The problem of time and gauge invariance in the quantization of cosmological models. I. Canonical quantization methods

The paper is the first of two parts of a work reviewing some approaches to the problem of time in quantum cosmology, which were put forward last decade, and which demonstrated their relation to the problems of reparametrization and gauge invariance of quantum gravity. In the present part we remind basic features of quantum geometrodynamics and minisuperspace cosmological models, and discuss fundamental problems of the Wheeler - DeWitt theory. Various attempts to find a solution to the problem of time are considered in the framework of the canonical approach. Possible solutions to the problem are investigated making use of minisuperspace models, that is, systems with a finite number of degrees of freedom. At the same time, in the last section of the paper we expand our consideration beyond the minisuperspace approximation and briefly review promising ideas by Brown and Kuchar, who propose that dust interacting only gravitationally can be used for time measuring, and the unitary approach by Barvinsky and collaborators. The latter approach admits both the canonical and path integral formulations and anticipates the consideration of recent developments in the path integral approach in the second part of our work.Comment: 16 pages, to be published in Grav. Cosmo

Comment on the choice of time in a two-component formulation of the Wheeler--DeWitt equation

The two-component formalism in quantum cosmology is revisited with a particular emphasis on the identification of time. Its relation with the appearance of imaginary eigenvalues is established. It is explicitly shown how a good choice of the global time prevents this peculiarity.Comment: 8 pages; version accepted for publication in Int. J. Mod. Phys.

Gauge fixation and global phase time for minisuperspaces

Homogeneous and isotropic cosmological models whose Hamilton-Jacobi equation is separable are deparametrized by turning their action functional into that of an ordinary gauge system. Canonical gauge conditions imposed on the gauge system are used to define a global phase time in terms of the canonical coordinates and momenta of the minisuperspaces. The procedure clearly shows how the geometry of the constraint surface restricts the choice of time; the consequences that this has on the path integral quantization are discussed

Renormalized Stress Tensor for trans-Planckian Cosmology

Finite expressions for the mean value of the stress tensor corresponding to a scalar field with a generalized dispersion relation in a Friedman--Robertson--Walker universe are obtained using adiabatic renormalization. Formally divergent integrals are evaluated by means of dimensional regularization. The renormalization procedure is shown to be equivalent to a redefinition of the cosmological constant and the Newton constant in the semiclassical Einstein equations.Comment: 14 pages. Minor changes; version published in Physical Review

Probing global aspects of a geometry by the self-force on a charge: Spherical thin-shell wormholes

The self-interaction for a static point charge in the space-time of a thin-shell wormhole constructed connecting two identical Schwarzschild geometries is calculated in a series expansion. The electrostatic self-force is evaluated numerically. It is found to be attractive towards the throat except for some values of the throat radius proximate to the value of the Schwarzschild horizon for which the force is repulsive or attractive depending on the position of the charge. The result differs from the self-force in the space-time of the Schwarzschild black hole, where it is always repulsive from the center. Although these wormhole and black hole geometries are locally indistinguishable, the different topologies of both backgrounds are manifested in the electrostatic field of a point charge.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figue

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