4-dimensional Spin-foam Model with Quantum Lorentz Group

We study the quantum group deformation of the Lorentzian EPRL spin-foam model. The construction uses the harmonic analysis on the quantum Lorentz group. We show that the quantum group spin-foam model so defined is free of the infra-red divergence, thus gives a finite partition function on a fixed triangulation. We expect this quantum group spin-foam model is a spin-foam quantization of discrete gravity with a cosmological constant.Comment: 23 pages, 3 figures, references adde

Canonical Path-Integral Measures for Holst and Plebanski Gravity. II. Gauge Invariance and Physical Inner Product

This article serves as a continuation for the discussion in arXiv:0911.3433, we analyze the invariance properties of the gravity path-integral measure derived from canonical framework, and discuss which path-integral formula may be employed in the concrete computation e.g. constructing a spin-foam model, so that the final model can be interpreted as a physical inner product in the canonical theory.Comment: 34 page

Black Hole Entropy in Loop Quantum Gravity, Analytic Continuation, and Dual Holography

A new approach to black hole thermodynamics is proposed in Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG), by defining a new black hole partition function, followed by analytic continuations of Barbero-Immirzi parameter to $\gamma\in i\mathbb{R}$ and Chern-Simons level to $k\in i\mathbb{R}$. The analytic continued partition function has remarkable features: The black hole entropy $S=A/4\ell_P^2$ is reproduced correctly for infinitely many $\gamma= i\eta$, at least for $\eta\in\mathbb{Z}\setminus\{0\}$. The near-horizon Unruh temperature emerges as the pole of partition function. Interestingly, by analytic continuation the partition function can have a dual statistical interpretation corresponding to a dual quantum theory of $\gamma\in i\mathbb{Z}$. The dual quantum theory implies a semiclassical area spectrum for $\gamma\in i\mathbb{Z}$. It also implies that at a given near horizon (quantum) geometry, the number of quantum states inside horizon is bounded by a holographic degeneracy $d= e^{A/4\ell_P}$, which produces the Bekenstein bound from LQG. On the other hand, the result in arXiv:1212.4060 receives a justification here.Comment: 5 pages, no figure

4d Quantum Geometry from 3d Supersymmetric Gauge Theory and Holomorphic Block

A class of 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric gauge theories are constructed and shown to encode the simplicial geometries in 4-dimensions. The gauge theories are defined by applying the Dimofte-Gaiotto-Gukov construction in 3d/3d correspondence to certain graph complement 3-manifolds. Given a gauge theory in this class, the massive supersymmetric vacua of the theory contain the classical geometries on a 4d simplicial complex. The corresponding 4d simplicial geometries are locally constant curvature (either dS or AdS), in the sense that they are made by gluing geometrical 4-simplices of the same constant curvature. When the simplicial complex is sufficiently refined, the simplicial geometries can approximate all possible smooth geometries on 4-manifold. At the quantum level, we propose that a class of holomorphic blocks defined in arXiv:1211.1986 from the 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ gauge theories are wave functions of quantum 4d simplicial geometries. In the semiclassical limit, the asymptotic behavior of holomorphic block reproduces the classical action of 4d Einstein-Hilbert gravity in the simplicial context.Comment: 35+13 pages, 9 figures, presentation improved, reference adde

Covariant Loop Quantum Gravity, Low Energy Perturbation Theory, and Einstein Gravity with High Curvature UV Corrections

A low-energy perturbation theory is developed from the nonperturbative framework of covariant Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG) by employing the background field method. The resulting perturbation theory is a 2-parameter expansion in the semiclassical and low-energy regime. The two expansion parameters are the large spin and small curvature. The leading order effective action coincides with the Einstein-Hilbert action. The subleading corrections organized by the two expansion parameters give the modifications of Einstein gravity in quantum and high-energy regime from LQG. The perturbation theory developed here shows for the first time that covariant LQG produces the high curvature corrections to Einstein gravity. This result means that LQG is not a naive quantization of Einstein gravity, but rather provides the UV modification. The result of the paper may be viewed as the first step toward understanding the UV completeness of LQG.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, presentation improved, references adde

Semiclassical Analysis of Spinfoam Model with a Small Barbero-Immirzi Parameter

We study the semiclassical behavior of Lorentzian Engle-Pereira-Rovelli-Livine (EPRL) spinfoam model, by taking into account of the sum over spins in the large spin regime. The large spin parameter \lambda and small Barbero-Immirzi parameter \gamma are treated as two independent parameters for the asymptotic expansion of spinfoam state-sum (such an idea was firstly pointed out in arXiv:1105.0216). Interestingly, there are two different spin regimes: 1\gamma^{-2}. The model in two spin regimes has dramatically different number of effective degrees of freedom. In 1<<\gamma^{-1}<<\lambda<<\gamma^{-2}, the model produces in the leading order a functional integration of Regge action, which gives the discrete Einstein equation for the leading contribution. There is no restriction of Lorentzian deficit angle in this regime. In the other regime \lambda>\gamma^{-2}, only small deficit angle is allowed |\Theta_f|<<\gamma^{-1}\lambda^{1/2}$ mod 4\pi Z. When spins go even larger, only zero deficit angle mod 4\pi Z is allowed asymptotically. In the transition of the two regimes, only the configurations with small deficit angle can contribute, which means one need a large triangulation in order to have oscillatory behavior of the spinfoam amplitude.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figure

Discrete Gravity on Random Tensor Network and Holographic R\'enyi Entropy

In this paper we apply the discrete gravity and Regge calculus to tensor networks and Anti-de Sitter/conformal field theory (AdS/CFT) correspondence. We construct the boundary many-body quantum state $|\Psi\rangle$ using random tensor networks as the holographic mapping, applied to the Wheeler-deWitt wave function of bulk Euclidean discrete gravity in 3 dimensions. The entanglement R\'enyi entropy of $|\Psi\rangle$ is shown to holographically relate to the on-shell action of Einstein gravity on a branch cover bulk manifold. The resulting R\'enyi entropy $S_n$ of $|\Psi\rangle$ approximates with high precision the R\'enyi entropy of ground state in 2-dimensional conformal field theory (CFT). In particular it reproduces the correct $n$ dependence. Our results develop the framework of realizing the AdS$_3$/CFT$_2$ correspondence on random tensor networks, and provide a new proposal to approximate CFT ground state.Comment: 8+2 pages, 10 figures, presentation improved, references adde

Generalized Spinfoams

We reconsider the spinfoam dynamics that has been recently introduced, in the generalized Kaminski-Kisielowski-Lewandowski (KKL) version where the foam is not dual to a triangulation. We study the Euclidean as well as the Lorentzian case. We show that this theory can still be obtained as a constrained BF theory satisfying the simplicity constraint, now discretized on a general oriented 2-cell complex. This constraint implies that boundary states admit a (quantum) geometrical interpretation in terms of polyhedra, generalizing the tetrahedral geometry of the simplicial case. We also point out that the general solution to this constraint (imposed weakly) depends on a quantum number r_f in addition to those of loop quantum gravity. We compute the vertex amplitude and recover the KKL amplitude in the Euclidean theory when r_f=0. We comment on the eventual physical relevance of r_f, and the formal way to eliminate it.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figure