Holonomy-flux Algebra Research Articles

Poisson brackets in Sobolev spaces: a mock holonomy-flux algebra

The purpose of this paper is to discuss a number of issues that crop up in the computation of Poisson brackets in field theories. This is specially important for the canonical approaches to quantization and, in particular, for loop quantum gravity. We illustrate the main points by working out several examples. Due attention is paid to relevant analytic issues that are unavoidable in order to properly understand how computations should be carried out. Although the functional spaces that we use throughout the paper will likely have to be modified in order to deal with specific physical theories such as general relativity, many of the points that we will raise will also be relevant in that context. The specific example of the mock holonomy-flux algebra will be considered in some detail and used to draw some conclusions regarding the loop quantum gravity formalism.

Star product approach for loop quantum cosmology

Guided by recent developments toward the implementation of the deformation quantization program within the loop quantum cosmology (LQC) formalism, in this paper we address the introduction of both the integral and differential representation of the star product for LQC. To this end, we consider the Weyl quantization map for cylindrical functions defined on the Bohr compactification of the reals. The integral representation contains all of the common properties that characterize a star product which, in the case under study here, stands for a deformation of the usual pointwise product of cylindrical functions. Our construction also admits a direct comparison with the integral representation of the Moyal product which may be reproduced from our formulation by judiciously substituting the appropriate characters that identify such representation. Further, we introduce a suitable star commutator that correctly reproduces both the quantum representation of the holonomy-flux algebra for LQC and, in the proper limit, the holonomy-flux classical Poisson algebra emerging in the cosmological setup. Finally, we propose a natural way to obtain the quantum dynamical evolution in LQC in terms of this star commutator for cylindrical functions as well as a differential representation of the star product using discrete finite differences. We expect that our findings may contribute to a better understanding of certain issues arising within the LQC program, in particular, those related to the semiclassical limit and the dynamical evolution of quantum states.

A new realization of quantum geometry

We construct in this article a new realization of quantum geometry, which is obtained by quantizing the recently-introduced flux formulation of loop quantum gravity. In this framework, the vacuum is peaked on flat connections, and states are built upon it by creating local curvature excitations. The inner product induces a discrete topology on the gauge group, which turns out to be an essential ingredient for the construction of a continuum limit Hilbert space. This leads to a representation of the full holonomy-flux algebra of loop quantum gravity which is unitarily-inequivalent to the one based on the Ashtekar–Isham–Lewandowski vacuum. It therefore provides a new notion of quantum geometry. We discuss how the spectra of geometric operators, including holonomy and area operators, are affected by this new quantization. In particular, we find that the area operator is bounded, and that there are two different ways in which the Barbero–Immirzi parameter can be taken into account. The methods introduced in this work open up new possibilities for investigating further realizations of quantum geometry based on different vacua.

Supersymmetric minisuperspace models in self-dual loop quantum cosmology

In this paper, we study a class of symmetry reduced models of mathcal{N} = 1 super- gravity using self-dual variables. It is based on a particular Ansatz for the gravitino field as proposed by D’Eath et al. We show that the essential part of the constraint algebra in the classical theory closes. In particular, the (graded) Poisson bracket between the left and right supersymmetry constraint reproduces the Hamiltonian constraint.For the quantum theory, we apply techniques from the manifestly supersymmetric approach to loop quantum supergravity, which yields a graded analog of the holonomy-flux algebra and a natural state space.We implement the remaining constraints in the quantum theory. For a certain subclass of these models, we show explicitly that the (graded) commutator of the supersymmetry constraints exactly reproduces the classical Poisson relations. In particular, the trace of the commutator of left and right supersymmetry constraints reproduces the Hamilton constraint operator. Finally, we consider the dynamics of the theory and compare it to a quantization using standard variables and standard minisuperspace techniques.

Towards Gaussian states for loop quantum gravity

An important challenge in loop quantum gravity is to find semiclassical states - states that are as close to classical as quantum theory allows. This is difficult because the states in the Hilbert space used in LQG are excitations over a vacuum in which geometry is highly degenerate. Additionally, fluctuations are distributed very unevenly between configuration and momentum variables. Coherent states that have been proposed to balance the uncertainties more evenly can, up to now, only do this for finitely many degrees of freedom. Our work is motivated by the desire to obtain Gaussian states that encompass all degrees of freedom. To obtain a toy-model we reformulate the U(1) holonomy-flux algebra in any dimension as a Weyl algebra, and discuss generalisations to SU(2). We then define and investigate a new class of states on these algebras which behave like quasifree states on the momentum variables.

Abelian 2+1D loop quantum gravity coupled to a scalar field

In order to study 3d loop quantum gravity coupled to matter, we consider a simplified model of abelian quantum gravity, the so-called U(1)^3 model. Abelian gravity coupled to a scalar field shares a lot of commonalities with parameterized field theories. We use this to develop an exact quantization of the model. This is used to discuss solutions to various problems that plague even the 4d theory, namely the definition of an inverse metric and the role of the choice of representation for the holonomy-flux algebra.

Uncertainty principle in loop quantum cosmology by Moyal formalism

In this paper, we derive the uncertainty principle for the loop quantum cosmology homogeneous and isotropic Friedmann-Lemaiter-Robertson-Walker model with the holonomy-flux algebra. The uncertainty principle is between the variables c, with the meaning of connection and μ having the meaning of the physical cell volume to the power 2/3, i.e., v2/3 or a plaquette area. Since both μ and c are not operators, but rather the random variables, the Robertson uncertainty principle derivation that works for hermitian operators cannot be used. Instead we use the Wigner-Moyal-Groenewold phase space formalism. The Wigner-Moyal-Groenewold formalism was originally applied to the Heisenberg algebra of the quantum mechanics. One can derive it from both the canonical and path integral quantum mechanics as well as the uncertainty principle. In this paper, we apply it to the holonomy-flux algebra in the case of the homogeneous and isotropic space. Another result is the expression for the Wigner function on the space of the cylindrical wave functions defined on Rb in c variables rather than in dual space μ variables.

Projective loop quantum gravity. II. Searching for semi-classical states

In the first paper of this series, an extension of the Ashtekar-Lewandowski state space of loop quantum gravity was set up with the help of a projective formalism introduced by Kijowski. The motivation for this work was to achieve a more balanced treatment of the position and momentum variables (also known as holonomies and fluxes). While this is the first step toward the construction of states semi-classical with respect to a full set of observables, one uncovers a deeper issue, which we analyse in the present article in the case of real-valued holonomies. Specifically, we show that, in this case, there does not exist any state on the holonomy-flux algebra in which the variances of the holonomy and flux observables would all be finite, let alone small. It is important to note that this obstruction cannot be bypassed by further enlarging the quantum state space, for it arises from the structure of the algebra itself. A way out would be to suitably restrict the algebra of observables: we take the first step in this direction in a companion paper.

Quantum gravity kinematics from extended TQFTs

In this paper, we show how extended topological quantum field theories (TQFTs) can be used to obtain a kinematical setup for quantum gravity, i.e. a kinematical Hilbert space together with a representation of the observable algebra including operators of quantum geometry. In particular, we consider the holonomy-flux algebra of (2 + 1)-dimensional Euclidean loop quantum gravity, and construct a new representation of this algebra that incorporates a positive cosmological constant. The vacuum state underlying our representation is defined by the Turaev–Viro TQFT. This vacuum state can be thought of as being peaked on connections with homogeneous curvature. We therefore construct here a generalization, or more precisely a quantum deformation at root of unity, of the previously introduced SU(2) BF representation. The extended Turaev–Viro TQFT provides a description of the excitations on top of the vacuum. These curvature and torsion excitations are classified by the Drinfeld center category of the quantum deformation of SU(2), and are essential in order to allow for a representation of the holonomies and fluxes. The holonomies and fluxes are generalized to ribbon operators which create and interact with the excitations. These excitations agree with the ones induced by massive and spinning particles, and therefore the framework presented here allows automatically for a description of the coupling of such matter to -dimensional gravity with a cosmological constant. The new representation constructed here presents a number of advantages over the representations which exist so far. In particular, it possesses a very useful finiteness property which guarantees the discreteness of spectra for a wide class of quantum (intrinsic and extrinsic) geometrical operators. Also, the notion of basic excitations leads to a so-called fusion basis which offers exciting possibilities for the construction of states with interesting global properties, as well as states with certain stability properties under coarse graining. In addition, the work presented here showcases how the framework of extended TQFTs, as well as techniques from condensed matter, can help design new representations, and construct and understand the associated notion of basic excitations. This is essential in order to find the best starting point for the construction of the dynamics of quantum gravity, and will enable the study of possible phases of spin foam models and group field theories from a new perspective.

Kinematical uniqueness of homogeneous isotropic LQC

In a paper by Ashtekar and Campiglia, invariance under volume preserving residual diffeomorphisms has been used to single out the standard representation of the reduced holonomy-flux algebra in homogeneous loop quantum cosmology (LQC). In this paper, we use invariance under all residual diffeomorphisms to single out the standard kinematical Hilbert space of homogeneous isotropic LQC for both the standard configuration space , as well as for the Fleischhack one . We first determine the scale invariant Radon measures on these spaces, and then show that the Haar measure on is the only such measure for which the momentum operator is hermitian w.r.t. the corresponding inner product. In particular, the measure is forced to be identically zero on in the Fleischhack case, so that for both approaches, the standard kinematical LQC-Hilbert space is singled out.

Uniqueness of measures in loop quantum cosmology

In Ashtekar and Campiglia [Classical Quantum Gravity 29, 242001 (2012)], residual diffeomorphisms have been used to single out the standard representation of the reduced holonomy-flux algebra in homogeneous loop quantum cosmology (LQC). We show that, in the homogeneous isotropic case, unitarity of the translations with respect to the extended ℝ-action (exponentiated reduced fluxes in the standard approach) singles out the Bohr measure on both the standard quantum configuration space ℝBohr as well as on the Fleischhack one (ℝ⊔ℝBohr). Thus, in both situations, the same condition singles out the standard kinematical Hilbert space of LQC.

Flux formulation of loop quantum gravity: classical framework

We recently introduced a new representation for loop quantum gravity (LQG), which is based on the BF vacuum and is in this sense much nearer to the spirit of spin foam dynamics. In the present paper we lay out the classical framework underlying this new formulation. The central objects in our construction are the so-called integrated fluxes, which are defined as the integral of the electric field variable over surfaces of codimension one, and related in turn to Wilson surface operators. These integrated flux observables will play an important role in the coarse graining of states in LQG, and can be used to encode in this context the notion of curvature-induced torsion. We furthermore define a continuum phase space as the modified projective limit of a family of discrete phase spaces based on triangulations. This continuum phase space yields a continuum (holonomy-flux) algebra of observables. We show that the corresponding Poisson algebra is closed by computing the Poisson brackets between the integrated fluxes, which have the novel property of being allowed to intersect each other.

A quantum reduction to spherical symmetry in loop quantum gravity

Based on a recent purely geometric construction of observables for the spatial diffeomorphism constraint, we propose two distinct quantum reductions to spherical symmetry within full 3+1-dimensional loop quantum gravity. The construction of observables corresponds to using the radial gauge for the spatial metric and allows to identify rotations around a central observer as unitary transformations in the quantum theory. Group averaging over these rotations yields our first proposal for spherical symmetry. Hamiltonians of the full theory with angle-independent lapse preserve this spherically symmetric subsector of the full Hilbert space. A second proposal consists in implementing the vanishing of a certain vector field in spherical symmetry as a constraint on the full Hilbert space, leading to a close analogue of diffeomorphisms invariant states. While this second set of spherically symmetric states does not allow for using the full Hamiltonian, it is naturally suited to implement the spherically symmetric midisuperspace Hamiltonian, as an operator in the full theory, on it. Due to the canonical structure of the reduced variables, the holonomy-flux algebra behaves effectively as a one parameter family of 2+1-dimensional algebras along the radial coordinate, leading to a diagonal non-vanishing volume operator on 3-valent vertices. The quantum dynamics thus becomes tractable, including scenarios like spherically symmetric dust collapse.

On the uniqueness of kinematics of loop quantum cosmology

The holonomy-flux algebra of loop quantum gravity is known to admit a natural representation that is uniquely singled out by the requirement of covariance under spatial diffeomorphisms. In the cosmological context, the requirement of spatial homogeneity naturally reduces to a much smaller algebra, , used in loop quantum cosmology. In Bianchi I models, it is shown that the requirement of covariance under residual diffeomorphism symmetries again uniquely selects the representation of that has been commonly used. We discuss the close parallel between the two uniqueness results and also point out a difference.Communicated by A Corichi

The picture of the Bianchi I model via gauge fixing in Loop Quantum Gravity

The implications of the SU(2) gauge fixing associated with the choice of invariant triads in Loop Quantum Cosmology are discussed for a Bianchi I model. In particular, via the analysis of Dirac brackets, it is outlined how the holonomy-flux algebra coincides with the one of Loop Quantum Gravity if paths are parallel to fiducial vectors only. In this way the quantization procedure for the Bianchi I model is performed by applying the techniques developed in Loop Quantum Gravity but restricting the admissible paths. Furthermore, the local character retained by the reduced variables provides a relic diffeomorphisms constraint, whose imposition implies homogeneity on a quantum level. The resulting picture for the fundamental spatial manifold is that of a cubical knot with attached SU(2) irreducible representations. The discretization of geometric operators is outlined and a new perspective for the super-Hamiltonian regularization in Loop Quantum Cosmology is proposed.

Implications of the gauge-fixing loop quantum cosmology

The restriction to invariant connections in a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker space-time is discussed via the analysis of the Dirac brackets associated with the corresponding gauge-fixing. This analysis allows us to establish the proper correspondence between reduced and unreduced variables. In this respect, it is outlined how the holonomy-flux algebra coincides with the one of Loop Quantum Gravity if edges are parallel to simplicial vectors and the quantization of the model is performed via standard techniques by restricting admissible paths. Within this scheme, the discretization of the area spectrum is emphasized. Then, the role of the diffeomorphisms generator in reduced phase-space is investigated and it is clarified how it implements homogeneity on quantum states, which are defined over cubical knots. Finally, the perspectives for a consistent dynamical treatment are discussed.

New diffeomorphism invariant states on a holonomy-flux algebra

The theorem by Lewandowski et al stating uniqueness of a diffeomorphism invariant state on an algebra of quantum observables for background-independent theories of connections is based on some technical assumptions imposed on the algebra and the diffeomorphisms. In this paper we present a class of diffeomorphism invariant states on an algebra of this sort, which exist when the algebra and the diffeomorphisms satisfy alternative assumptions.