Related papers: Discrete quantum gravity: applications to cosmolog…
The occurrence of singularities where spacetime curvature becomes infinite and geodesic evolution breaks down are inevitable events in classical general relativity (GR) unless one chooses an exotic matter violating weak energy condition.…
In this thesis the cosmological constant is investigated from two points of view. First, we study the influence of a time-dependent cosmological constant on the late-time expansion of the universe. Thereby, we consider several combinations…
We review a recent proposal for the construction of a quantum theory of the gravitational field. The proposal is based on approximating the continuum theory by a discrete theory that has several attractive properties, among them, the fact…
Linearized Einstein gravity (with possibly nonzero cosmological constant) is quantized in the framework of algebraic quantum field theory by analogy with Dimock's treatment of electromagnetism [Rev. Math. Phys. 4 (1992) 223--233]. To…
We discuss recent results on the cosmology of extended theories of gravity formulated in the Palatini approach, i.e., assuming that metric and connection are independent fields. In particular, we focus on the attempts to explain the cosmic…
The physical origin of spacetime discreteness remains a central open problem in quantum gravity, with most existing approaches relying on specific microscopic structures or model-dependent assumptions. In this letter, spacetime discreteness…
We discuss the way non-perturbative quantization of cosmological spacetimes in loop quantum cosmology provides insights on the physics of Planck scale and the resolution of big bang singularity. In recent years, rigorous examination of…
Contrary to what is often stated, a fundamental spacetime discreteness need not contradict Lorentz invariance. A causal set's discreteness is in fact locally Lorentz invariant, and we recall the reasons why. For illustration, we introduce a…
This paper continues the development of a discrete space-time concept that is recently used in the explanation of the cosmological constant. Instead of order estimation, a more theoretical treatment of the theory is introduced. Based on the…
A new approach to the cosmological constant problem is proposed by modifying Einstein's theory of general relativity, using instead a scalar-tensor theory of gravitation. This theory of gravity crucially incorporates the concept of quantum…
A powerful strategy to treat quantum field theories beyond perturbation theory is by putting them on a lattice. However, the dynamical and symmetry structure of general relativity have for a long time stood in the way of a well-defined…
We apply the ``consistent discretization'' technique to the Regge action for (Euclidean and Lorentzian) general relativity in arbitrary number of dimensions. The result is a well defined canonical theory that is free of constraints and…
Quantum theory, general relativity, the standard model of particle physics, and the $\Lambda$CDM model of cosmology have all been spectacularly successful within their respective regimes of applicability, but many central problems remain…
The development of dark energy models has stimulated interest to cosmological singularities, which differ from the traditional Big Bang and Big Crunch singularities. We review a broad class of phenomena connected with soft cosmological…
The degree of freedom of the scalar field in scalar-tensor gravity is employed as "time" to deparametrize the Hamiltonian constraint of the theory. The deparametrized system is then nonperturbatively quantized by the approach of loop…
The resolution of the problem of cosmological singularity in the framework of gauge theories of gravitation is discussed. Generalized cosmological Friedmann equations for homogeneous isotropic models filled by interacting scalar fields and…
Quantum effects are expected to modify the cosmological dynamics of the early universe while maintaining some (potentially discrete) notion of space-time structure. In one approach, loop quantum cosmology, current models are shown here to…
A cosmology inspired structure for phase space is introduced, which leads to finitization and lattice-like discretization of position and momentum eigenvalues in a preferred, cosmic frame. Lorentz invariance is broken at very high energies,…
A crucial step in the history of General Relativity was Einstein's adoption of the principle of general covariance which demands a coordinate independent formulation for our spacetime theories. General covariance helps us to disentangle a…
I review the lattice approach to quantum gravity, and how it relates to the non-trivial ultraviolet fixed point scenario of the continuum theory. After a brief introduction covering the general problem of ultraviolet divergences in gravity…