Breaking Of Lorentz Invariance Research Articles

Status of Hořava gravity: A personal perspective

Hořava gravity is a relatively recent (Jan 2009) idea in theoretical physics for trying to develop a quantum field theory of gravity. It is not a string theory, nor loop quantum gravity, but is instead a traditional quantum field theory that breaks Lorentz invariance at ultra-high (presumably trans-Planckian) energies, while retaining approximate Lorentz invariance at low and medium (sub-Planckian) energies. The challenge is to keep the Lorentz symmetry breaking controlled and small — small enough to be compatible with experiment. I will give a very general overview of what is going on in this field, paying particular attention to the disturbing role of the scalar graviton.

Cosmological solutions in F(R) Hofava-Lifshitz gravity

At the present work, it is studied the extension of F(R) gravities to the new recently proposed theory of gravity, the so-called Hořava-Lifshitz gravity, which provides a way to make the theory power counting renormalizable by breaking Lorentz invariance. It is showed that dark energy can be well explained in the frame of this extension, just in terms of gravity. It is also explored the possibility to unify inflation and late-time acceleration under the same mechanism, providing a natural explanation the accelerated expansion.

SIM(2) and supergraphs

We construct Feynman rules and Supergraphs in SIM(2) superspace. To test our methods we perform a one-loop calculation of the effective action of the SIM(2) supersymmetric Wess-Zumino model including a term which explicitly breaks Lorentz invariance. The renormalization of the model is also discussed.

Stability of cosmological solutions inF(R)Hořava-Lifshitz gravity

At the present paper, it is studied cosmological solutions and its stability in the frame of F(R) Horava-Lifshitz gravity. The perturbations around general spatially flat FRW solutions are analyzed and it is showed that the stability of those solutions will depend on the kind of theory, i.e. on the form of the action F(R), as well as on the parameters contained in any Horava-Lifshitz theory due to the breaking of Lorentz invariance. The (in)stability of a given cosmic solution can restrict the models and gives new observational predictions, and can give a natural explanation on the end of inflation and radiation/matter phases. An explicit example of F(R) is studied, and it is showed that the instability can produce the transition between the different epochs of the Universe history.

Finsler metrics and CPT

The role of Finsler-like metrics in situations where Lorentz symmetry breaking and also CPT violation are discussed. Various physical instances of such metrics both in quantum gravity and analogue systems are discussed. Both differences and similarities between the cases will be emphasised. In particular the medium of D-particles that arise in string theory will be examined. In this case the breaking of Lorentz invariance, at the level of quantum fluctuations, together with concomitant CPT in certain situations will be analysed. In particular it will be shown correlations for neutral meson pairs will be modified and a new contribution to baryogenesis will appear.

Search for Lorentz Invariance breaking with a likelihood fit of the PKS 2155-304 flare data taken on MJD 53944

Several models of Quantum Gravity predict Lorentz Symmetry breaking at energy scales approaching the Planck scale (∼10 19 GeV). With present photon data from the observations of distant astrophysical sources, it is possible to constrain the Lorentz Symmetry breaking linear term in the standard photon dispersion relations. Gamma Ray Bursts (GRB) and flaring Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) are complementary to each other for this purpose, since they are observed at different distances in different energy ranges and with different levels of variability. Following a previous publication of the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) collaboration [1], a more sensitive event-by-event method consisting of a likelihood fit is applied to PKS 2155-304 flare data of MJD 53944 (July 28, 2006) as used in the previous publication. The previous limit on the linear term is improved by a factor of ∼3 up to M QG l > 2.1 × 10 18 GeV and is currently the best result obtained with blazars. The sensitivity to the quadratic term is lower and provides a limit of M QG q > 6.4 × 10 10 GeV, which is the best value obtained so far with an AGN and similar to the best limits obtained with GRB.

String in Hořava-Lifshitz gravity

We generalize recent analysis of the dynamics of point particle in Horava-Lifshitz background to the case of string probe when we replace the Hamiltonian constraint of the Polyakov string with the constraint that breaks Lorentz invariance of target space-time. Then we find corresponding Lagrangian and argue that the world-sheet theory is invariant under foliation preserving diffeomorphism. Finally we discuss the Hamiltonian dynamics and show that this is well defined on condition that the world-sheet lapse function obeys the projectability condition.

Quantum correlations across the black hole horizon

Inspired by the condensed-matter analogues of black holes, we study the quantum correlations across the event horizon reflecting the entanglement between the outgoing particles of the Hawking radiation and their in-falling partners. For a perfectly covariant theory, the total correlation is conserved in time and piles up arbitrary close to the horizon in the past, where it merges into the singularity of the vacuum two-point function at the light cone. After modifying the dispersion relation (i.e., breaking Lorentz invariance) for large $k$, on the other hand, the light cone is smeared out and the entanglement is not conserved but actually created in a given rate per unit time.

A proposal for covariant renormalizable field theory of gravity

The class of covariant gravity theories which have nice ultraviolet behavior and seem to be (super)-renormalizable is proposed. The apparent breaking of Lorentz invariance occurs due to the coupling with the effective fluid which is induced by Lagrange multiplier constrained scalar field. Spatially-flat FRW cosmology for such covariant field gravity may have accelerating solutions. Renormalizable versions of more complicated modified gravity which depends on Riemann and Ricci tensor squared may be constructed in the same way.

Lorentz violation from the Higgs portal

We study bounds and signatures of models where the Higgs doublet has an inhomogeneous mass or vacuum expectation value, being coupled to a hidden sector that breaks Lorentz invariance. This physics is best described by a low-energy effective Lagrangian in which the Higgs speed-of-light is smaller than c; such effect is naturally small because it is suppressed by four powers of the inhomogeneity scale. The Lorentz violation in the Higgs sector is communicated at tree level to fermions (via Yukawa interactions) and to massive gauge bosons, although the most important effect comes from one-loop diagrams for photons and from two-loop diagrams for fermions. We calculate these effects by deriving the renormalization-group equations for the speed-of-light of the Standard Model particles. An interesting feature is that the strong coupling dynamically makes the speed-of-light equal for all colored particles.

Lorentz violation of quantum gravity

A quantum gravity theory which becomes renormalizable at short distances due to a spontaneous symmetry breaking of Lorentz invariance and diffeomorphism invariance is studied. A breaking of Lorentz invariance with the breaking patterns SO(3, 1) → O(3) and SO(3, 1) → O(2), describing 3 + 1 and 2 + 1 quantum gravity, respectively, is proposed. A complex time-dependent Schrödinger equation (generalized Wheeler–DeWitt equation) for the wavefunction of the universe exists in the spontaneously broken symmetry phase at Planck energy and in the early universe, uniting quantum mechanics and general relativity. An explanation of the second law of thermodynamics and the spontaneous creation of matter in the early universe can be obtained in the symmetry broken phase of gravity.

Gauge invariant nonlinear electrodynamics motivated by a spontaneous breaking of the Lorentz symmetry

We introduce a new version of non-linear electrodynamics which is produced by a spontaneous symmetry breaking of Lorentz invariance induced by the non-zero expectation value of the electromagnetic field strength. The symmetry breaking potential is argued to effectively arise from the integration of massive gauge bosons and fermions in an underlying fundamental theory. All possible choices of the vacuum lead only to the remaining invariant subgroups T(2) and HOM(2). We explore the plane wave solutions of the linearized sector of the model for an arbitrary vacuum. They present two types of dispersion relations. One corresponds to the case of the usual Maxwell electrodynamics with the standard polarization properties of the fields. The other dispersion relation involves anisotropies determined by the structure of the vacuum. The model is stable in the small Lorentz invariance violation approximation. We have embedded our model in the photon sector of the Standard Model Extension in order to set bounds for our parameters. The one-way anisotropic speed of light is calculated for a general vacuum and its isotropic component is strongly bounded by ${\tilde \delta c}/c < 2 \times 10^{-32}$. The anisotropic violation contribution is estimated by introducing an alternative definition for the difference of the two-way speed of light in perpendicular directions $\Delta c$, which is also strongly bounded by ${\Delta c}/c < 10^{-32}$. Finally, we speculate on the relation of the vacuum energy of the model with the cosmological constant and propose a connection between the vacuum fields and the intergalactic magnetic fields.

The axion shield

We investigate the propagation of a charged particle in a spatially constant, but time dependent, pseudoscalar background. Physically this pseudoscalar background could be provided by a relic axion density. The background leads to an explicit breaking of Lorentz invariance; as a consequence the process p→pγ is possible and the background acts as a shield against extremely energetic cosmic rays, an effect somewhat similar to the GZK cut-off effect. The effect is model independent and can be computed exactly. The hypothetical detection of the photons radiated via this mechanism would provide an indirect way of verifying the cosmological relevance of axions.

Remarks on holography with broken Lorentz invariance

Recently a family of solutions of Einstein equations in backgrounds with broken Lorentz invariance was found. We show that the gravitational solution recently obtained by Kachru et al. is a part of the former solution which was derived earlier in the framework of extra-dimensional theories. We show how the energy-momentum and Einstein tensors are related and establish a correspondence between parameters which govern Lorentz invariance violation. Then we demonstrate that scaling behavior of two point correlation functions of local operators in scalar field theory is reproduced correctly for two cases with critical values of scaling parameters. Therefore, we complete the dictionary of 'tree-level' duality for all known solutions of the bulk theory. In the end we speculate on relations between renormalization group flow of a boundary theory and asymptotic behavior of gravitational solutions in the bulk.

Cuscuton and low-energy limit of Hořava-Lifshitz gravity

Ho\ifmmode \check{r}\else \v{r}\fi{}ava-Lifshitz theory has been recently put forth as a proposal for a renormalizable theory of quantum gravity [1]. It explicitly breaks Lorentz invariance, introducing an apparent extra scalar degree of freedom. I show that the low energy limit of (non-projectible) Ho\ifmmode \check{r}\else \v{r}\fi{}ava-Lifshitz gravity is uniquely given by the quadratic cuscuton model: a covariant scalar field theory with an infinite speed of sound and a quadratic potential, minimally coupled to Einstein gravity. This implies that the extra scalar is nondynamical to all orders in perturbation theory. Cosmological constraints on the quadratic cuscuton model constrain the low energy Lorentz breaking parameter of Ho\ifmmode \check{r}\else \v{r}\fi{}ava-Lifshitz theory to $|\ensuremath{\lambda}\ensuremath{-}1|&lt;0.014$. We also point out that the spatial hypersurfaces are constant mean curvature or uniform expansion surfaces and introduce geometrical symmetries that can protect the nondynamical nature of these theories.

Spontaneous Lorentz violation, negative energy, and the second law of thermodynamics

We reconsider the possibility of violating the generalized second law of thermodynamics in theories with spontaneous Lorentz violation. It has been proposed that this may be accomplished in particular with a black hole immersed in a ghost condensate background, which may be taken to break Lorentz invariance without appreciably distorting the space-time geometry. In this paper we show that there in fact exist solutions explicitly describing the flow of negative energy into these black holes, allowing for violation of the second law in a very simple way. This second law violation is independent of any additional assumptions such as couplings of the ghost condensate to secondary fields, and suggests that violation of the null energy condition may be the true source of pathology in these theories.

Lorentz violation in Goldstone gravity

We consider a theory of gravity in which a symmetric two-index tensor in Minkowski spacetime acquires a vacuum expectation value (vev) via a potential, thereby breaking Lorentz invariance spontaneously. When the vev breaks all the generators of the Lorentz group, six Goldstone modes emerge, two linear combinations of which have properties that are identical to those of the graviton in general relativity. Integrating out massive modes yields an infinite number of Lorentz-violating radiative-correction terms in the low-energy effective Lagrangian. We examine a representative subset of these terms and show that they modify the dispersion relation of the two propagating graviton modes such that their phase velocity is direction dependent. If the phase velocity of the Goldstone gravitons is subluminal, cosmic rays can emit gravi-Cherenkov radiation, and the detection of high-energy cosmic rays can be used to constrain these radiative-correction terms. Test particles in the vicinity of the Goldstone gravitons undergo longitudinal oscillations in addition to the usual transverse oscillations as predicted by general relativity. Finally, we discuss the possibility of having vevs that do not break all six generators and examine in detail one such theory.

Lorentz symmetry breaking as a quantum field theory regulator

Perturbative expansions of quantum field theories typically lead to ultraviolet (short-distance) divergences requiring regularization and renormalization. Many different regularization techniques have been developed over the years, but most regularizations require severe mutilation of the logical foundations of the theory. In contrast, breaking Lorentz invariance, while it is certainly a radical step, at least does not damage the logical foundations of the theory. I shall explore the features of a Lorentz symmetry breaking regulator in a simple polynomial scalar field theory and discuss its implications. In particular, I shall quantify just ``how much'' Lorentz symmetry breaking is required to fully regulate the quantum theory and render it finite. This scalar field theory provides a simple way of understanding many of the key features of Ho\ifmmode \check{r}\else \v{r}\fi{}ava's recent article [Phys. Rev. D 79, 084008 (2009)] on $3+1$ dimensional quantum gravity.

Discrete symmetry breaking and baryon currents inU(N)andSU(N)gauge theories

In SU(N) gauge theories with fermions in the fundamental or in a two-index (either symmetric or antisymmetric) representation formulated on a manifold with at least one compact dimension with nontrivial holonomy the discrete symmetries C, P, and T are broken at small enough size of the compact direction(s) for certain values of N. We show that for those N in the broken phase a nonzero baryon current wrapping in the compact direction exists, which provides a measurable observable for the breaking of C, P, and T. We prove that in all cases where the current is absent there is no breaking of those discrete symmetries. This includes the limit N{yields}{infinity} of the SU(N) gauge theory with symmetric or antisymmetric fermions and U(N) gauge theory at any value of N. We then argue that the component of the baryon current in the compact direction is the physical order parameter for C, P, and T breaking due to the breaking of Lorentz invariance.

Deriving gauge symmetry and spontaneous Lorentz violation

We consider a class of field theories with a four-vector field A μ ( x ) in addition to other fields supplied with a global charge symmetry – theories which have a partial gauge symmetry in the sense of only imposing it on those terms in the Lagrangian density which have derivatives as factors in them. We suppose that spontaneous Lorentz invariance breaking occurs in such a theory due to the four-vector field taking a non-zero vacuum expectation value. Under some very mild assumptions, we show that this Lorentz violation is not observable and the whole theory is practically gauge invariant. A very important presupposition for this theorem is that an initial condition is imposed on the no-derivative expressions corresponding to the early Universe being essentially in a vacuum state. This condition then remains true forever and can be interpreted as a gauge constraint. We formulate the conditions under which the spontaneous Lorentz violation becomes observable. Spontaneously broken Lorentz invariance could be seen by some primordially existing or created “fossil” charges with the property of moving through the Universe with a fixed velocity.