Spacetime: Arena or Reality?

For small values of the mass (in relation to the angular momentum and electric charge), the Kerr-Newman (KN) solution of Einstein equation reduces to a naked singularity of circular shape. By considering the Hawking and Ellis extended interpretation of the KN spacetime, as well as Wheeler's idea of "charge without charge", the non-trivial topological structure of the extended KN spatial section is found to represent gravitational states with half-integral angular momentum. As a consequence, it can be consistently interpreted as a model for the electron-positron system, in which the concepts of mass, charge and spin emerge from the spacetime geometry. According to this model, therefore, instead of a simple arena, spacetime must have a concrete existence, being responsible -- through its highly non-trivial topological structures -- for the building blocks of (at least some of) the existing matter in the universe.Comment: Chapter in the book "Relativity and the Dimensionality of the World", Springer series "Fundamental Theories of Physics", Vol. 153 (2007). Volume Editor: Vesselin Petko

Kerr-Newman solution as a Dirac particle

For m^2 < a^2 + q^2, with m, a, and q respectively the source mass, angular momentum per unit mass, and electric charge, the Kerr--Newman (KN) solution of Einstein's equation reduces to a naked singularity of circular shape, enclosing a disk across which the metric components fail to be smooth. By considering the Hawking and Ellis extended interpretation of the KN spacetime, it is shown first that, similarly to the electron-positron system, this solution presents four inequivalent classical states. Next, it is shown that due to the topological structure of the extended KN spacetime it does admit states with half-integral angular momentum. This last property is corroborated by the fact that, under a rotation of the space coordinates, those inequivalent states transform into themselves only after a 4pi rotation. As a consequence, it becomes possible to naturally represent them in a Lorentz spinor basis. The state vector representing the whole KN solution is then constructed, and its evolution is shown to be governed by the Dirac equation. The KN solution can thus be consistently interpreted as a model for the electron-positron system, in which the concepts of mass, charge and spin become connected with the spacetime geometry. Some phenomenological consequences of the model are explored.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figures. References added, section 2 enhanced, an appendix and one figure adde

Gravity and the Quantum: Are they Reconcilable?

General relativity and quantum mechanics are conflicting theories. The seeds of discord are the fundamental principles on which these theories are grounded. General relativity, on one hand, is based on the equivalence principle, whose strong version establishes the local equivalence between gravitation and inertia. Quantum mechanics, on the other hand, is fundamentally based on the uncertainty principle, which is essentially nonlocal in the sense that a particle does not follow one trajectory, but infinitely many trajectories, each one with a different probability. This difference precludes the existence of a quantum version of the strong equivalence principle, and consequently of a quantum version of general relativity. Furthermore, there are compelling experimental evidences that a quantum object in the presence of a gravitational field violates the weak equivalence principle. Now it so happens that, in addition to general relativity, gravitation has an alternative, though equivalent description, given by teleparallel gravity, a gauge theory for the translation group. In this theory torsion, instead of curvature, is assumed to represent the gravitational field. These two descriptions lead to the same classical results, but are conceptually different. In general relativity, curvature geometrizes the interaction, while torsion in teleparallel gravity acts as a force, similar to the Lorentz force of electrodynamics. Because of this peculiar property, teleparallel gravity describes the gravitational interaction without requiring any of the equivalence principles. The replacement of general relativity by teleparallel gravity may, in consequence, lead to a conceptual reconciliation of gravitation with quantum mechanics.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures. Talk presented at the conference "Quantum Theory: Reconsideration of Foundations-3", June 6-11, 2005, Vaxjo University, Vaxjo, Swede

Gravitation without the equivalence principle

In the general relativistic description of gravitation, geometry replaces the concept of force. This is possible because of the universal character of free fall, and would break down in its absence. On the other hand, the teleparallel version of general relativity is a gauge theory for the translation group and, as such, describes the gravitational interaction by a force similar to the Lorentz force of electromagnetism, a non-universal interaction. Relying on this analogy it is shown that, although the geometric description of general relativity necessarily requires the existence of the equivalence principle, the teleparallel gauge approach remains a consistent theory for gravitation in its absence.Comment: Latex, 11 pages, no figures. Minor presentation changes. Version to appear in Gen. Rel. Grav. (2004

Doing without the Equivalence Principle

In Einstein's general relativity, geometry replaces the concept of force in the description of the gravitation interaction. Such an approach rests on the universality of free-fall--the weak equivalence principle--and would break down without it. On the other hand, the teleparallel version of general relativity, a gauge theory for the translation group, describes the gravitational interaction by a force similar to the Lorentz force of electromagnetism, a non-universal interaction. It is shown that, similarly to the Maxwell's description of electromagnetism, the teleparallel gauge approach provides a consistent theory for gravitation even in the absence of the weak equivalence principle.Comment: 7 pages, no figures. Talk presented at the "Tenth Marcel Grossmann Meeting", July 20 to 26, 2003, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; to be published in the Proceedings (World Scientific, Singapore, 2005

Quantized fields and gravitational particle creation in f(R) expanding universes

The problem of cosmological particle creation for a spatially flat, homogeneous and isotropic Universes is discussed in the context of f(R) theories of gravity. Different from cosmological models based on general relativity theory, it is found that a conformal invariant metric does not forbid the creation of massless particles during the early stages (radiation era) of the Universe.Comment: 14 pages, 2 figure