Quantum Gravity Research Articles

Quantum gravity signatures in gravitational wave detectors placed inside a harmonic trap potential

In this work, we consider a general gravitational wave detector of gravitational waves interacting with an incoming gravitational wave carrying plus polarization only placed inside a harmonic trap. This model can be well acquainted with the description of a resonant detector of gravitational waves as well. The well-known detector-gravitational wave interaction scenario uses the method of a semiclassical approach where the detector is treated quantum mechanically but the gravitational wave is considered at a classical level. In our analysis, we use a discrete mode decomposition of the gravitational wave perturbation which results in a Hamiltonian involving the position and momentum operators corresponding to the gravitational wave and the harmonic oscillator. We have then calculated the transition probability for the harmonic oscillator-gravitational wave tensor product state for going from an initial state to some unknown final state. Using the energy flux relation of the gravitational waves, we observe that if we consider the total energy as a combination of the number of gravitons in the initial state of the detector then the transition probability for the resonant absorption case scenario takes the analytical form which is exactly similar to the semiclassical absorption case. In the case of the emission scenario, we observe a spontaneous emission of a single graviton which was completely absent in the semiclassical analog of this model. This therefore gives a direct signature of linearized quantum gravity. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Cosmology from string T-duality and zero-point length

Inspired by string T-duality and taking into account the zero-point length correction, l0\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$l_0$$\\end{document}, to the gravitational potential, we construct modified Friedmann equations by applying the first law of thermodynamics on the apparent horizon of the Friedmann–Robertson–Walker (FRW) Universe. The cosmological viability of this extended scenario is investigated by studying influences on the evolution of the early Universe and performing cosmographic analysis. Furthermore, we explore the inflationary paradigm under the slow-roll condition. By testing the model against observational data, the zero-point length is constrained around the Planck scale, in compliance with the original assumption from string T-duality. We also study the growth of density perturbations in the linear regime. It is shown that the zero-point length stands out as an alternative characterization for the broken-power-law spectrum, providing a better fit for the experimental measurements than the simple power-law potential. Finally, we focus on implications for the primordial gravitational wave (PGW) spectrum. Should the zero-point length be running over energy scales, as is the case for all parameters and coupling constants in quantum gravity under renormalization group considerations, deviations from general relativity (GR) might be potentially tested through upcoming PGW observatories.

A glimpse into the magical world of quantum gravity

A glimpse into the magical world of quantum gravity

Extended uncertainty principle: A deeper insight into the Hubble tension?

The standard cosmological model, known as the ΛCDM model, has been successful in many respects, but it has some significant discrepancies, some of which have not been resolved yet. In measuring the Hubble-Lemaître parameter, there is an apparent discrepancy which is known as the Hubble tension, defined as differences in values of this parameter measured by the Type Ia Supernovae (SNeIa) data (a model-independent method) and by the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation maps (a model-dependent method). Although many potential solutions have been proposed, the issue still remains unresolved. Recently, it was observed that the Hubble tension can be due to the concept of uncertainty in measuring cosmological parameters at large distance scales through applying the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle (HUP) in cosmological setups. Extending this pioneering idea, in the present study we plan to incorporate the Extended Uncertainty Principle (EUP) containing a minimal fundamental measurable momentum (or equivalently, a maximal fundamental measurable length) as a candidate setup for describing large-scale effects of Quantum Gravity (QG) to address the Hubble tension and constrain the EUP length scale. In this regard, by finding a relevant formula for the effective photon rest mass in terms of the present-time value of the Hubble-Lemaître parameter, we see that discrepancies in the value of photon rest mass associated with the Hubble-Lemaître parameter values estimated from model-independent and model-dependent methods perhaps is the cause of Hubble tension. We show explicitly that the presence of a non-zero minimal uncertainty in momentum (or non-zero maximal uncertainty in position) measurements as a consequence of the large distance quantum gravity effect addresses the Hubble tension satisfactorily without having to invoke new physics. Moreover, we use the formula for the effective photon rest mass to find some relevant lower bounds on the EUP length scale.

Quantumness of gravitational cat states in correlated dephasing channels

We study the quantumness of gravitational cat states in correlated dephasing channels. Our focus is on exploring how classical correlations between successive actions of a dephasing channel influence the decoherence of two gravitational cats (two qubits) at a thermal regime. The results show that the quantum coherence, local quantum Fisher information, and Bell non-locality can be significantly enhanced by augmenting classical correlations throughout the entire duration when the two qubits pass the channel. However, the gravitational interaction and energy gap between states exhibit intricate impacts on the quantum characteristics of gravitational cats. New features are reported that can be significant for both gravitational physics and quantum information processing.

Examining quantum gravity's effects on gravitational rainbows

This paper delves into the fundamental implications of quantum gravity on gravitational rainbows, an intriguing phenomenon resulting from the interaction between quantum mechanics and gravity. We explore the theoretical underpinnings of quantum gravity and how they affect light bending around enormous objects, providing insight into the phenomenon known as gravitational rainbows. We investigate the complex interplay between quantum gravity and gravitational events by thoroughly analyzing theoretical models, experimental findings, and computer simulations, providing insights into the essence of the cosmos. The results show that according to the basic theories of light propagation, light moves along the x-axis at a constant speed based on observing a straight-line route between the affine parameters and the x-coordinate. The analysis of shifting gravitational potentials reveals significant influences on the routes taken by light beams traveling through gravitational fields. The impact of quantum gravitational effects is emphasized by the gravitational potential spreading outward, reaching magnitudes of 10 × 1011 and decreasing towards zero outward. Moreover, the gravitational disturbance distribution is closest to the coordinate system center, with minor perturbations in the z-direction, especially in ℎxx and ℎyy. This distribution highlights how gravitational influences vary throughout space. Finally, the analysis shows that, due to a decrease in the impact parameter, the deflection angle of light increases as the angle of incidence lowers. Additionally, the deflection angle is directly influenced by the mass of the deflecting objects, suggesting a proportionate link between mass and deflection. These findings advance our knowledge of gravitational events in astrophysical and cosmological contexts and offer insight into how light behaves in gravitational fields.

Modulation instability and optical wave profiles for the conformable Schrödinger–Poisson dynamical system

This manuscript studies the exact solitary wave profiles for the conformable Schrödinger–Poisson dynamical system. This system has a significant role in gravity’s quantum state operation approximates the interaction between quantum mechanics and gravitation. The diverse exact solitary wave profiles are constructed by using the Khater method. The different closed-form solutions are obtained such as dark, singular, hyperbolic, periodic, and plane waves. Moreover, the modulation instability is also discussed for this dynamical system. To, show the physical significance of desired results we plot the 3D and 2D plots along with the related contour graphs, which are also drawn. The constraint criteria for the exact solutions are also exposed.

End of the world brane meets TT¯\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ T\\overline{T} $$\\end{document}

End of the world branes in AdS have been recently used to study problems deeply connected to quantum gravity, such as black hole evaporation and holographic cosmology. With non-critical tension and Neumann boundary condition, the end of the world brane often represents part of the degrees of freedom in AdS gravity and geometrically it is only part of the entire boundary. On the other hand, holographic TT¯\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ T\\overline{T} $$\\end{document} deformation can also give a boundary as a cutoff surface for AdS gravity. In this paper we consider AdS gravity with both the end of the world boundary and the cutoff boundary. Using partial reduction we obtain a brane world gravity glued to a TT¯\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ T\\overline{T} $$\\end{document} deformed bath. We compute both entanglement entropy and Page curve, and find agreement between the holographic results and island formula results.

Algebras and their covariant representations in quantum gravity

We study a physically motivated representation of an algebra of operators in gravitational and non gravitational theories called the covariant representation of an algebra. This is a representation where the symmetries of the operator algebra are implemented unitarily on the Hilbert space. We emphasize the very close similarity of this representation to the crossed product of an algebra. In fact, as an example of (and sometimes identified with) a covariance algebra, the crossed product of an algebra is in one to one correspondence with the covariant representation of the algebra. This will in turn illuminate physically what the crossed product algebra is in the context of quantum gravity.

A Causal Net approach to Relativistic Quantum Mechanics and Gravitation

In this paper we discuss a causal network model to describe quantum mechanics and gravittation, where space–time is built solely from point events and connecting probabilities. A causal net provides a representation which combines the quantum complementary features of both partticles and waves as each vertex on the causal net represents a possible point event or particle observation. Simultaneity on the causal net is defined by hyperplanes of equivalent proper time. The causal net model when constructed in Minkowksi space–time is shown to lead to a formulation for relativistic quantum mechanics including the Dirac equation. In a curved Riemann space–time the causal paths of the causal net are geodesics and in the local Lorentz frame the net probabilities and the Dirac formalism are preserved. The variation of space–time density of events in the causal paths modifies the metric and provides a space–time curvature leading to the Hilbert action associated with general relativity. Consideration of the Schwarzchild metric shows that in classical limit the perturbation in the density of possible events is proportional to the Newtonian gravitational potential.

Gravitational positivity for phenomenologists: Dark gauge boson in the swampland

The gravitational positivity bound gives quantitative “swampland” constraints on low-energy effective theories inside theories of quantum gravity. We give a comprehensive discussion of this bound for those interested in applications to phenomenological model building. We present a practical recipe for deriving the bound, and discuss subtleties relevant for realistic models. As an illustration, we study the positivity bound on the scattering of the massive gauge bosons in the Higgs/Stückelberg mechanism. Under certain assumptions on gravitational amplitudes at high energy, we obtain a lower bound mV≳ΛUV2/gMPl on the gauge boson mass mV, where g is the coupling constant of the gauge field, MPl is the reduced Planck mass and ΛUV is the ultraviolet cutoff of the effective field theory. This bound can strongly constrain new physics models involving a massive gauge boson. We also discuss how the bound depends on our high-energy assumptions. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Algebraic ER=EPR and complexity transfer

We propose an algebraic definition of ER=EPR in the GN → 0 limit, which associates bulk spacetime connectivity/disconnectivity to the operator algebraic structure of a quantum gravity system. The new formulation not only includes information on the amount of entanglement, but also more importantly the structure of entanglement. We give an independent definition of a quantum wormhole as part of the proposal. This algebraic version of ER=EPR sheds light on a recent puzzle regarding spacetime disconnectivity in holographic systems with O\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\mathcal{O} $$\\end{document}(1/GN) entanglement. We discuss the emergence of quantum connectivity in the context of black hole evaporation and further argue that at the Page time, the black hole-radiation system undergoes a transition involving the transfer of an emergent type III1 subalgebra of high complexity operators from the black hole to radiation. We argue this is a general phenomenon that occurs whenever there is an exchange of dominance between two competing quantum extremal surfaces.

Constraints on Lorentz invariance violation from the extraordinary Mrk 421 flare of 2014 using a novel analysis method

The Lorentz Invariance Violation (LIV), a proposed consequence of certain quantum gravity (QG) scenarios, could instigate an energy-dependent group velocity for ultra-relativistic particles. This energy dependence, although suppressed by the massive QG energy scale E_QG, expected to be on the level of the Planck energy 1.22 × 1019 GeV, is potentially detectable in astrophysical observations. In this scenario, the cosmological distances traversed by photons act as an amplifier for this effect. By leveraging the observation of a remarkable flare from the blazar Mrk 421, recorded at energies above 100 GeV by the MAGIC telescopes on the night of April 25 to 26, 2014, we look for time delays scaling linearly and quadratically with the photon energies. Using for the first time in LIV studies a binned-likelihood approach we set constraints on the QG energy scale. For the linear scenario, we set 95% lower limits E_QG>2.7×1017 GeV for the subluminal case and E_QG> 3.6 ×1017 GeV for the superluminal case. For the quadratic scenario, the 95% lower limits for the subluminal and superluminal cases are E_QG>2.6 ×1010 GeV and E_QG>2.5×1010 GeV, respectively.

Mereological Models of Spacetime Emergence

AbstractRecent work in quantum gravity has prompted a re‐evaluation of the fundamental nature of spacetime. Spacetime is potentially emergent from non‐spatiotemporal entities posited by a theory of quantum gravity. Recent efforts have sought to interpret the relationship between spacetime and the fundamental entities through a mereological framework. These frameworks propose that spacetime can be conceived as either having non‐spatiotemporal entities as its constituents or being a constituent part of a non‐spatiotemporal structure. I present a roadmap for those interested in exploring the role of composition in understanding the emergence of spacetime. I establish a taxonomy based on four crucial parameters that should be considered when constructing potential mereological models. Subsequently, I connect these models to a range of perspectives found in current literature, with the aim of pinpointing areas that require further exploration. Finally, I identify three potential challenges facing mereological models of spacetime emergence, rooted in issues of mereological harmony, the distinction between continuous and discrete spacetime, and the implications of quantum superposition.

The gravitational lensing by rotating black holes in loop quantum gravity

In this paper, we explore gravitational lensing effects associated with rotating black holes within the framework of loop quantum gravity. Utilizing the Gauss-Bonnet theorem as extended by Ono et al., we compute the light deflection angle in the weak field limit for a lens that is finitely distanced from both the source and the observer. Our findings indicate that the weak deflection angle for rotating black holes in LQG is smaller than that observed for the classical Kerr black holes, albeit with minimal deviations. In the strong field limit, we determine the photon sphere radius, the light deflection angle, and lensing observables, including the image position θ∞, angular separation s, magnification rmag, and temporal delays among various relativistic images. By considering supermassive black holes, such as Sgr A* and M87*, within the LQG framework, we calculate these observables and investigate the influence of the quantum parameter Aλ on them, compared with the Kerr black hole outcomes. Our comparative analysis reveals that the image position θ∞ and separation s for Sgr A* consistently exceed those for M87*, whereas M87* exhibits considerably greater time delays than Sgr A*. These distinctions could be important in differentiating between rotating black holes in LQG and classical Kerr black holes in future astronomical observations.

Environment seen from infinite geodesics in Liouville Quantum Gravity

Environment seen from infinite geodesics in Liouville Quantum Gravity

Quantum Gravity Corrections to the Inflationary Spectrum in a Bohmian Approach

A precise interpretation of the universe wave function is forbidden in the spirit of the Copenhagen School since a precise notion of measure operation cannot be satisfactorily defined. Here, we propose a Bohmian interpretation of the isotropic universe quantum dynamics, in which the Hamilton–Jacobi equation is restated by including quantum corrections, which lead to a classical trajectory containing effects of order ℏ2. This solution is then used to determine the spectrum of gauge-invariant quantum fluctuations living on the obtained background model. The analysis is performed adopting the wave function approach to describe the fluctuation dynamics, which gives a time-dependent harmonic oscillator for each Fourier mode and whose frequency is affected by the ℏ2 corrections. The properties of the emerging spectrum are discussed, outlining the modification induced with respect to the scale-invariant result, and the hierarchy of the spectral index running is discussed.

Rényi mutual information in quantum field theory, tensor networks, and gravity

We explore a large class of correlation measures called the α − z Rényi mutual informations (RMIs). Unlike the commonly used notion of RMI involving linear combinations of Rényi entropies, the α − z RMIs are positive semi-definite and monotonically decreasing under local quantum operations, making them sensible measures of total (quantum and classical) correlations. This follows from their descendance from Rényi relative entropies. In addition to upper bounding connected correlation functions between subsystems, we prove the much stronger statement that for certain values of α and z, the α − z RMIs also lower bound certain connected correlation functions. We develop an easily implementable replica trick which enables us to compute the α − z RMIs in a variety of many-body systems including conformal field theories, free fermions, random tensor networks, and holography.

Experimental observation of violent relaxation

Structures in the Universe, ranging from globular clusters to entire galaxies, are not described by standard statistical mechanics at equilibrium. Instead, they are formed through a process of a very different nature, called violent relaxation that is now known to be possible also in other systems that exhibit long-range interactions. This mechanism was proposed theoretically and modelled numerically, but never directly observed in any physical system. Here, we develop a table-top experiment allowing us to directly observe violent relaxation in an optical setting. The resulting optical dynamics can also be likened to the formation of an analogue 2D-galaxy through the analogy of the underlying equations, where we can control a range of parameters, including the nonlocal interacting potential, allowing us to emulate the physics of gravitational quantum and classical dark matter models.

Quantum gravity modifications to the accretion onto a Kerr black hole

In the framework of the Asymptotic Safety scenario for quantum gravity, we analyze quantum gravity modifications to the thermal characteristics of a thin accretion disk spiraling around a renormalization group improved (RGI-) Kerr black hole in the low energy regime. We focused on the quantum effects on the location of the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO), the energy flux from the disk, the disk temperature, the observed redshifted luminosity, and the accretion efficiency. The deviations from the classical general relativity due to quantum effects are described for a free parameter that arises in the improved Kerr metric as a consequence of the fact that the Newton constant turns into a running coupling G(r) depending on the energy scale. We find that, both for rapid and slow rotating black holes with accretion disks in prograde and retrograde circulation, increases in the value of this parameter are accompanied by a decreasing of the ISCO, by a lifting of the peaks of the radiation properties of the disk and by an increase of the accretion mass efficiency, as compared with the predictions of general relativity. Our results confirm previously established findings in Zuluaga and Sánchez (Eur Phys J C 81:840, 2021) where we showed that these quantum gravity effects also occur for an accretion disk around a RGI-Schwarzschild black hole.