Related papers: Does loop quantum gravity imply Lambda=0?
Background independence is often emphasized as an important property of a quantum theory of gravity that takes seriously the geometrical nature of general relativity. In a background-independent formulation, quantum gravity should determine…
S. Weinberg pointed out a way to introduce a cosmological term by modifying the theory of gravity. This modification would be justified if the Einstein equations with the cosmological term could be obtained in the classical limit of some…
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…
The bare bones of a theory of quantum gravity are exposed. It may have the potential to solve the cosmological constant problem. Less certain is its behavior in the Newtonian limit.
It is argued that (a) In the quantum realm test-particle masses have non-trivial observability which induces a non-geometric element in gravity, (b) Any theory of quantum gravity, on fundamental grounds, must contain an element of…
Loop Quantum Cosmology strongly modifies the high-energy dynamics of Friedman-Robertson-Walker models and removes the big-bang singularity. We investigate how LQC corrections affect the stability properties of the Einstein static universe.…
It is argued that quantum states of geometry, like those of particles, should be coherent on light cones of any size. An exact classical solution, the gravitational shock wave of a relativistic point particle, is used to estimate…
The cosmological constant $\Lambda$ is a free parameter in Einstein's equations of gravity. We propose to fix its value with a boundary condition: test particles should be free when outside causal contact, e.g. at infinity. Under this…
Coupling any interacting quantum mechanical system to gravity in one dimension requires the cosmological constant to belong to the matter energy spectrum and thus to be quantized, even though the gravity sector is free of any quantum…
Massive spin 2 theories in flat or cosmological ($\Lambda \ne 0$) backgrounds are subject to discontinuities as the masses tend to zero. We show and explain physically why their Newtonian limits do not inherit this behaviour. On the other…
We present a straightforward and self-contained introduction to the basics of the loop approach to quantum gravity, and a derivation of what is arguably its key result, namely the spectral analysis of the area operator. We also discuss the…
The cosmological constant problem is principally concerned with trying to understand how the zero-point energy of quantum fields contributes to gravity. Here we take the approach that by addressing a fundamental unresolved issue in quantum…
We reconsider the virial theorem in the presence of a positive cosmological constant Lambda. Assuming steady state, we derive an inequality of the form rho >= A (Lambda / 4 pi GN) for the mean density rho of the astrophysical object. With a…
It has been shown that anisotropy of homogeneous spacetime described by the general Kasner metric can be damped by quantum fluctuations coming from perturbative quantum gravity in one-loop approximation. Also, a formal argument, not limited…
Quantum gravity may remove classical space-time singularities and thus reveal what a universe at and before the big bang could be like. In loop quantum cosmology, an exactly solvable model is available which allows one to address precise…
The continuum and semiclassical limits of isotropic, spatially flat loop quantum cosmology are discussed, with an emphasis on the role played by the Barbero-Immirzi parameter \gamma in controlling space-time discreteness. In this way,…
Loop quantum gravity and cosmology are reviewed with an emphasis on evaluating the dynamics, rather than constructing it. The three crucial parts of such an analysis are (i) deriving effective equations, (ii) controlling the theory's…
This paper examines two cosmological models of quantum gravity (from string theory and loop quantum gravity) to investigate the foundational and conceptual issues arising from quantum treatments of the big bang. While the classical…
Under the hypothesis that the cosmological constant vanishes in the true ground state with lowest possible energy density, we argue that the observed small but finite vacuum-like energy density can be explained if we consider a theory with…
An one-parameter regularization freedom of the Hamiltonian constraint for loop quantum gravity is analyzed. The corresponding spatially flat, homogenous and isotropic model includes the two well-known models of loop quantum cosmology as…