Dimensional Simplicial Gravity Research Articles

Balls in boxes and quantum gravity

Four dimensional simplicial gravity has been studied by means of Monte Carlo simulations for some time, the main outcome of the studies being that the model undergoes a discontinuous phase transition between an elongated and a crumpled phase when one changes the curvature (Newton) coupling. In the crumpled phase there are singular vertices growing extensively with the volume of the system whereas the elongated phase resembles a branched-polymer. We have postulated that this behaviour is a manifestation of the constrained-mean-field scenario as realised in the Branched Polymer or Balls-in-Boxes model. These models share all the features of 4D simplicial gravity except that they exhibit a continuous phase transition. We note here that this defect can be remedied by a suitable choice of ensemble.

Collapse of 4D random geometries

We extend the analysis of the Backgammon model to an ensemble with a fixed number of balls and a fluctuating number of boxes. In this ensemble the model exhibits a first order phase transition analogous to the one in higher dimensional simplicial gravity. The transition relies on a kinematic condensation and reflects a crisis of the integration measure which is probably a part of the more general problem with the measure for functional integration over higher (d>2) dimensional Riemannian structures.

Singular vertices in the strong coupling phase of four-dimensional simplicial gravity

We study four--dimensional simplicial gravity through numerical simulation with special attention to the existence of singular vertices, in the strong coupling phase, that are shared by abnormally large numbers of four--simplices. The second order phase transition from the strong coupling phase into the weak coupling phase could be understood as the disappearance of the singular vertices. We also change the topology of the universe from the sphere to the torus.