From the discrete to the continuous: towards a cylindrically consistent dynamics

Abstract

Discrete models usually represent approximations to continuum physics. Cylindrical consistency provides a framework in which discretizations exactly mirror the continuum limit. As a standard tool for the kinematics of loop quantum gravity, we propose a coarse-graining procedure that aims at constructing a cylindrically consistent dynamics in the form of transition amplitudes and Hamilton's principal functions. The coarse-graining procedure, which is motivated by tensor network renormalization methods, provides a systematic approximation scheme for this purpose. A crucial role in this coarse-graining scheme is played by the embedding maps that allow interpretation of discrete boundary data as continuum configurations. These embedding maps should be selected according to the dynamics of the system, as the choice of embedding maps will determine the truncation of the renormalization flow.