A New Spin on Quantum Gravity
High Energy Physics - Theory
2009-09-17 v3 Astrophysics
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
Abstract
We suggest that the (small but nonvanishing) cosmological constant, and the holographic properties of gravitational entropy, may both reflect unconventional quantum spin-statistics at a fundamental level. This conjecture is motivated by the nonlocality of quantum gravity and the fact that spin is an inherent property of spacetime. As an illustration we consider the `quon' model which interpolates between fermi and bose statistics, and show that this can naturally lead to an arbitrarily small cosmological constant. In addition to laboratory tests, we briefly discuss the possible observable imprint on cosmological fluctuations from inflation.
Cite
@article{arxiv.hep-th/0703133,
title = {A New Spin on Quantum Gravity},
author = {Mark G. Jackson and Craig J. Hogan},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-th/0703133},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
6 pages; Honorable Mention in the 2007 Gravity Research Foundation Essay Competition