Noncommutative Riemannian Geometry of the Alternating Group A_4

We study the noncommutative Riemannian geometry of the alternating group A_4=(Z_2 \times Z_2)\cross Z_3 using a recent formulation for finite groups. We find a unique `Levi-Civita' connection for the invariant metric, and find that it has Ricci-flat but nonzero Riemann curvature. We show that it is the unique Ricci-flat connection on $A_4$ with the standard framing (we solve the vacuum Einstein's equation). We also propose a natural Dirac operator for the associated spin connection and solve the Dirac equation. Some of our results hold for any finite group equipped with a cyclic conjugacy class of 4 elements. In this case the exterior algebra $\Omega(A_4)$ has dimensions $1:4:8:11:12:12:11:8:4:1$ with top-form 9-dimensional. We also find the noncommutative cohomology $H^1(A_4)=C$.Comment: 28 pages Latex no figure

Differential Geometry of Group Lattices

In a series of publications we developed "differential geometry" on discrete sets based on concepts of noncommutative geometry. In particular, it turned out that first order differential calculi (over the algebra of functions) on a discrete set are in bijective correspondence with digraph structures where the vertices are given by the elements of the set. A particular class of digraphs are Cayley graphs, also known as group lattices. They are determined by a discrete group G and a finite subset S. There is a distinguished subclass of "bicovariant" Cayley graphs with the property that ad(S)S is contained in S. We explore the properties of differential calculi which arise from Cayley graphs via the above correspondence. The first order calculi extend to higher orders and then allow to introduce further differential geometric structures. Furthermore, we explore the properties of "discrete" vector fields which describe deterministic flows on group lattices. A Lie derivative with respect to a discrete vector field and an inner product with forms is defined. The Lie-Cartan identity then holds on all forms for a certain subclass of discrete vector fields. We develop elements of gauge theory and construct an analogue of the lattice gauge theory (Yang-Mills) action on an arbitrary group lattice. Also linear connections are considered and a simple geometric interpretation of the torsion is established. By taking a quotient with respect to some subgroup of the discrete group, generalized differential calculi associated with so-called Schreier diagrams are obtained.Comment: 51 pages, 11 figure

Towards Spinfoam Cosmology

We compute the transition amplitude between coherent quantum-states of geometry peaked on homogeneous isotropic metrics. We use the holomorphic representations of loop quantum gravity and the Kaminski-Kisielowski-Lewandowski generalization of the new vertex, and work at first order in the vertex expansion, second order in the graph (multipole) expansion, and first order in 1/volume. We show that the resulting amplitude is in the kernel of a differential operator whose classical limit is the canonical hamiltonian of a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmology. This result is an indication that the dynamics of loop quantum gravity defined by the new vertex yields the Friedmann equation in the appropriate limit.Comment: 8 page