Approximating the physical inner product of Loop Quantum Cosmology

In this article, we investigate the possibility of approximating the physical inner product of constrained quantum theories. In particular, we calculate the physical inner product of a simple cosmological model in two ways: Firstly, we compute it analytically via a trick, secondly, we use the complexifier coherent states to approximate the physical inner product defined by the master constraint of the system. We will find that the approximation is able to recover the analytic solution of the problem, which solidifies hopes that coherent states will help to approximate solutions of more complicated theories, like loop quantum gravity

Gauge-invariant coherent states for loop quantum gravity: I. Abelian gauge groups

In this paper, we investigate the properties of gauge-invariant coherent states for loop quantum gravity, for the gauge group U(1). This is done by projecting the corresponding complexifier coherent states defined by Thiemann and Winkler to the gauge-invariant Hilbert space. This being the first step toward constructing physical coherent states, we arrive at a set of gauge-invariant states that approximate well the gauge-invariant degrees of freedom of Abelian loop quantum gravity (LQG). Furthermore, these states turn out to encode explicit information about the graph topology, and show the same pleasant peakedness properties known from the gauge-variant complexifier coherent states. In a companion paper, we will turn to the more sophisticated case of SU(2)

Improved and Perfect Actions in Discrete Gravity

We consider the notion of improved and perfect actions within Regge calculus. These actions are constructed in such a way that they - although being defined on a triangulation - reproduce the continuum dynamics exactly, and therefore capture the gauge symmetries of General Relativity. We construct the perfect action in three dimensions with cosmological constant, and in four dimensions for one simplex. We conclude with a discussion about Regge Calculus with curved simplices, which arises naturally in this context.Comment: 28 pages, 2 figure

Quantum mechanics on a circle: Husimi phase space distributions and semiclassical coherent state propagators

We discuss some basic tools for an analysis of one-dimensionalquantum systems defined on a cyclic coordinate space. The basic features of the generalized coherent states, the complexifier coherent states are reviewed. These states are then used to define the corresponding (quasi)densities in phase space. The properties of these generalized Husimi distributions are discussed, in particular their zeros.Furthermore, the use of the complexifier coherent states for a semiclassical analysis is demonstrated by deriving a semiclassical coherent state propagator in phase space.Comment: 29 page

Algebraic Quantum Gravity (AQG) IV. Reduced Phase Space Quantisation of Loop Quantum Gravity

We perform a canonical, reduced phase space quantisation of General Relativity by Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG) methods. The explicit construction of the reduced phase space is made possible by the combination of 1. the Brown -- Kuchar mechanism in the presence of pressure free dust fields which allows to deparametrise the theory and 2. Rovelli's relational formalism in the extended version developed by Dittrich to construct the algebra of gauge invariant observables. Since the resulting algebra of observables is very simple, one can quantise it using the methods of LQG. Basically, the kinematical Hilbert space of non reduced LQG now becomes a physical Hilbert space and the kinematical results of LQG such as discreteness of spectra of geometrical operators now have physical meaning. The constraints have disappeared, however, the dynamics of the observables is driven by a physical Hamiltonian which is related to the Hamiltonian of the standard model (without dust) and which we quantise in this paper.Comment: 31 pages, no figure

From the discrete to the continuous - towards a cylindrically consistent dynamics

Discrete models usually represent approximations to continuum physics. Cylindrical consistency provides a framework in which discretizations mirror exactly the continuum limit. Being a standard tool for the kinematics of loop quantum gravity we propose a coarse graining procedure that aims at constructing a cylindrically consistent dynamics in the form of transition amplitudes and Hamilton's principal functions. The coarse graining procedure, which is motivated by tensor network renormalization methods, provides a systematic approximation scheme towards this end. A crucial role in this coarse graining scheme is played by embedding maps that allow the interpretation of discrete boundary data as continuum configurations. These embedding maps should be selected according to the dynamics of the system, as a choice of embedding maps will determine a truncation of the renormalization flow.Comment: 22 page

Operator Spin Foam Models

The goal of this paper is to introduce a systematic approach to spin foams. We define operator spin foams, that is foams labelled by group representations and operators, as the main tool. An equivalence relation we impose in the set of the operator spin foams allows to split the faces and the edges of the foams. The consistency with that relation requires introduction of the (familiar for the BF theory) face amplitude. The operator spin foam models are defined quite generally. Imposing a maximal symmetry leads to a family we call natural operator spin foam models. This symmetry, combined with demanding consistency with splitting the edges, determines a complete characterization of a general natural model. It can be obtained by applying arbitrary (quantum) constraints on an arbitrary BF spin foam model. In particular, imposing suitable constraints on Spin(4) BF spin foam model is exactly the way we tend to view 4d quantum gravity, starting with the BC model and continuing with the EPRL or FK models. That makes our framework directly applicable to those models. Specifically, our operator spin foam framework can be translated into the language of spin foams and partition functions. We discuss the examples: BF spin foam model, the BC model, and the model obtained by application of our framework to the EPRL intertwiners.Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures, RevTex4.

Feynman diagrammatic approach to spin foams

"The Spin Foams for People Without the 3d/4d Imagination" could be an alternative title of our work. We derive spin foams from operator spin network diagrams} we introduce. Our diagrams are the spin network analogy of the Feynman diagrams. Their framework is compatible with the framework of Loop Quantum Gravity. For every operator spin network diagram we construct a corresponding operator spin foam. Admitting all the spin networks of LQG and all possible diagrams leads to a clearly defined large class of operator spin foams. In this way our framework provides a proposal for a class of 2-cell complexes that should be used in the spin foam theories of LQG. Within this class, our diagrams are just equivalent to the spin foams. The advantage, however, in the diagram framework is, that it is self contained, all the amplitudes can be calculated directly from the diagrams without explicit visualization of the corresponding spin foams. The spin network diagram operators and amplitudes are consistently defined on their own. Each diagram encodes all the combinatorial information. We illustrate applications of our diagrams: we introduce a diagram definition of Rovelli's surface amplitudes as well as of the canonical transition amplitudes. Importantly, our operator spin network diagrams are defined in a sufficiently general way to accommodate all the versions of the EPRL or the FK model, as well as other possible models. The diagrams are also compatible with the structure of the LQG Hamiltonian operators, what is an additional advantage. Finally, a scheme for a complete definition of a spin foam theory by declaring a set of interaction vertices emerges from the examples presented at the end of the paper.Comment: 36 pages, 23 figure

Quantum Gravity coupled to Matter via Noncommutative Geometry

We show that the principal part of the Dirac Hamiltonian in 3+1 dimensions emerges in a semi-classical approximation from a construction which encodes the kinematics of quantum gravity. The construction is a spectral triple over a configuration space of connections. It involves an algebra of holonomy loops represented as bounded operators on a separable Hilbert space and a Dirac type operator. Semi-classical states, which involve an averaging over points at which the product between loops is defined, are constructed and it is shown that the Dirac Hamiltonian emerges as the expectation value of the Dirac type operator on these states in a semi-classical approximation.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figur

Towards computational insights into the large-scale structure of spin foams

Understanding the large-scale physics is crucial for the spin foam approach to quantum gravity. We tackle this challenge from a statistical physics perspective using simplified, yet feature-rich models. In particular, this allows us to explicitly answer whether broken symmetries will be restored by renormalization: We observe a weak phase transition in both Migdal-Kadanoff and tensor network renormalization. In this work we give a concise presentation of the concepts, results and promises of this new direction of research.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, to be published in proceedings of the Loops'11 Madrid international conference on quantum gravit