Hamiltonian analysis of SO(4,1) constrained BF theory

In this paper we discuss canonical analysis of SO(4,1) constrained BF theory. The action of this theory contains topological terms appended by a term that breaks the gauge symmetry down to the Lorentz subgroup SO(3,1). The equations of motion of this theory turn out to be the vacuum Einstein equations. By solving the B field equations one finds that the action of this theory contains not only the standard Einstein-Cartan term, but also the Holst term proportional to the inverse of the Immirzi parameter, as well as a combination of topological invariants. We show that the structure of the constraints of a SO(4,1) constrained BF theory is exactly that of gravity in Holst formulation. We also briefly discuss quantization of the theory.Comment: 9 page

Kinematics of a relativistic particle with de Sitter momentum space

We discuss kinematical properties of a free relativistic particle with deformed phase space in which momentum space is given by (a submanifold of) de Sitter space. We provide a detailed derivation of the action, Hamiltonian structure and equations of motion for such free particle. We study the action of deformed relativistic symmetries on the phase space and derive explicit formulas for the action of the deformed Poincare' group. Finally we provide a discussion on parametrization of the particle worldlines stressing analogies and differences with ordinary relativistic kinematics.Comment: RevTeX, 12 pages, no figure

Hidden Quantum Gravity in 4d Feynman diagrams: Emergence of spin foams

We show how Feynman amplitudes of standard QFT on flat and homogeneous space can naturally be recast as the evaluation of observables for a specific spin foam model, which provides dynamics for the background geometry. We identify the symmetries of this Feynman graph spin foam model and give the gauge-fixing prescriptions. We also show that the gauge-fixed partition function is invariant under Pachner moves of the triangulation, and thus defines an invariant of four-dimensional manifolds. Finally, we investigate the algebraic structure of the model, and discuss its relation with a quantization of 4d gravity in the limit where the Newton constant goes to zero.Comment: 28 pages (RevTeX4), 7 figures, references adde

Ponzano-Regge model revisited III: Feynman diagrams and Effective field theory

We study the no gravity limit G_{N}-> 0 of the Ponzano-Regge amplitudes with massive particles and show that we recover in this limit Feynman graph amplitudes (with Hadamard propagator) expressed as an abelian spin foam model. We show how the G_{N} expansion of the Ponzano-Regge amplitudes can be resummed. This leads to the conclusion that the dynamics of quantum particles coupled to quantum 3d gravity can be expressed in terms of an effective new non commutative field theory which respects the principles of doubly special relativity. We discuss the construction of Lorentzian spin foam models including Feynman propagatorsComment: 46 pages, the wrong file was first submitte

Doubly Special Relativity and de Sitter space

In this paper we recall the construction of Doubly Special Relativity (DSR) as a theory with energy-momentum space being the four dimensional de Sitter space. Then the bases of the DSR theory can be understood as different coordinate systems on this space. We investigate the emerging geometrical picture of Doubly Special Relativity by presenting the basis independent features of DSR that include the non-commutative structure of space-time and the phase space algebra. Next we investigate the relation between our geometric formulation and the one based on quantum $\kappa$-deformations of the Poincar\'e algebra. Finally we re-derive the five-dimensional differential calculus using the geometric method, and use it to write down the deformed Klein-Gordon equation and to analyze its plane wave solutions.Comment: 26 pages, one formula (67) corrected; some remarks adde

MacDowell-Mansouri gravity and Cartan geometry

The geometric content of the MacDowell-Mansouri formulation of general relativity is best understood in terms of Cartan geometry. In particular, Cartan geometry gives clear geometric meaning to the MacDowell-Mansouri trick of combining the Levi-Civita connection and coframe field, or soldering form, into a single physical field. The Cartan perspective allows us to view physical spacetime as tangentially approximated by an arbitrary homogeneous "model spacetime", including not only the flat Minkowski model, as is implicitly used in standard general relativity, but also de Sitter, anti de Sitter, or other models. A "Cartan connection" gives a prescription for parallel transport from one "tangent model spacetime" to another, along any path, giving a natural interpretation of the MacDowell-Mansouri connection as "rolling" the model spacetime along physical spacetime. I explain Cartan geometry, and "Cartan gauge theory", in which the gauge field is replaced by a Cartan connection. In particular, I discuss MacDowell-Mansouri gravity, as well as its more recent reformulation in terms of BF theory, in the context of Cartan geometry.Comment: 34 pages, 5 figures. v2: many clarifications, typos correcte