Ordinary Special Relativity Research Articles

Quantum Gravity Effects in Statistical Mechanics with Modified Dispersion Relation

Planck scale inspired theories which are also often accompanied with maximum energy and/or momentum scale predict deformed dispersion relations compared to ordinary special relativity and quantum mechanics. In this paper, we resort to the methods of statistical mechanics in order to determine the effects of a deformed dispersion relation along with an upper bound in the partition function that maximum energy and/or momentum scale can have on the thermodynamics of photon gas. We also analyzed two distinct quantum gravity models in this paper.

Energy, momentum and angular momentum conservations in de Sitter special relativity

In de Sitter (dS) special relativity (SR), two kinds of conserved currents are derived. The first kind is a 5-dimensional (5d) dS-covariant angular momentum (AM) current, which unites the energy-momentum (EM) and 4d AM current in an inertial-type coordinate system. The second kind is a dS-invariant AM current, which can be generalized to a conserved current for the coupling system of the matter field and gravitational field in dS gravity. Moreover, an inherent EM tensor is predicted, which comes from the spin part of the dS-covariant current. All the above results are compared to the ordinary SR with Lorentz invariance.

De sitter relativity: a natural scenario for an evolving Λ

The dispersion relation of de Sitter special relativity is obtained in a simple and compact form, which is formally similar to the dispersion relation of ordinary special relativity. It is manifestly invariant under change of scale of mass, energy and momentum, and can thus be applied at any energy scale. When applied to the universe as a whole, the de Sitter special relativity is found to provide a natural scenario for the existence of an evolving cosmological term, and agrees in particular with the present-day observed value. It is furthermore consistent with a conformal cyclic view of the universe, in which the transition between two consecutive eras occurs through a conformal invariant spacetime.

IS PHYSICS ASKING FOR A NEW KINEMATICS?

It is discussed whether some of the consistency problems of present day physics could be solved by replacing special relativity, whose underlying kinematics is ruled by the Poincaré group, with de Sitter relativity, whose underlying kinematics is ruled by the de Sitter group. In contrast to ordinary special relativity, which seems to fail at the Planck scale, this new relativity is "universal," in the sense that it holds at all energy scales.

De Sitter Relativity: a New Road to Quantum Gravity?

The Poincaré group generalizes the Galilei group for high-velocity kinematics. The de Sitter group is assumed to go one step further, generalizing Poincaré as the group governing high-energy kinematics. In other words, ordinary special relativity is here replaced by de Sitter relativity. In this theory, the cosmological constant Λ is no longer a free parameter, and can be determined in terms of other quantities. When applied to the whole universe, it is able to predict the value of Λ and to explain the cosmic coincidence. When applied to the propagation of ultra-high energy photons, it gives a good estimate of the time delay observed in extragalactic gamma-ray flares. It can, for this reason, be considered a new paradigm to approach the quantum gravity problem.

De Sitter special relativity

A special relativity based on the de Sitter group is introduced, which is a theory that might hold up in the presence of a non-vanishing cosmological constant. Like ordinary special relativity, it retains the quotient character of spacetime, and a notion of homogeneity. As a consequence, the underlying spacetime will be a de Sitter spacetime, whose associated kinematics will differ from that of ordinary special relativity. The corresponding modified notions of energy and momentum are obtained, and the exact relationship between them, which is invariant under a re-scaling of the involved quantities, explicitly exhibited. Since the de Sitter group can be considered a particular deformation of the Poincaré group, this theory turns out to be a specific kind of deformed (or doubly) special relativity. Some experimental consequences, as well as the causal structure of spacetime—modified by the presence of the de Sitter horizon—are briefly discussed.

Position space versions of the Magueijo-Smolin doubly special relativity proposal and the problem of total momentum

We present and discuss two different possibilities to construct position space version for Magueijo-Smolin (MS) doubly special relativity proposal. The first possibility is to start from ordinary special relativity and then to define conserved momentum in special way. It generates MS invariant as well as nonlinear MS transformations on the momentum space, leading to consistent picture for one-particle sector of the theory. The second possibility is based on the following observation. Besides the nonlinear MS transformations, the MS energy-momentum relation is invariant also under some inhomogeneous linear transformations. The latter are induced starting from linearly realized Lorentz group in five-dimensional position space. Particle dynamics and kinematics are formulated starting from the corresponding five-dimensional interval. There is no problem of total momentum in the theory. The formulation admits two observer independent scales, the speed of light, $c$, and $k$ with dimension of velocity. We speculate on different possibilities to relate $k$ with fundamental constants. In particular, expression of $k$ in terms of vacuum energy suggests emergence of (minimum) quantum of mass.

The problem of mass in the LNR quantum Poincaré algebra

It is shown that the mass of a particle can be given three distinct definitions. These definitions coincide in ordinary special relativity. This is no longer the case in the “quantum special relativity” based on the quantum Poincaré group introduced by Lukierski, Nowicki and Ruegg.