English

How Emergent is Gravity?

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology 2015-12-09 v1 High Energy Physics - Theory

Abstract

General theory of relativity (or Lovelock extensions) is a dynamical theory; given an initial configuration on a space-like hypersurface, it makes a definite prediction of the final configuration. Recent developments suggest that gravity may be described in terms of macroscopic parameters. It finds a concrete manifestation in the fluid-gravity correspondence. Most of the efforts till date has been to relate equilibrium configurations in gravity with fluid variables. In order for the emergent paradigm to be truly successful, it has to provide a statistical mechanical derivation of how a given initial static configuration evolves into another. In this essay, we show that the energy transport equation governed by the fluctuations of the horizon-fluid is similar to Raychaudhuri equation and, hence gravity is truly emergent.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1505.04145,
  title  = {How Emergent is Gravity?},
  author = {Swastik Bhattacharya and S. Shankaranarayanan},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1505.04145},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

This Essay Received Honorable mention in the Gravity Research Essay Competition-2015; 8 Pages

R2 v1 2026-06-22T09:35:09.168Z