Quantization of generally covariant systems with extrinsic time

A generally covariant system can be deparametrized by means of an ``extrinsic'' time, provided that the metric has a conformal ``temporal'' Killing vector and the potential exhibits a suitable behavior with respect to it. The quantization of the system is performed by giving the well ordered constraint operators which satisfy the algebra. The searching of these operators is enlightned by the methods of the BRST formalism.Comment: 10 pages. Definite published versio

Kruskal coordinates as canonical variables for Schwarzschild black holes

We derive a transformation from the usual ADM metric-extrinsic curvature variables on the phase space of Schwarzschild black holes, to new canonical variables which have the interpretation of Kruskal coordinates. We explicitly show that this transformation is non-singular, even at the horizon. The constraints of the theory simplify in terms of the new canonical variables and are equivalent to the vanishing of the canonical momenta. Our work is based on earlier seminal work by Kuchar in which he reconstructed curvature coordinates and a mass function from spherically symmetric canonical data. The key feature in our construction of a nonsingular canonical transformation to Kruskal variables, is the scaling of the curvature coordinate variables by the mass function rather than by the mass at left spatial infinity.Comment: 18 pages, no figure

Internal Time Formalism for Spacetimes with Two Killing Vectors

The Hamiltonian structure of spacetimes with two commuting Killing vector fields is analyzed for the purpose of addressing the various problems of time that arise in canonical gravity. Two specific models are considered: (i) cylindrically symmetric spacetimes, and (ii) toroidally symmetric spacetimes, which respectively involve open and closed universe boundary conditions. For each model canonical variables which can be used to identify points of space and instants of time, {\it i.e.}, internally defined spacetime coordinates, are identified. To do this it is necessary to extend the usual ADM phase space by a finite number of degrees of freedom. Canonical transformations are exhibited that identify each of these models with harmonic maps in the parametrized field theory formalism. The identifications made between the gravitational models and harmonic map field theories are completely gauge invariant, that is, no coordinate conditions are needed. The degree to which the problems of time are resolved in these models is discussed.Comment: 36 pages, Te

Dust as a Standard of Space and Time in Canonical Quantum Gravity

The coupling of the metric to an incoherent dust introduces into spacetime a privileged dynamical reference frame and time foliation. The comoving coordinates of the dust particles and the proper time along the dust worldlines become canonical coordinates in the phase space of the system. The Hamiltonian constraint can be resolved with respect to the momentum that is canonically conjugate to the dust time. Imposition of the resolved constraint as an operator restriction on the quantum states yields a functional Schr\"{o}dinger equation. The ensuing Hamiltonian density has an extraordinary feature: it depends only on the geometric variables, not on the dust coordinates or time. This has three important consequences. First, the functional Schr\"{o}dinger equation can be solved by separating the dust time from the geometric variables. Second, the Hamiltonian densities strongly commute and therefore can be simultaneously defined by spectral analysis. Third, the standard constraint system of vacuum gravity is cast into a form in which it generates a true Lie algebra. The particles of dust introduce into space a privileged system of coordinates that allows the supermomentum constraint to be solved explicitly. The Schr\"{o}dinger equation yields a conserved inner product that can be written in terms of either the instantaneous state functionals or the solutions of constraints. Examples of gravitational observables are given, though neither the intrinsic metric nor the extrinsic curvature are observables. Disregarding factor--ordering difficulties, the introduction of dust provides a satisfactory phenomenological approach to the problem of time in canonical quantum gravity.Comment: 56 pages (REVTEX file + 3 postscipt figure files

Covariant perturbations of domain walls in curved spacetime

A manifestly covariant equation is derived to describe the perturbations in a domain wall on a given background spacetime. This generalizes recent work on domain walls in Minkowski space and introduces a framework for examining the stability of relativistic bubbles in curved spacetimes.Comment: 15 pages,ICN-UNAM-93-0

Dirac Quantization of Parametrized Field Theory

Parametrized field theory (PFT) is free field theory on flat spacetime in a diffeomorphism invariant disguise. It describes field evolution on arbitrary foliations of the flat spacetime instead of only the usual flat ones, by treating the `embedding variables' which describe the foliation as dynamical variables to be varied in the action in addition to the scalar field. A formal Dirac quantization turns the constraints of PFT into functional Schrodinger equations which describe evolution of quantum states from an arbitrary Cauchy slice to an infinitesimally nearby one.This formal Schrodinger picture- based quantization is unitarily equivalent to the standard Heisenberg picture based Fock quantization of the free scalar field if scalar field evolution along arbitrary foliations is unitarily implemented on the Fock space. Torre and Varadarajan (TV) showed that for generic foliations emanating from a flat initial slice in spacetimes of dimension greater than 2, evolution is not unitarily implemented, thus implying an obstruction to Dirac quantization. We construct a Dirac quantization of PFT,unitarily equivalent to the standard Fock quantization, using techniques from Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG) which are powerful enough to super-cede the no- go implications of the TV results. The key features of our quantization include an LQG type representation for the embedding variables, embedding dependent Fock spaces for the scalar field, an anomaly free representation of (a generalization of) the finite transformations generated by the constraints and group averaging techniques. The difference between 2 and higher dimensions is that in the latter, only finite gauge transformations are defined in the quantum theory, not the infinitesimal ones.Comment: 33 page

On Group Averaging for SO(n,1)

The technique known as group averaging provides powerful machinery for the study of constrained systems. However, it is likely to be well defined only in a limited set of cases. Here, we investigate the possibility of using a `renormalized' group averaging in certain models. The results of our study may indicate a general connection between superselection sectors and the rate of divergence of the group averaging integral.Comment: Minor corrections, 17 pages,RevTe

Loop constraints: A habitat and their algebra

This work introduces a new space \T'_* of `vertex-smooth' states for use in the loop approach to quantum gravity. Such states provide a natural domain for Euclidean Hamiltonian constraint operators of the type introduced by Thiemann (and using certain ideas of Rovelli and Smolin). In particular, such operators map \T'_* into itself, and so are actual operators in this space. Their commutator can be computed on \T'_* and compared with the classical hypersurface deformation algebra. Although the classical Poisson bracket of Hamiltonian constraints yields an inverse metric times an infinitesimal diffeomorphism generator, and despite the fact that the diffeomorphism generator has a well-defined non-trivial action on \T'_*, the commutator of quantum constraints vanishes identically for a large class of proposals.Comment: 30 pages RevTex, 2 figures include

Classical and quantum geometrodynamics of 2d vacuum dilatonic black holes

We perform a canonical analysis of the system of 2d vacuum dilatonic black holes. Our basic variables are closely tied to the spacetime geometry and we do not make the field redefinitions which have been made by other authors. We present a careful discssion of asymptotics in this canonical formalism. Canonical transformations are made to variables which (on shell) have a clear spacetime significance. We are able to deduce the location of the horizon on the spatial slice (on shell) from the vanishing of a combination of canonical data. The constraints dramatically simplify in terms of the new canonical variables and quantization is easy. The physical interpretation of the variable conjugate to the ADM mass is clarified. This work closely parallels that done by Kucha{\v r} for the vacuum Schwarzschild black holes and is a starting point for a similar analysis, now in progress, for the case of a massless scalar field conformally coupled to a 2d dilatonic black hole.Comment: 21 pages, latex fil

A Kucha\v{r} Hypertime Formalism For Cylindrically Symmetric Spacetimes With Interacting Scalar Fields

The Kucha\v{r} canonical transformation for vacuum geometrodynamics in the presence of cylindrical symmetry is applied to a general non-vacuum case. The resulting constraints are highly non-linear and non-local in the momenta conjugate to the Kucha\v{r} embedding variables. However, it is demonstrated that the constraints can be solved for these momenta and thus the dynamics of cylindrically symmetric models can be cast in a form suitable for the construction of a hypertime functional Schr\"odinger equation.Comment: 5 pages, LaTeX, UBCTP-93-02