Related papers: Geometry and W-Gravity
We formulate scalar field theories coupled non-conformally to gravity in a manifestly frame-independent fashion. Physical quantities such as the $S$ matrix should be invariant under field redefinitions, and hence can be represented by the…
We examine rectangular W-algebras with $so(M)$ or $sp(2M)$ symmetry, which can be realized as the asymptotic symmetry of higher spin gravities with restricted matrix extensions. We compute the central charges of the algebras and the levels…
In this paper it is stressed that there is no {\em physical} reason for symmetries to be linear and that Lie group theory is therefore too restrictive. We illustrate this with some simple examples. Then we give a readable review on the…
From a study of the subleading structure of the asymptotic equations of motion in Einstein-Yang-Mills theory, we construct charges that are conserved up to quadratic order in non-radiative vacuum. We then show that these higher spin charges…
We review the construction of particle physics models in the framework of non-commutative geometry. We first give simple examples, and then progress to outline the Connes-Lott construction of the standard Weinberg-Salam model and our…
Quantum General Relativity (QGR), sometimes called Loop Quantum Gravity, has matured over the past fifteen years to a mathematically rigorous candidate quantum field theory of the gravitational field. The features that distinguish it from…
We conjecture that $W$ gravity can be interpreted as the gauge theory of $\phi$ diffeomorphisms in the space of dimensionally-reduced $D=2+2$ $SU^*(\infty)$ Yang-Mills instantons. These $\phi$ diffeomorphisms preserve a volume-three form…
Each approach to the quantum-gravity problem originates from expertise in one or another area of theoretical physics. The particle-physics perspective encourages one to attempt to reproduce in quantum gravity as much as possible of the…
The group of automorphisms of the geometry of an integrable system is considered. The geometrical structure used to obtain it is provided by a normal form representation of integrable systems that do not depend on any additional geometrical…
We propose a theory of quantum gravity which formulates the quantum theory as a nonperturbative path integral, where each spacetime history appears with a weight given by the exponentiated Einstein-Hilbert action of the corresponding causal…
We reconsider differential geometry from the point of view of the quantum theory of non-relativistic spinning particles, which provides examples of supersymmetric quantum mechanics. This enables us to encode geometrical structure in…
In this chapter we take up the quantum Riemannian geometry of a spatial slice of spacetime. While researchers are still facing the challenge of observing quantum gravity, there is a geometrical core to loop quantum gravity that does much to…
Quantum Gravity admits topological excitations of microscopic scale which can manifest themselves as particles --- topological geons. Non-trivial spatial topology also brings into the theory free parameters analogous to the $\theta$-angle…
We give a review of the extended conformal algebras, known as $W$ algebras, which contain currents of spins higher than 2 in addition to the energy-momentum tensor. These include the non-linear $W_N$ algebras; the linear $W_\infty$ and…
In this paper we continue our investigation of the global categorical symmetries that arise when gauging finite higher groups and their higher subgroups with discrete torsion. The motivation is to provide a common perspective on the…
A spinfoam model of 3D gravity non-minimally coupled with a scalar field is studied. By discretization of the scalar field, the model is worked out precisely in a purely combinational way. It is shown that the quantum physics of the scalar…
We provide a comprehensive overview of metric-affine geometries with spherical symmetry, which may be used in order to solve the field equations for generic gravity theories which employ these geometries as their field variables. We discuss…
We develop a new perspective on the discretization of the phase space structure of gravity in 2+1 dimensions as a piecewise-flat geometry in 2 spatial dimensions. Starting from a subdivision of the continuum geometric and phase space…
A geometric formulation which describes extended supergravities in any dimension in presence of electric and magnetic sources is presented. In this framework the underlying duality symmetries of the theories are manifest. Particular…
We investigate a possible unified theory of all interactions which is based only on fundamental spinor fields. The vielbein and metric arise as composite objects. The effective quantum gravitational theory can lead to a modification of…