quantum groups. The techniques introduced here could be relevant for investigating the scaling properties of non-topological state sums, being proposed as models of quantum gravity in 4d, under refinement of the cellular decomposition.Comment: 20 pages, latex with AMS macros and eps figure