Modifications in the Spectrum of Primordial Gravitational Waves Induced by Instantonic Fluctuations

Vacuum to vacuum instantonic transitions modify the power spectrum of primordial gravitational waves. We evaluate the new form of the power spectrum for ordinary gravity as well as the parity violation induced in the spectrum by a modification of General Relativity known as Holst term and we outline the possible experimental consequences.Comment: V1: 8 pages. V2: 8 pages, some points clarified, typos corrected, some references added, final result unchanged. V3: 8 pages, title changed, presentation improved, discussion of phenomenological consequences added, comments very welcome. V4: Discussion further improved, comments very very welcom

Dualism between Physical Frames and Time in Quantum Gravity

In this work we present a discussion of the existing links between the procedures of endowing the quantum gravity with a real time and of including in the theory a physical reference frame. More precisely, as first step, we develop the canonical quantum dynamics, starting from the Einstein equations in presence of a dust fluid and arrive to a Schroedinger evolution. Then, by fixing the lapse function in the path integral of gravity, we get a Schroedinger quantum dynamics, of which eigenvalues problem provides the appearance of a dust fluid in the classical limit. The main issue of our analysis is to claim that a theory, in which the time displacement invariance, on a quantum level, is broken, is indistinguishable from a theory for which this symmetry holds, but a real reference fluid is included.Comment: 9 pages, submitted to Mod. Phys. Lett. A, major replacements in section 3 and

From the Einstein-Cartan to the Ashtekar-Barbero canonical constraints, passing through the Nieh-Yan functional

The Ashtekar-Barbero constraints for General Relativity with fermions are derived from the Einstein-Cartan canonical theory rescaling the state functional of the gravity-spinor coupled system by the exponential of the Nieh-Yan functional. A one parameter quantization ambiguity naturally appears and can be associated with the Immirzi parameter.Comment: Minor changes, two references added, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Dark Matter Prediction from Canonical Quantum Gravity with Frame Fixing

We show how, in canonical quantum cosmology, the frame fixing induces a new energy density contribution having features compatible with the (actual) cold dark matter component of the Universe. First we quantize the closed Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) model in a sinchronous reference and determine the spectrum of the super-Hamiltonian in the presence of ultra-relativistic matter and a perfect gas contribution. Then we include in this model small inhomogeneous (spherical) perturbations in the spirit of the Lemaitre-Tolman cosmology. The main issue of our analysis consists in outlining that, in the classical limit, the non-zero eigenvalue of the super-Hamiltonian can make account for the present value of the dark matter critical parameter. Furthermore we obtain a direct correlation between the inhomogeneities in our dark matter candidate and those one appearing in the ultra-relativistic matter.Comment: 5 pages, to appear on Modern Physics Letters

The Immirzi Parameter as an Instanton Angle

The Barbero-Immirzi parameter is a one parameter quantization ambiguity underpinning the loop approach to quantum gravity that bears tantalizing similarities to the theta parameter of gauge theories such as Yang-Mills and QCD. Despite the apparent semblance, the Barbero-Immirzi field has resisted a direct topological interpretation along the same lines as the theta-parameter. Here we offer such an interpretation. Our approach begins from the perspective of Einstein-Cartan gravity as the symmetry broken phase of a de Sitter gauge theory. From this angle, just as in ordinary gauge theories, a theta-term emerges from the requirement that the vacuum is stable against quantum mechanical tunneling. The Immirzi parameter is then identified as a combination of Newton's constant, the cosmological constant, and the theta-parameter.Comment: 24 page

Peccei--Quinn mechanism in gravity and the nature of the Barbero--Immirzi parameter

A general argument provides the motivation to consider the Barbero--Immirzi parameter as a field. The specific form of the geometrical effective action allows to relate the value of the Barbero--Immirzi parameter to other quantum ambiguities through the analog of the Peccei--Quinn mechanism.Comment: Accepted for publication on Phys. Rev. Let

SU(2) gauge theory of gravity with topological invariants

The most general gravity Lagrangian in four dimensions contains three topological densities, namely Nieh-Yan, Pontryagin and Euler, in addition to the Hilbert-Palatini term. We set up a Hamiltonian formulation based on this Lagrangian. The resulting canonical theory depends on three parameters which are coefficients of these terms and is shown to admit a real SU(2) gauge theoretic interpretation with a set of seven first-class constraints. Thus, in addition to the Newton's constant, the theory of gravity contains three (topological) coupling constants, which might have non-trivial imports in the quantum theory.Comment: Based on a talk at Loops-11, Madrid, Spain; To appear in Journal of Physics: Conference Serie

A solution of the strong CP problem via the Peccei-Quinn mechanism through the Nieh-Yan modified gravity and cosmological implications

By identifying the recently introduced Barbero-Immirzi field with the QCD axion, the strong CP problem can be solved through the Peccei-Quinn mechanism. A specific energy scale for the Peccei-Quinn symmetry breaking is naturally predicted by this model. This provides a complete dynamical setting to evaluate the contribution of such an axion to the cold dark matter content of the Universe. Furthermore, a tight upper bound on the tensor-to-scalar ratio production of primordial gravitational waves can be fixed, representing a strong experimental test for this model

Barbero-Immirzi field in canonical formalism of pure gravity

The Barbero-Immirzi (BI) parameter is promoted to a field and a canonical analysis is performed when it is coupled with a Nieh-Yan topological invariant. It is shown that, in the effective theory, the BI field is a canonical pseudoscalar minimally coupled with gravity. This framework is argued to be more natural than the one of the usual Holst action. Potential consequences in relation with inflation and the quantum theory are briefly discussed.Comment: 10 page

Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors activate burst firing in rat midbrain dopaminergic neurons

We have investigated the changes in the spontaneous firing pattern induced by DHPG ((S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine) and NMDA (N-methyl-d-aspartic acid) on rat dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) using sharp microelectrode recordings in in vitro conditions. Twenty-five out of 33 cells modified the regular single-pacemaker activity in burst firing when exposed to the Group I metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) agonist DHPG (30 muM) and d-tubocurarine (500 muM) (d-TC), whereas they all fired in bursts during NMDA (20 muM) plus d-TC application. The blockade of SK-channels by d-TC and apamin was essential for the production of both types of bursts. Although the two drugs induced a similar number of action potentials per burst, the DHPG-induced bursts had a lower frequency, a longer duration and a longer plateau period without spikes. In addition, the DHPG-induced bursting had a longer wash-out, could be reduced or blocked by the mGluR I selective, non-competitive antagonist CPCCOEt (7-cyclopropan[b]chromen-1a-carboxylic acid ethyl ester) (100 muM) while it was not affected by the mGluR 5 selective antagonist MPEP (2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)-pyridine (10 muM). These results suggest that both the activation of glutamate metabotropic type I and NMDA ionotropic receptors induce burst firing in the dopaminergic cells of the ventral midbrain when the activity of the SK-channels is reduced. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved