Quantum Constraints Research Articles

QCD on an Infinite Lattice

We construct a mathematically well–defined framework for the kinematics of Hamiltonian QCD on an infinite lattice in \({\mathbb{R}^3}\) , and it is done in a C*-algebraic context. This is based on the finite lattice model for Hamiltonian QCD developed by Kijowski, Rudolph e.a.. To extend this model to an infinite lattice, we need to take an infinite tensor product of nonunital C*-algebras, which is a nonstandard situation. We use a recent construction for such situations, developed by Grundling and Neeb. Once the field C*-algebra is constructed for the fermions and gauge bosons, we define local and global gauge transformations, and identify the Gauss law constraint. The full field algebra is the crossed product of the previous one with the local gauge transformations. The rest of the paper is concerned with enforcing the Gauss law constraint to obtain the C*-algebra of quantum observables. For this, we use the method of enforcing quantum constraints developed by Grundling and Hurst. In particular, the natural inductive limit structure of the field algebra is a central component of the analysis, and the constraint system defined by the Gauss law constraint is a system of local constraints in the sense of Grundling and Lledo. Using the techniques developed in that area, we solve the full constraint system by first solving the finite (local) systems and then combining the results appropriately. We do not consider dynamics.

Reduction of Lie–Jordan Banach algebras and quantum states

In this paper, it is shown that the concept of dynamical correspondence for Jordan Banach algebras is equivalent to a Lie structure compatible with the Jordan one. Then a theory of reduction of Lie–Jordan Banach algebras in the presence of quantum constraints is presented and compared to the standard reduction of C*-algebras of observables of a quantum system. The space of states of the reduced Lie–Jordan Banach algebra is characterized in terms of Dirac states on the physical algebra of observables and its GNS representations described in terms of states on the unreduced algebra.

Quantum limits on phase-preserving linear amplifiers

The purpose of a phase-preserving linear amplifier is to make a small signal larger, regardless of its phase, so that it can be perceived by instruments incapable of resolving the original signal, while sacrificing as little as possible in signal-to-noise ratio. Quantum mechanics limits how well this can be done: A high-gain linear amplifier must degrade the signal-to-noise ratio; the noise added by the amplifier, when referred to the input, must be at least half a quantum at the operating frequency. This well-known quantum limit only constrains the second moments of the added noise. Here we derive the quantum constraints on the entire distribution of added noise: We show that any phase-preserving linear amplifier is equivalent to a parametric amplifier with a physical state for the ancillary mode; the noise added to the amplified field mode is distributed according to the Wigner function of the ancilla state.

Recent results regarding affine quantum gravity

Recent progress in the quantization of nonrenormalizable scalar fields has found that a suitable non-classical modification of the ground state wave function leads to a result that eliminates term-by-term divergences that arise in a conventional perturbation analysis. After a brief review of both the scalar field story and the affine quantum gravity program, examination of the procedures used in the latter surprisingly shows an analogous formulation which already implies that affine quantum gravity is not plagued by divergences that arise in a standard perturbation study. Additionally, guided by the projection operator method to deal with quantum constraints, trial reproducing kernels are introduced that satisfy the diffeomorphism constraints. Furthermore, it is argued that the trial reproducing kernels for the diffeomorphism constraints may also satisfy the Hamiltonian constraint as well.

Minimax mean estimator for the trine

We explore the question of state estimation for a qubit restricted to the x–z-plane of the Bloch sphere, with the trine measurement. In our earlier work (H K Ng and B-G Englert 2012 Int. J. Quantum Inf.11 1250038), similarities between quantum tomography and the tomography of a classical die motivated us to apply a simple modification of the classical estimator for use in the quantum problem. This worked very well. In this article, we adapt a different aspect of the classical estimator to the quantum problem. In particular, we investigate the mean estimator, where the mean is taken with a weight function identical to that in the classical estimator but now with quantum constraints imposed. Among such mean estimators, we choose an optimal one with the smallest worst-case error—the minimax mean estimator—and compare its performance with that of other estimators. Despite the natural generalization of the classical approach, this minimax mean estimator does not work as well as one might expect from the analogous performance in the classical problem. While it outperforms the often-used maximum-likelihood estimator in having a smaller worst-case error, the advantage is not significant enough to justify the more complicated procedure required to construct it. The much simpler adapted estimator introduced in our earlier work is still more effective. Our previous work emphasized the similarities between classical and quantum state estimation; in contrast, this paper highlights how intuition gained from classical problems can sometimes fail in the quantum arena.

Hybrid quantization of an inflationary universe

We quantize to completion an inflationary universe with small inhomogeneities in the framework of loop quantum cosmology. The homogeneous setting consists of a massive scalar field propagating in a closed, homogeneous scenario. We provide a complete quantum description of the system employing loop quantization techniques. After introducing small inhomogeneities as scalar perturbations, we identify the true physical degrees of freedom by means of a partial gauge fixing, removing all the local degrees of freedom except the matter perturbations. We finally combine a Fock description for the inhomogeneities with the polymeric quantization of the homogeneous background, providing the quantum Hamiltonian constraint of the composed system. Its solutions are then completely characterized, owing to the suitable choice of quantum constraint, and the physical Hilbert space is constructed. Finally, we consider the analog description for an alternate gauge and, moreover, in terms of gauge-invariant quantities. In the deparametrized model, all these descriptions are unitarily equivalent at the quantum level.

Constraint rescaling in refined algebraic quantisation: Momentum constraint

We investigate refined algebraic quantisation within a family of classically equivalent constrained Hamiltonian systems that are related to each other by rescaling a momentum-type constraint. The quantum constraint is implemented by a rigging map that is motivated by group averaging but has a resolution finer than what can be peeled off from the formally divergent contributions to the averaging integral. Three cases emerge, depending on the asymptotics of the rescaling function: (i) quantisation is equivalent to that with identity scaling; (ii) quantisation fails, owing to nonexistence of self-adjoint extensions of the constraint operator; (iii) a quantisation ambiguity arises from the self-adjoint extension of the constraint operator, and the resolution of this purely quantum mechanical ambiguity determines the superselection structure of the physical Hilbert space. Prospects of generalising the analysis to systems with several constraints are discussed.

Loop quantum cosmology of thek=1FRW: A tale of two bounces

We consider the $k=1$ Friedman-Robertson-Walker (FRW) model within loop quantum cosmology, paying special attention to the existence of an ambiguity in the quantization process. In spatially nonflat anisotropic models such as Bianchi II and IX, the standard method of defining the curvature through closed holonomies is not admissible. Instead, one has to implement the quantum constraints by approximating the connection via open holonomies. In the case of flat $k=0$ FRW and Bianchi I models, these two quantization methods coincide, but in the case of the closed $k=1$ FRW model they might yield different quantum theories. In this manuscript we explore these two quantizations and the different effective descriptions they provide of the bouncing cyclic universe. In particular, as we show in detail, the most dramatic difference is that in the theory defined by the new quantization method, there is not one, but two different bounces through which the cyclic universe alternates. We show that for a ``large'' universe, these two bounces are very similar and, therefore, practically indistinguishable, approaching the dynamics of the ``curvature-based'' quantum theory.

Perfect discretization of reparametrization invariant path integrals

To obtain a well defined path integral one often employs discretizations. In the case of gravity and reparametrization invariant systems, the latter of which we consider here as a toy example, discretizations generically break diffeomorphism and reparametrization symmetry, respectively. This has severe implications, as these symmetries determine the dynamics of the corresponding system. Indeed we will show that a discretized path integral with reparametrization invariance is necessarily also discretization independent and therefore uniquely determined by the corresponding continuum quantum mechanical propagator. We use this insight to develop an iterative method for constructing such a discretized path integral, akin to a Wilsonian RG flow. This allows us to address the problem of discretization ambiguities and of an anomaly--free path integral measure for such systems. The latter is needed to obtain a path integral, that can act as a projector onto the physical states, satisfying the quantum constraints. We will comment on implications for discrete quantum gravity models, such as spin foams.

Operator spin foam models

The goal of this paper is to introduce a systematic approach to spin foams. We define operator spin foams, that is foams labelled by group representations and operators, as our main tool. A set of moves we define in the set of the operator spin foams (among other operations) allows us to split the faces and the edges of the foams. We assign to each operator spin foam a contracted operator, by using the contractions at the vertices and suitably adjusted face amplitudes. The emergence of the face amplitudes is the consequence of assuming the invariance of the contracted operator with respect to the moves. Next, we define spin foam models and consider the class of models assumed to be symmetric with respect to the moves we have introduced, and assuming their partition functions (state sums) are defined by the contracted operators. Briefly speaking, those operator spin foam models are invariant with respect to the cellular decomposition, and are sensitive only to the topology and colouring of the foam. Imposing an extra symmetry leads to a family we call natural operator spin foam models. This symmetry, combined with assumed invariance with respect to the edge splitting move, determines a complete characterization of a general natural model. It can be obtained by applying arbitrary (quantum) constraints on an arbitrary BF spin foam model. In particular, imposing suitable constraints on a spin(4) BF spin foam model is exactly the way we tend to view 4D quantum gravity, starting with the BC model and continuing with the Engle–Pereira–Rovelli–Livine (EPRL) or Freidel–Krasnov (FK) models. That makes our framework directly applicable to those models. Specifically, our operator spin foam framework can be translated into the language of spin foams and partition functions. Among our natural spin foam models there are the BF spin foam model, the BC model, and a model corresponding to the EPRL intertwiners. Our operator spin foam framework can also be used for more general spin foam models which are not symmetric with respect to one or more moves we consider.

An affinity for affine quantum gravity

The main principle of affine quantum gravity is the strict positivity of the matrix $$\{ \hat g_{ab} (x)\} $$ composed of the spatial components of the local metric operator. Canonical commutation relations are incompatible with this principle, and they can be replaced by noncanonical, affine commutation relations. Due to the partial second-class nature of the quantum gravitational constraints, it is advantageous to use the projection operator method, which treats all quantum constraints on an equal footing. Using this method, enforcement of regularized versions of the gravitational constraint operators is formulated quite naturally as a novel and relatively well-defined functional integral involving only the same set of variables that appears in the usual classical formulation. Although perturbatively nonrenormalizable, gravity may possibly be understood nonperturbatively from a hard-core perspective that has proved valuable for specialized models.

Light-Front Hamiltonian and Path Integral Formulations of the Conformally Gauge-Fixed Polyakov D1 Brane Action

In a recent paper we have studied the Hamiltonian and path integral quantizations of the conformally gauge-fixed Polyakov D1 brane action in the instant-form of dynamics using the equal world-sheet time framework on the hyperplanes defined by the world- sheet time . In the present work we quantize the same theory in the equal light-cone world-sheet time framework, on the hyperplanes of the light-front defined by the light-cone world-sheet time , using the standard constraint quantization techniques in the Hamiltonian and path integral formulations. The light-front theory is seen to be a constrained system in the sense of Dirac, which is in contrast to the corresponding case of the instant-form theory, where the theory remains unconstrained in the sense of Dirac. The light-front theory is seen to possess a set of twenty six primary second-class contraints. In the present work Hamiltonian and path integral quantizations of this theory are studied on the light-front.

Canonical path-integral measures for Holst and Plebanski gravity: II. Gauge invariance and physical inner product

This paper serves as a continuation for the discussion in Engle et al (2010, Class. Quantum Grav. 27 245014). We analyze the invariance properties of the gravity path-integral measure derived from canonical framework and discuss which path-integral formula may be employed in the concrete computation e.g. constructing a spin-foam model, so that the final model can be interpreted as a physical inner product in the canonical theory. This paper is divided into two parts, the first part is concerning the gauge invariance of the canonical path-integral measure for gravity from the reduced phase space quantization. We show that the path-integral measure is invariant under all the gauge transformations generated by all the constraints. These gauge transformations are the local symmetries of the gravity action, which is implemented without anomaly at the quantum level by the invariant path-integral measure. However, these gauge transformations coincide with the spacetime diffeomorphisms only when the equations of motion are imposed. But the path-integral measure is not invariant under spacetime diffeomorphisms, i.e. the local symmetry of spacetime diffeomorphisms become anomalous in the reduced phase space path-integral quantization. In the second part, we present a path-integral formula, which formally solves all the quantum constraint equations of gravity, and further results in a rigging map in the sense of refined algebraic quantization (RAQ). Then we give a formal path-integral expression of the physical inner product in loop quantum gravity (LQG). This path-integral expression is simpler than the one from reduced phase space quantization, since all the gauge-fixing conditions are removed except the time gauge. The resulting path-integral measure is different from the product Lebesgue measure up to a local measure factor containing both the spacetime volume element and the spatial volume element. This formal path-integral expression of the physical inner product can be a starting point for constructing a spin-foam model.

On the relation between operator constraint, master constraint, reduced phase space and path integral quantization

Path integral formulations for gauge theories must start from the canonical formulation in order to obtain the correct measure. A possible avenue to derive it is to start from the reduced phase space formulation. In this paper we review this rather involved procedure in full generality. Moreover, we demonstrate that the reduced phase space path integral formulation formally agrees with the Dirac's operator constraint quantization and, more specifically, with the master constraint quantization for first-class constraints. For first-class constraints with nontrivial structure functions the equivalence can only be established by passing to Abelian(ized) constraints which is always possible locally in phase space. Generically, the correct configuration space path integral measure deviates from the exponential of the Lagrangian action. The corrections are especially severe if the theory suffers from second-class secondary constraints. In a companion paper we compute these corrections for the Holst and Plebanski formulations of GR on which current spin foam models are based.

Quantum gravitational correction to the Hawking temperature from the Lemaître-Tolman-Bondi model

We solve the quantum constraint equations of the Lema\^{\i}tre-Tolman-Bondi model in a semiclassical approximation in which an expansion is performed with respect to the Planck length. We recover in this way the standard expression for the Hawking temperature as well as its first quantum gravitational correction. We then interpret this correction in terms of the one-loop trace anomaly of the energy-momentum tensor and thereby make contact with earlier work on quantum black holes.

Semiclassical Loop Quantum Black Hole

In this paper we have improved the semiclassical analysis of loop quantum black hole (LQBH) in the conservative approach of constant polymeric parameter. In particular we have focused our attention on the space-time structure. We have introduced a very simple modification of the spherically symmetric Hamiltonian constraint in its holonomic version. The new quantum constraint reduces to the classical constraint when the polymeric parameter goes to zero.Using this modification we have obtained a large class of semiclassical solutions parametrized by a generic function of the polymeric parameter. We have found that only a particular choice of this function reproduces the black hole solution with the correct asymptotic flat limit. In r=0 the semiclassical metric is regular and the Kretschmann invariant has a maximum peaked in L-Planck. The radial position of the pick does not depend on the black hole mass and the polymeric parameter. The semiclassical solution is very similar to the Reissner-Nordstrom metric. We have constructed the Carter-Penrose diagrams explicitly, giving a causal description of the space-time and its maximal extension. The LQBH metric interpolates between two asymptotically flat regions, the r to infinity region and the r to 0 region. We have studied the thermodynamics of the semiclassical solution. The temperature, entropy and the evaporation process are regular and could be defined independently from the polymeric parameter. We have studied the particular metric when the polymeric parameter goes towards to zero. This metric is regular in r=0 and has only one event horizon in r = 2m. The Kretschmann invariant maximum depends only on L-Planck. The polymeric parameter does not play any role in the black hole singularity resolution. The thermodynamics is the same.

Quantum constraints, Dirac observables and evolution: group averaging versus the Schrödinger picture in LQC

A general quantum constraint of the form (realized in particular in loop quantum cosmology models) is studied. Group averaging is applied to define the Hilbert space of solutions and the relational Dirac observables. Two cases are considered. In the first case, the spectrum of the operator is assumed to be discrete. The quantum theory defined by the constraint takes the form of a Schrödinger-like quantum mechanics with a generalized Hamiltonian . In the second case, the spectrum is absolutely continuous and some peculiar asymptotic properties of the eigenfunctions are assumed. The resulting Hilbert space and the dynamics are characterized by a continuous family of the Schrödinger-like quantum theories. However, the relational observables mix different members of the family. Our assumptions are motivated by new loop quantum cosmology models of quantum FRW spacetime. The two cases considered in this paper correspond to the negative and positive cosmological constant, respectively. Our results should also be applicable in many other general relativistic contexts.

Quantization of higher spin fields

In this article we quantize (massive) higher spin ($1\leq j\leq2$) fields by means of Dirac's Constrained Hamilton procedure both in the situation were they are totally free and were they are coupled to (an) auxiliary field(s). A full constraint analysis and quantization is presented by determining and discussing all constraints and Lagrange multipliers and by giving all equal times (anti) commutation relations. Also we construct the relevant propagators. In the free case we obtain the well-known propagators and show that they are not covariant, which is also well known. In the coupled case we do obtain covariant propagators (in the spin-3/2 case this requires $b=0$) and show that they have a smooth massless limit connecting perfectly to the massless case (with auxiliary fields). We notice that in our system of the spin-3/2 and spin-2 case the massive propagators coupled to conserved currents only have a smooth limit to the pure massless spin-propagator, when there are ghosts in the massive case.

Geometric perspective on singularity resolution and uniqueness in loop quantum cosmology

We reexamine the issue of singularity resolution in homogeneous loop quantum cosmology from the perspective of geometrical entities such as expansion rate and the shear scalar. These quantities are very reliable measures of the properties of spacetime and can be defined not only at the classical and effective level, but also at an operator level in the quantum theory. From their behavior in the effective constraint surface and in the effective loop quantum spacetime, we show that one can severely restrict the ambiguities in regularization of the quantum constraint and rule out unphysical choices. We analyze this in the flat isotropic model and the Bianchi-I spacetimes. In the former case we show that the expansion rate is absolutely bounded only for the so-called improved quantization, a result which synergizes with uniqueness of this quantization as proved earlier. Surprisingly, for the Bianchi-I spacetime, we show that out of the available choices, the expansion rate and shear are bounded for only one regularization of the quantum constraint. It turns out that only for this choice, the theory exhibits quantum gravity corrections at a unique scale, and is physically viable.

Metric approach to quantum constraints

A framework for deriving equations of motion for constrained quantum systems is introduced and a procedure for its implementation is outlined. In special cases, the proposed new method, which takes advantage of the fact that the space of pure states in quantum mechanics has both a symplectic structure and a metric structure, reduces to a quantum analogue of the Dirac theory of constraints in classical mechanics. Explicit examples involving spin- particles are worked out in detail: in the first example, our approach coincides with a quantum version of the Dirac formalism, while the second example illustrates how a situation that cannot be treated by Dirac's approach can nevertheless be dealt with in the present scheme.