Related papers: Topology change with Morse functions: progress on …
In a previous effort [arXiv:1708.05492] we have created a framework that explains why topological structures naturally arise within a scientific theory; namely, they capture the requirements of experimental verification. This is…
We point out that spacetime singularities play a useful role in gravitational theories by eliminating unphysical solutions. In particular, we argue that any modification of general relativity which is completely nonsingular cannot have a…
A deformation of special relativistic kinematics (possible signal of a theory of quantum gravity at low energies) leads to a modification of the notion of spacetime. At the classical level, this modification is required when one considers a…
Many gauge theory models on fuzzy complex projective spaces will contain a strong instability in the quantum field theory leading to topology change. This can be thought of as due to the interaction between spacetime via its…
A theory governing the metric and matter fields in spacetime is {\it locally causal} if the probability distribution for the fields in any region is determined solely by physical data in the region's past, i.e. it is independent of events…
In its canonical formulation, general relativity is subject to gauge transformations that are equivalent to space-time coordinate changes of general covariance only when the gauge generators, given by the Hamiltonian and diffeomorphism…
The causal relation $K^+$ was introduced by Sorkin and Woolgar to extend the standard causal analysis of $C^2$ spacetimes to those that are only $C^0$. Most of their results also hold true in the case of spacetimes with degeneracies. In…
We develop a discrete Morse theory for open simplicial complexes $K=X\setminus T$ where $X$ is a simplicial complex and $T$ a subcomplex of $X$. A discrete Morse function $f$ on $K$ gives rise to a discrete Morse function on the order…
We develop Morse theory for manifolds with boundary. Besides standard and expected facts like the handle cancellation theorem and the Morse lemma for manifolds with boundary, we prove that, under a topological assumption, a critical point…
We consider theories that modify gravity at cosmological distances, and show that any such theory must exhibit a strong coupling phenomenon, or else it is either inconsistent or is already ruled out by the solar system observations. We show…
A set of diverse but mutually consistent results obtained in different settings has spawned a new view of loop quantum gravity and its physical implications, based on the interplay of operator calculations and effective theory: Quantum…
It is widely believed that classical gravity breaks down and quantum gravity is needed to deal with a singularity. We show that there is a class of spacetime curvature singularities which can be resolved with metric and matter field…
The "trousers" spacetime is a pair of flat 2D cylinders ("legs") merging into into a single one ("trunk"). In spite of its simplicity this spacetime has a few features (including, in particular, a naked singularity in the "crotch") each of…
In this paper we introduce a new general framework for the study of phenomenological quantum gravity theories (PQG). The key idea is the introduction of two different types of spacetime, an observer-independent spacetime (modeled by a…
We consider changes of the topological charge of vortices in quantum mechanics by investigating analytical examples where the creation or annihilation of vortices occurs. In classical hydrodynamics of non-viscous fluids the Helmholtz-Kelvin…
Causal fermion systems are introduced as a general mathematical framework for formulating relativistic quantum theory. By specializing, we recover earlier notions like fermion systems in discrete space-time, the fermionic projector and…
In a paper presented a few years ago, De Lorenci et al. showed, in the context of canonical quantum cosmology, a model which allowed space topology changes (Phys. Rev. D 56, 3329 (1997)). The purpose of this present work is to go a step…
We consider three dimensional gravity with a positive cosmological constant and non- zero gravitational Chern-Simons term. This theory has inflating de Sitter solutions and local metric degrees of freedom. The Euclidean signature partition…
This paper examines the issue of the existence and nature of time-like geodesics in asymptotically flat spacetimes and proposes a novel generalized topological criterion for the existence of time-like geodesics. Its validity is proved using…
Topology forms a cornerstone in modern condensed matter and statistical physics, offering a new framework to classify the phases and phase transitions beyond the traditional Landau paradigm. However, it is widely believed that topological…