Related papers: An elementary introduction to loop quantum gravity
The loop representation plays an important role in canonical quantum gravity because loop variables allow a natural treatment of the constraints. In these lectures we give an elementary introduction to (i) the relevant history of loops in…
It is generally assumed that the search for a consistent and testable theory of quantum gravity is among the most important open problems of fundamental physics. I review the motivations for this search, the main problems on the way, and…
General relativity promotes space-time to a physical, dynamical object subject to equations of motion. Quantum gravity, accordingly, must provide a quantum framework for space-time, applicable on the smallest distance scales. Just like…
The basic concepts of neutrino physics are presented at a level appropriate for integration into elementary courses on quantum mechanics and/or modern physics.
Quantum field theory has formed the conceptual framework of most of physics for more than sixty years. It incorporates a complete revision of our conception of the nature of matter and existence itself. Yet it is rarely taught, or even…
Conceptual consequences of recent results in loop quantum gravity are collected and discussed here in view of their implications for a modern philosophy of science which is mainly understood as one that totalizes scientific insight so as to…
We present a generalization of the first-order formalism used to describe the dynamics of a classical system. The generalization is then applied to the first-order action that describes General Relativity. As a result we obtain equations…
After short historical overview we describe the difficulties with application of standard QFT methods in quantum gravity (QG). The incompatibility of QG with the use of classical continuous space-time required conceptually new approach. We…
We introduce the key ideas behind the group field theory approach to quantum gravity, and the basic elements of its formalism. We also briefly report on some recent results obtained in this approach, concerning both the mathematical…
Informal collection of lecture notes introducing quantum mechanics in phase space and basic Gaussian quantum mechanics.
This lecture reviews aspects of and prospects for progress towards a theory of quantum gravity from a particle physics perspective, also paying attention to recent findings of the LHC experiments at CERN.
This is a graduate course on elementary quantum mechanics written for the benefit of undergraduate and graduate students. It is the English version of physics/0003106, which I did at the suggestion of several students from different…
The goal of this report is to provide an up to date account of results on the quantum nature of the big bang, obtained in loop quantum cosmology. They suggest a radical modification of the paradigm provided by general relativity for the…
In these lectures we present a few topics in Quantum Field Theory in detail. Some of them are conceptual and some more practical. They have been selected because they appear frequently in current applications to Particle Physics and String…
This is an introduction to loop quantum cosmology (LQC) reviewing mini- and midisuperspace models as well as homogeneous and inhomogeneous effective dynamics.
A major unsolved problem in theoretical physics is to reconcile the classical theory of general relativity with quantum mechanics. These lectures will deal with an attempt to describe quantum gravity as a path integral over geometries known…
A "quantum-first" approach to gravity is described, where rather than quantizing general relativity, one seeks to formulate the physics of gravity within a quantum-mechanical framework with suitably general postulates. Important guides are…
These are notes from a 15 week course aimed at graduate mathematicians. They provide an essentially self-contained introduction to some of the ideas and terminology of QFT.
This is a review of some of the concepts and results of the effective field theory treatment of quantum general relativity. Included are lessons of low energy quantum gravity, and a discussion of the limits of effective field theory…
..."but we do not have quantum gravity." This phrase is often used when analysis of a physical problem enters the regime in which quantum gravity effects should be taken into account. In fact, there are several models of the gravitational…