Fundamentals of Quantum Gravity

The outline of a recent approach to quantum gravity is presented. Novel ingredients include: (1) Affine kinematical variables; (2) Affine coherent states; (3) Projection operator approach toward quantum constraints; (4) Continuous-time regularized functional integral representation without/with constraints; and (5) Hard core picture of nonrenormalizability. The ``diagonal representation'' for operator representations, introduced by Sudarshan into quantum optics, arises naturally within this program.Comment: 15 pages, conference proceeding

The Affine Quantum Gravity Program

The central principle of affine quantum gravity is securing and maintaining the strict positivity of the matrix \{\hg_{ab}(x)\} composed of the spatial components of the local metric operator. On spectral grounds, canonical commutation relations are incompatible with this principle, and they must be replaced by noncanonical, affine commutation relations. Due to the partial second-class nature of the quantum gravitational constraints, it is advantageous to use the recently developed projection operator method, which treats all quantum constraints on an equal footing. Using this method, enforcement of regularized versions of the gravitational operator constraints is formulated quite naturally by means of a novel and relatively well-defined functional integral involving only the same set of variables that appears in the usual classical formulation. It is anticipated that skills and insight to study this formulation can be developed by studying special, reduced-variable models that still retain some basic characteristics of gravity, specifically a partial second-class constraint operator structure. Although perturbatively nonrenormalizable, gravity may possibly be understood nonperturbatively from a hard-core perspective that has proved valuable for specialized models. Finally, developing a procedure to pass to the genuine physical Hilbert space involves several interconnected steps that require careful coordination.Comment: 16 pages, LaTeX, no figure

On the role of coherent states in quantum foundations

Coherent states, and the Hilbert space representations they generate, provide ideal tools to discuss classical/quantum relationships. In this paper we analyze three separate classical/quantum problems using coherent states, and show that useful connections arise among them. The topics discussed are: (1) a truly natural formulation of phase space path integrals; (2) how this analysis implies that the usual classical formalism is ``simply a subset'' of the quantum formalism, and thus demonstrates a universal coexistence of both the classical and quantum formalisms; and (3) how these two insights lead to a complete analytic solution of a formerly insoluble family of nonlinear quantum field theory models.Comment: ICQOQI'2010, Kiev, Ukraine, May-June 2010, Conference Proceedings (9 pages

The Utility of Coherent States and other Mathematical Methods in the Foundations of Affine Quantum Gravity

Affine quantum gravity involves (i) affine commutation relations to ensure metric positivity, (ii) a regularized projection operator procedure to accomodate first- and second-class quantum constraints, and (iii) a hard-core interpretation of nonlinear interactions to understand and potentially overcome nonrenormalizability. In this program, some of the less traditional mathematical methods employed are (i) coherent state representations, (ii) reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces, and (iii) functional integral representations involving a continuous-time regularization. Of special importance is the profoundly different integration measure used for the Lagrange multiplier (shift and lapse) functions. These various concepts are first introduced on elementary systems to help motivate their application to affine quantum gravity.Comment: 15 pages, Presented at the X-International Conference on Symmetry Methods in Physic

Divergence-free Nonrenormalizable Models

A natural procedure is introduced to replace the traditional, perturbatively generated counter terms to yield a formulation of covariant, self-interacting, nonrenormalizable scalar quantum field theories that has the added virtue of exhibiting a divergence-free perturbation analysis. To achieve this desirable goal it is necessary to reexamine the meaning of the free theory about which such a perturbation takes place.Comment: 22 pages. Version accepted for publication; involves modest addition to the end of Sec.

Enhanced quantization on the circle

We apply the quantization scheme introduced in [arXiv:1204.2870] to a particle on a circle. We find that the quantum action functional restricted to appropriate coherent states can be expressed as the classical action plus $\hbar$-corrections. This result extends the examples presented in the cited paper.Comment: 7 page

Ultralocal Fields and their Relevance for Reparametrization Invariant Quantum Field Theory

Reparametrization invariant theories have a vanishing Hamiltonian and enforce their dynamics through a constraint. We specifically choose the Dirac procedure of quantization before the introduction of constraints. Consequently, for field theories, and prior to the introduction of any constraints, it is argued that the original field operator representation should be ultralocal in order to remain totally unbiased toward those field correlations that will be imposed by the constraints. It is shown that relativistic free and interacting theories can be completely recovered starting from ultralocal representations followed by a careful enforcement of the appropriate constraints. In so doing all unnecessary features of the original ultralocal representation disappear. The present discussion is germane to a recent theory of affine quantum gravity in which ultralocal field representations have been invoked before the imposition of constraints.Comment: 17 pages, LaTeX, no figure

Linearized Quantum Gravity Using the Projection Operator Formalism

The theory of canonical linearized gravity is quantized using the Projection Operator formalism, in which no gauge or coordinate choices are made. The ADM Hamiltonian is used and the canonical variables and constraints are expanded around a flat background. As a result of the coordinate independence and linear truncation of the perturbation series, the constraint algebra surprisingly becomes partially second-class in both the classical and quantum pictures after all secondary constraints are considered. While new features emerge in the constraint structure, the end result is the same as previously reported: the (separable) physical Hilbert space still only depends on the transverse-traceless degrees of freedom.Comment: 30 pages, no figures, enlarged and corrected versio

Ladder operators and coherent states for continuous spectra

The notion of ladder operators is introduced for systems with continuous spectra. We identify two different kinds of annihilation operators allowing the definition of coherent states as modified "eigenvectors" of these operators. Axioms of Gazeau-Klauder are maintained throughout the construction.Comment: Typos correcte

Generalized Affine Coherent States: A Natural Framework for Quantization of Metric-like Variables

Affine variables, which have the virtue of preserving the positive-definite character of matrix-like objects, have been suggested as replacements for the canonical variables of standard quantization schemes, especially in the context of quantum gravity. We develop the kinematics of such variables, discussing suitable coherent states, their associated resolution of unity, polarizations, and finally the realization of the coherent-state overlap function in terms of suitable path-integral formulations.Comment: 17 pages, LaTeX, no figure