Dynamical Regge Calculus as Lattice Quantum Gravity

We propose a hybrid model of simplicial quantum gravity by performing at once dynamical triangulations and Regge calculus. A motive for the hybridization is to give a dynamical description of topology-changing processes of Euclidean spacetime. In addition, lattice diffeomorphisms as invariance of the simplicial geometry are generated by certain elementary moves in the model. We attempt also a lattice-theoretic derivation of the black hole entropy using the symmetry. Furthermore, numerical simulations of 3D pure gravity are carried out,exhibiting a large hysteresis between two phases. We also measure geometric properties of Euclidean `time slice' based on a geodesic distance, resulting in a fractal structure in the strong-coupling phase. Our hybrid model not only reproduces numerical results consistent with those of dynamical triangulations and Regge calculus, but also opens a possibility of studying quantum black hole physics on the lattice.