Quantum geometry and quantum dynamics

at the Planck scale

Martin Bojowald
The Pennsylvania State University
Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos
University Park, PA
Loop Quantum Cosmology p.1
Space-time in canonical quantum gravity
Canonical formulations provide insights in underlying
symmetries, corresponding to general covariance for gravity.
Quantization implies correction terms which can change the
underlying symmetries or even provide new quantum degrees of
freedom.
In loop quantum gravity, corrections arise from quantum
geometry (spatial structure) as well as quantum dynamics.
Main recent developments (model systems or perturbations):

Consistent deformations of classical gravity.

Effective description to derive interacting quantum states

and quantum corrections in equations of motion.
Loop Quantum Cosmology p.2
Canonical gravity
Innite dimensional phase space of elds q
ab
(spatial metric) and
p
ab
(momenta, related to extrinsic curvature).
Other components N and N
a
of the space-time metric
ds
2
= g

dx

dx

= N
2
dt
2
+q
ab
(dx
a
+N
a
dt)(dx
b
+N
b
dt)
are not dynamical since

N and

N
a
do not occur in the action.
Thus, momenta p
N
= S/

N and p
N
a
vanish identically, and so
must p
N
and p
N
a
. Implies constraints
C =

det q
16G
(3)
R
16G

det q
(p
ab
p
ab

1
2
(p
a
a
)
2
) = 0 , C
a
= 2D
b
p
b
a
= 0
Diffeomorphism constraint D[N
a
] =
_
d
3
xN
a
C
a
generates
spatial diffeomorphisms, Hamiltonian constraint C completes
space-time transformations.
Loop Quantum Cosmology p.3
Constrained dynamics
Dynamics of general relativity in canonical formulation
determined by constraints: H[N, N
a
] =
_
d
3
x(NC +N
a
C
a
) = 0
for all multiplier functions N, N
a
.
Generates equations of motion

f = {f, H[N, N
a
]} for any phase
space function f(q, p), dot refers to time gauge as given by lapse
N and shift N
a
.
Consistency requirement:

H[M, M
a
] = {H[M, M
a
], H[N, N
a
]} = 0 must vanish for all N
and N
a
for elds satisfying the constraints
rst class constraint algebra, to be realized also after
including quantum corrections. Quite restrictive.
Loop Quantum Cosmology p.4
Constraint algebra
Specic constraint algebra for gravity: hypersurface
deformations
{H[N
1
], H[N
2
]} = D
_
q
ab
(N
1

b
N
2
N
2

b
N
1
)
_
N
N
N
N
N
2
2
1
1
a
Basic information about space-time manifold. Not very sensitive
to dynamics, e.g. higher curvature actions.
Loop Quantum Cosmology p.5
Quantum corrections
After quantization, constraints will change and show quantum
space-time structure without direct reference to manifold or
coordinates.
Three types of corrections, in general equally important:
Entire states evolve which spread and deform. Quantum
uctuations, correlations and higher moments are independent
variables back-reacting on expectation values.
In loop quantum gravity, holonomies
h
e
(A) = P exp(
_
e
A
i
a

i
dt) as non-local, non-linear functions
imply higher order corrections.
In loop quantum gravity, uxes quantizing metric have
discrete spectra containing zero. Inverse metric components
receive corrections for discrete (lattice-like) states with small
elementary areas.
Loop Quantum Cosmology p.6
Quantum Friedmann equation
[PRL 100 (2008) 221301]
_
a
a
_
2
=
8G
3
_

_
1

Q

crit
_

1
2
_
1

Q

crit
( P) +
( P)
2
( +P)
2

2
_
where P is pressure and parameterizes quantum correlations,

Q
:= +
0

crit
+ ( P)

k=0

k+1
( P)
k
/( +P)
k
with uctuation parameters
k
;
crit
= 3/8G
2
with scale .
Simple behavior if = P (free, massless scalar): bounSingh.
[P. Singh, PRD 73 (2006) 063508] Also if = 0 when
Q
=
crit
.
But: so far no consistent inhomogeneous formulation with
holonomy corrections.
Loop Quantum Cosmology p.7
Inverse metric corrections
[with G. Hossain, M. Kagan, S. Shankaranarayanan: PRD 78 (2008) 063547]
Corrected Hamiltonian, perturbative around FRW:
H
Q
grav
:=
1
16G
_
d
3
x
_

N
_
H
(0)
+
(2)
H
(0)
+ H
Q(2)
_
+N H
Q(1)
_
with H
(0)
= 6H
2
a and
H
Q(1)
= 4(1 +f)Ha
c
j
K
j
c
(1 +g)
H
2
a

j
c
E
c
j
+
2
a

j
E
c
j
H
Q(2)
= aK
j
c
K
k
d

c
k

d
j
a(K
j
c

c
j
)
2

2H
a
E
c
j
K
j
c

H
2
2a
3
E
c
j
E
d
k

k
c

j
d
+
H
2
4a
3
(E
c
j

j
c
)
2
(1 +h)

jk
2a
3
(
c
E
c
j
)(
d
E
d
k
)
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
0 0.5 1 1.5 2
(r)

r=1/2
r=3/4
r=1
r=3/2
r=2
Loop Quantum Cosmology p.8
Anomaly cancellation
First class algebra to second order if 2f +g = 0 and
h f +
a


a
= 0
f g 2a
f
a

a


a
= 0
f +g a
g
a
+
a


a
= 0
1
6

a
E
c
j
a
3
+

(2)
(E
a
i
)
(
a
j

c
i

c
j

a
i
) = 0
as well as a condition for matter correction functions in terms of

2
(if matter is present).
All coefcients xed in terms of , which can be derived in
models.
Loop Quantum Cosmology p.9
Quantum constraint algebra
Anomaly-free constraints including quantum corrections exist:
consistent deformation. Underlying discreteness (inverse metric
corrections) does not destroy general covariance.
Constraint algebra of hypersurface deformations quantum
corrected (contains inverse metric):
{H
Q
[N
1
], H
Q
[N
2
]} = D
_

2

Na
1/2

a
(N
2
N
1
)
_
N
N
N
N
N
2
2
1
1
a
Loop Quantum Cosmology p.10
Quantum constraint algebra
Anomaly-free constraints including quantum corrections exist:
consistent deformation. Underlying discreteness (inverse metric
corrections) does not destroy general covariance.
Constraint algebra of hypersurface deformations quantum
corrected (contains inverse metric):
{H
Q
[N
1
], H
Q
[N
2
]} = D
_

2

Na
1/2

a
(N
2
N
1
)
_
Provides consistent cosmological perturbation equations:
Hamiltonian constraint, diffeomorphism constraint and evolution
equations.
Quantum corrections to constraints also change gauge invariant
variables. Consistent perturbation equations can be formulated
in terms of only gauge invariant quantities.
Loop Quantum Cosmology p.10
Corrected perturbation equations

c
_

+H(1 +f)
_
= G

GI
(
2
) 3H(1 +f)
_

+H(1 +f)
_
= 4G


(1 +f
3
)
_

GI

2
(1 +f
1
) + a
2
V
,
( )
GI
_

+H
_
2

_
1
a
2
d
da
_
+

(1 +f)
_
+
_
2

H+H
2
_
1 +
a
2
df
da

a
2
d
da
__
(1 +f)
= 4G


_

GI
a
2
V
,
( )
GI
_
Now being used for cosmological applications (power spectrum),
e.g. non-conservation of power on large scales.
Loop Quantum Cosmology p.11
Number of atoms
Corrections depend on discrete building blocks. Spatial
geometry subdivided dynamically. (Avoids macroscopic lattice.)
Elementary size
0
(coordinate length), total volume V
0
. Number
of atoms of geometry: N = V
0
/
3
0
, density N/V
0
=
3
0
.
Basic holonomies exp(i
0
a/N) and uxes =
2
0
a
2
/
2
P
if
geometry nearly isotropic.
V
0
0
l
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
0 0.5 1 1.5 2
(r)

r=1/2
r=3/4
r=1
r=3/2
r=2
Loop Quantum Cosmology p.12
Number of atoms
Corrections depend on discrete building blocks. Spatial
geometry subdivided dynamically. (Avoids macroscopic lattice.)
Elementary size
0
(coordinate length), total volume V
0
. Number
of atoms of geometry: N = V
0
/
3
0
, density N/V
0
=
3
0
.
Basic holonomies exp(i
0
a/N) and uxes =
2
0
a
2
/
2
P
if
geometry nearly isotropic.
Holonomy corrections when curvature a/N k

= (N/V
0
)
1/3
.
Inverse metric corrections large when a a

= (N/V
0
)
1/3

P
.
(For a a

, physical vertex density N/a

3
V
0
= (a

/a)
3
/
3
P
near
one per Planck volume.)
Classical range: a/N k

, a a

, determined by vertex
density N/V
0
of quantum geometry state.
Loop Quantum Cosmology p.12
Renement and phenomenology
N depends on a if discrete structure rened during expansion.
Gives rise to different models.
If power law: N a
6x
with 1/2 < x < 0 generically according
to dynamics of loop quantum gravity.
x = 0: No renement, just enlarge lattice during expansion;
late-time/ination problems. [W. Nelson, M. Sakellariadou]
x = 1/2: Maximum renement, no further excitations of spatial
atoms.
Loop Quantum Cosmology p.13
Renement and phenomenology
N depends on a if discrete structure rened during expansion.
Gives rise to different models.
If power law: N a
6x
with 1/2 < x < 0 generically according
to dynamics of loop quantum gravity.
x = 0: No renement, just enlarge lattice during expansion;
late-time/ination problems. [W. Nelson, M. Sakellariadou]
x = 1/2: Maximum renement, no further excitations of spatial
atoms.
Surprisingly strong consequences! Use phenomenology to see
how quantum gravity dynamically renes its discrete space.
Recent examples: Upper bound N/a
3
V
0
< 3/
3
P
from big bang
nucleosynthesis. [with R. Das, R. Scherrer]
Characteristic blue-tilt for tensor modes, enhanced if x > 1/2.
For x = 1/2: small correction of size 8G
2
P
. [A. Barrau, J. Grain]
Loop Quantum Cosmology p.13
Conclusions
Different types of quantum corrections arise in loop quantum
gravity: quantum geometry (inverse metric/holonomy
corrections) and quantum dynamics (back-reaction).
Anomaly problem can be addressed at effective level:
Consistent deformations exist which incorporate quantum
effects from inverse metric (discrete ux spectra) in classical
equations. Interface to cosmological applications.
Discrete structure of space-time does not break covariance. But
classical constraint algebra deformed: different realization of
covariance (deformed space-time diffeomorphism group?).
Observational input conceivable, can shed light on underlying
quantum states.
Loop Quantum Cosmology p.14