Related papers: Combinatorial space from loop quantum gravity

A class of diffeomorphism invariant, physical observables, so-called astrometric observables, is introduced. A particularly simple example, the time delay, which expresses the difference between two initially synchronized proper time clocks…

There is a precise sense in which the requirement of background independence suffices to uniquely select the kinematics of loop quantum gravity (LQG). Specifically, the fundamental kinematic algebra of LQG admits a unique diffeomorphism…

One of the main features of covariant theories, in particular general relativity, is that the field equation possesses gauge freedom associated with global diffeomorphisms of the underlying manifold. I shall explain here how the hole…

In the 1960's, Mandelstam proposed a new approach to gauge theories and gravity based on loops. The program for gauge theories was completed for Yang--Mills theories by Gambini and Trias in the 1980's. Gauge theories could be understood as…

Canonical quantization of gravitational systems is obstructed by the problem of time. Due to diffeomorphism symmetry the Hamiltonian vanishes: dynamics with respect to a background time parameter appears "frozen." Two strategies towards the…

We quantise the Euclidean torus universe via a combinatorial quantisation formalism based on its formulation as a Chern-Simons gauge theory and on the representation theory of the Drinfel'd double DSU(2). The resulting quantum algebra of…

We define a modification of LQG in which graphs are required to consist in piecewise linear edges, which we call piecewise linear LQG (plLQG). At the diffeomorphism invariant level, we prove that plLQG is equivalent to standard LQG, as long…

The canonical description is based on the prior choice of a spacelike foliation, hence making a reference to a spacetime metric. However, the metric is expected to be a dynamical, fluctuating quantity in quantum gravity. After presenting…

The configuration space of general relativity is superspace - the space of all Riemannian 3-metrics modulo diffeomorphisms. However, it has been argued that the configuration space for gravity should be conformal superspace - the space of…

In Loop Quantum Gravity, tremendous progress has been made using the Ashtekar-Barbero variables. These variables, defined in a gauge-fixing of the theory, correspond to a parametrization of the solutions of the so-called simplicity…

The existing approaches to quantization of gravity aim at giving quantum description of 3-geometry following to the ideas of the Wheeler -- DeWitt geometrodynamics. In this description the role of gauge gravitational degrees of freedom is…

This work reveals a fundamental link between general covariance and Birkhoff's theorem. We extend Birkhoff's theorem from general relativity to a broad class of generally covariant gravity theories formulated in the Hamiltonian framework.…

A key aspect of a recent proposal for a {\em generalized loop representation} of quantum Yang-Mills theory and gravity is considered. Such a representation of the quantum theory has been expected to arise via consideration of a particular…

The covariant canonical transformation theory applied to the relativistic Hamiltonian theory of classical matter fields in dynamical space-time yields a novel (first order) gauge field theory of gravitation. The emerging field equations…

The nature of the classical canonical phase-space variables for gravity suggests that the associated quantum field operators should obey affine commutation relations rather than canonical commutation relations. Prior to the introduction of…

In quantum gravity, one looks for alternative structures to spacetime physics than ordinary real manifolds. Here, we propose an alternative universal construction containing the latter as an equilibrium state under the action of the…

Classically general covariance is found from the idea that a vector is a physical quantity which exists independently of choice of coordinate system and is unchanged by a change of coordinate system. It is often assumed that there exists…

We construct an explicit representation of the algebra of local diffeomorphisms of a manifold with realistic dimensions. This is achieved in the setting of a general approach to the (quantum) dynamics of a physical system which is…

We present an implementation of the loop representation of quantum gravity on a square lattice. Instead of starting from a classical lattice theory, quantizing and introducing loops, we proceed backwards, setting up constraints in the…

We study spacetime diffeomorphisms in Hamiltonian and Lagrangian formalisms of generally covariant systems. We show that the gauge group for such a system is characterized by having generators which are projectable under the Legendre map.…