Noncommutative gravity at second order via Seiberg-Witten map

We develop a general strategy to express noncommutative actions in terms of commutative ones by using a recently developed geometric generalization of the Seiberg-Witten map (SW map) between noncommutative and commutative fields. We apply this general scheme to the noncommutative vierbein gravity action and provide a SW differential equation for the action itself as well as a recursive solution at all orders in the noncommutativity parameter \theta. We thus express the action at order \theta^n+2 in terms of noncommutative fields of order at most \theta^n+1 and, iterating the procedure, in terms of noncommutative fields of order at most \theta^n. This in particular provides the explicit expression of the action at order \theta^2 in terms of the usual commutative spin connection and vierbein fields. The result is an extended gravity action on commutative spacetime that is manifestly invariant under local Lorentz rotations and general coordinate transformations.Comment: 14 page

Noncommutative supergravity in D=3 and D=4

We present a noncommutative D=3, N=1 supergravity, invariant under diffeomorphisms, local U(1,1) noncommutative \star-gauge transformations and local \star-supersymmetry. Its commutative limit is the usual D=3 pure supergravity, without extra fields. A noncommutative deformation of D=4, N=1 supergravity is also obtained, reducing to the usual simple supergravity in the commutative limit. Its action is invariant under diffeomorphisms and local GL(2,C) \star-gauge symmetry. The supersymmetry of the commutative action is broken by noncommutativity. Local \star-supersymmetry invariance can be implemented in a noncommutative D=4, N=1 supergravity with chiral gravitino and complex vierbein.Comment: 22 pages, LaTeX. We discuss in more depth the noncommutative deformation of D=4 simple supergravity, and how noncommutativity breaks the supersymmetry of the commutative actio

Cosmological and Black Hole Spacetimes in Twisted Noncommutative Gravity

We derive noncommutative Einstein equations for abelian twists and their solutions in consistently symmetry reduced sectors, corresponding to twisted FRW cosmology and Schwarzschild black holes. While some of these solutions must be rejected as models for physical spacetimes because they contradict observations, we find also solutions that can be made compatible with low energy phenomenology, while exhibiting strong noncommutativity at very short distances and early times.Comment: LaTeX 12 pages, JHEP.st

Noncommutative gravity coupled to fermions: second order expansion via Seiberg-Witten map

We use the Seiberg-Witten map (SW map) to expand noncommutative gravity coupled to fermions in terms of ordinary commuting fields. The action is invariant under general coordinate transformations and local Lorentz rotations, and has the same degrees of freedom as the commutative gravity action. The expansion is given up to second order in the noncommutativity parameter {\theta}. A geometric reformulation and generalization of the SW map is presented that applies to any abelian twist. Compatibility of the map with hermiticity and charge conjugation conditions is proven. The action is shown to be real and invariant under charge conjugation at all orders in {\theta}. This implies the bosonic part of the action to be even in {\theta}, while the fermionic part is even in {\theta} for Majorana fermions.Comment: 27 pages, LaTeX. Revised version with proof of charge conjugation symmetry of the NC action and its parity under theta --> - theta (see new sect. 2.6, sect. 6 and app. B). References added. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:0902.381

Noncommutative Symmetries and Gravity

Spacetime geometry is twisted (deformed) into noncommutative spacetime geometry, where functions and tensors are now star-multiplied. Consistently, spacetime diffeomorhisms are twisted into noncommutative diffeomorphisms. Their deformed Lie algebra structure and that of infinitesimal Poincare' transformations is defined and explicitly constructed. This allows to construct a noncommutative theory of gravity.Comment: 26 pages. Lectures given at the workshop `Noncommutative Geometry in Field and String Theories', Corfu Summer Institute on EPP, September 2005, Corfu, Greece. Version 2: Marie Curie European Reintegration Grant MERG-CT-2004-006374 acknowledge

Fermions on spontaneously generated spherical extra dimensions

We include fermions to the model proposed in hep-th/0606021, and obtain a renormalizable 4-dimensional SU(N) gauge theory which spontaneously generates fuzzy extra dimensions and behaves like Yang-Mills theory on M^4 \times S^2. We find a truncated tower of fermionic Kaluza-Klein states transforming under the low-energy gauge group, which is found to be either SU(n), or SU(n_1) x SU(n_2) x U(1). The latter case implies a nontrivial U(1) flux on S^2, leading to would-be zero modes for the bifundamental fermions. In the non-chiral case they may pair up to acquire a mass, and the emerging picture is that of mirror fermions. We discuss the possible implementation of a chirality constraint in 6 dimensions, which is nontrivial at the quantum level due to the fuzzy nature of the extra dimensions.Comment: 34 pages. V2: references added, minor corrections V3: discussion added, final versio

5d/4d U-dualities and N=8 black holes

We use the connection between the U-duality groups in d=5 and d=4 to derive properties of the N=8 black hole potential and its critical points (attractors). This approach allows to study and compare the supersymmetry features of different solutions.Comment: 23 pages, LaTeX; some notations cleared up; final version on Phys. Rev.

Inhomogeneous quantum groups IGL_{q,r}(N): Universal enveloping algebra and differential calculus

A review of the multiparametric linear quantum group GL_qr(N), its real forms, its dual algebra U(gl_qr(N)) and its bicovariant differential calculus is given in the first part of the paper. We then construct the (multiparametric) linear inhomogeneous quantum group IGL_qr(N) as a projection from GL_qr(N+1), or equivalently, as a quotient of GL_qr(N+1) with respect to a suitable Hopf algebra ideal. A bicovariant differential calculus on IGL_qr(N) is explicitly obtained as a projection from the one on GL_qr(N+1). Our procedure unifies in a single structure the quantum plane coordinates and the q-group matrix elements T^a_b, and allows to deduce without effort the differential calculus on the q-plane IGL_qr(N) / GL_qr(N). The general theory is illustrated on the example of IGL_qr(2).Comment: 38 page

The Problem of Differential Calculus on Quantum Groups

The bicovariant differential calculi on quantum groups of Woronowicz have the drawback that their dimensions do not agree with that of the corresponding classical calculus. In this paper we discuss the first-order differential calculus which arises from a simple quantum Lie algebra. This calculus has the correct dimension and is shown to be bicovariant and complete. But it does not satisfy the Leibniz rule. For sl_n this approach leads to a differential calculus which satisfies a simple generalization of the Leibniz rule.Comment: Contribution to the proceedings of the Colloquium on Quantum Groups and Integrable Systems Prague, June 1996. amslatex, 9 pages. For related information see http://www.mth.kcl.ac.uk/~delius/q-lie.htm

QFT on homothetic Killing twist deformed curved spacetimes

We study the quantum field theory (QFT) of a free, real, massless and curvature coupled scalar field on self-similar symmetric spacetimes, which are deformed by an abelian Drinfel'd twist constructed from a Killing and a homothetic Killing vector field. In contrast to deformations solely by Killing vector fields, such as the Moyal-Weyl Minkowski spacetime, the equation of motion and Green's operators are deformed. We show that there is a *-algebra isomorphism between the QFT on the deformed and the formal power series extension of the QFT on the undeformed spacetime. We study the convergent implementation of our deformations for toy-models. For these models it is found that there is a *-isomorphism between the deformed Weyl algebra and a reduced undeformed Weyl algebra, where certain strongly localized observables are excluded. Thus, our models realize the intuitive physical picture that noncommutative geometry prevents arbitrary localization in spacetime.Comment: 23 pages, no figures; v2: extended discussion of physical consequences, compatible with version to be published in General Relativity and Gravitatio