Space-time Fluctuations Research Articles

Evolution and fluctuations of chiral chemical potential in heavy ion collisions

The possible appearance of the effects of local parity breaking in the QCD medium formed in heavy ion collisions due to violation of chiral symmetry can be quantified by corresponding chiral chemical potential [Formula: see text]. The experimental observables sensitive to the effects of local parity violation in strong interaction include search for polarization splitting of the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] mesons via angular dependence of spectral functions in their decay to leptons. In this paper, we study the space-time evolution and fluctuations of [Formula: see text] using relativistic hydrodynamics and estimate their effect on the light vector meson polarization splitting in Pb–Pb collisions at LHC energy.

Imprints of the operator ordering ambiguity on the dynamics of perfect fluid dominated quantum Universe

Abstract Sharply peaked quantum states are conjectured to be conducive to the notion of a quantum-corrected spacetime. We investigate this conjecture for a flat-FLRW model with perfect fluid, where a generalized ordering scheme is considered for the gravitational Hamiltonian. We study the implications of different ordering choices on the dynamics of the quantum universe. We demonstrate that the imprints of the operator ordering ambiguity are minimal, and quantum fluctuations are small in the case of sharply peaked states, leading to a consistent notion of a quantum-corrected spacetime defined via the expectation value of the scale factor. Surprisingly, the ordering imprints survive far away from the singularity through the quantum fluctuations in the quantum-corrected spacetime for broadly peaked states.

Dirac Theory in Noncommutative Phase Spaces

Based on the position and momentum of noncommutative relations with a noncanonical map, we study the Dirac equation and analyze its parity and time reversal symmetries in a noncommutative phase space. Noncommutative parameters can be endowed with the Planck length and cosmological constant such that the noncommutative effect can be interpreted as an effective gauge potential or a (0,2)-type curvature associated with the Plank constant and cosmological constant. This provides a natural coupling between dynamics and spacetime geometry. We find that a free Dirac particle carries an intrinsic velocity and force induced by the noncommutative algebra. These properties provide a novel insight into the Zitterbewegung oscillation and the physical scenario of dark energy. Using perturbation theory, we derive the perturbed and nonrelativistic solutions of the Dirac equation. The asymmetric vacuum gaps of particles and antiparticles reveal the particle–antiparticle symmetry breaking in the noncommutative phase space, which provides a clue to understanding the physical mechanisms of particle–antiparticle asymmetry and quantum decoherence through quantum spacetime fluctuation.

LiteBIRD science goals and forecasts. A case study of the origin of primordial gravitational waves using large-scale CMB polarization

We study the possibility of using the LiteBIRD satellite B-mode survey to constrain models of inflation producing specific features in CMB angular power spectra. We explore a particular model example, i.e. spectator axion-SU(2) gauge field inflation. This model can source parity-violating gravitational waves from the amplification of gauge field fluctuations driven by a pseudoscalar “axionlike” field, rolling for a few e-folds during inflation. The sourced gravitational waves can exceed the vacuum contribution at reionization bump scales by about an order of magnitude and can be comparable to the vacuum contribution at recombination bump scales. We argue that a satellite mission with full sky coverage and access to the reionization bump scales is necessary to understand the origin of the primordial gravitational wave signal and distinguish among two production mechanisms: quantum vacuum fluctuations of spacetime and matter sources during inflation. We present the expected constraints on model parameters from LiteBIRD satellite simulations, which complement and expand previous studies in the literature. We find that LiteBIRD will be able to exclude with high significance standard single-field slow-roll models, such as the Starobinsky model, if the true model is the axion-SU(2) model with a feature at CMB scales. We further investigate the possibility of using the parity-violating signature of the model, such as the TB and EB angular power spectra, to disentangle it from the standard single-field slow-roll scenario. We find that most of the discriminating power of LiteBIRD will reside in BB angular power spectra rather than in TB and EB correlations.

A note on the bulk interpretation of the quantum extremal surface formula

Defining quantum information quantities directly in bulk quantum gravity is a difficult problem due to the fluctuations of spacetime. Some progress was made recently in [1], which provided a bulk interpretation of the Bekenstein Hawking formula for two sided BTZ black holes in terms of the entanglement entropy of gravitational edge modes. We generalize those results to give a bulk entanglement entropy interpretation of the quantum extremal surface formula in AdS3 gravity, as applied to a single interval in the boundary theory. Our computation further supports the proposal that AdS3 gravity can be viewed as a topological phase in which the bulk gravity edge modes are anyons that transform under the quantum group \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{\ ext{SL}}}_{q}^{+}\\left(2,{\\mathbb{R}}\\right)$$\\end{document}. These edge modes appear when we cut open the Euclidean path integral along bulk co-dimension 2 slices, and satisfies a shrinkable boundary condition which ensures that the Gibbons-Hawking calculation gives the correct state counting.

Extracting electromagnetic signatures of spacetime fluctuations

We present a formalism to discern the effects of fluctuations of the spacetime metric on electromagnetic radiation. The formalism works via the measurement of electromagnetic field correlations, while allowing a clear assessment of the assumptions involved. As an application of the formalism, we present a model of spacetime fluctuations that appear as random fluctuations of the refractive index of the vacuum in single, and two co-located Michelson interferometers. We compare an interferometric signal predicted using this model to experimental data from the Holometer and aLIGO. We show that if the signal manifests at a frequency at which the interferometers are sensitive, the strength and scale of possible spacetime fluctuations can be constrained. The bounds, thus obtained, on the strength and scale of the spacetime fluctuations, are also shown to be more stringent than the bounds obtained previously using astronomical observation at optical frequencies. The formalism enables us to evaluate proposed experiments such as QUEST for constraining quantum spacetime fluctuations and to design new ones.

Effects of a generalized uncertainty principle on the MIT bag model equation of state

AbstractThe Generalized Uncertainty Principle (GUP) is motivated by the premise that spacetime fluctuations near the Planck scale impose a lower bound on the achievable resolution of distances, leading to a minimum length. Inspired by a semiclassical method that integrates the GUP into the partition function by deforming its phase space, we induce a modification on the thermodynamic quantities of the MIT bag model that we propose serves as an effective semiclassical description of deconfined quark matter in a space with minimal length. We investigate the consequences of this deformation on the zero‐temperature limit, revealing a saturation limit for the energy density, pressure, and baryon number density and an overall decrease of the thermodynamic quantities which suggests an enhanced stability against gravitational collapse. These findings extend existing research on GUP‐deformed Fermi gases. Ultimately, our description introduces the effects of quantum gravity in the equations of state for compact stars in a mathematically simple manner, suggesting the potential for extension to more complex systems.

Space–time fluctuation of the Kardar–Parisi–Zhang equation in d≥3 and the Gaussian free field

Space–time fluctuation of the Kardar–Parisi–Zhang equation in d≥3 and the Gaussian free field

Study of Nonlinear Evolution of Spacetime Fluctuations in Quantum Gravity Inflation for Deriving Primordial Spectrum

We study the evolution of quantum fluctuations of gravity around an inflationary solution in renormalizable quantum gravity, in which the initial scalar-fluctuation dominance is shown by the background-free nature expressed by a special conformal invariance. Inflation ignites at the Planck scale and continues until spacetime phase transition occurs at a dynamical scale of about 1017 GeV. We show that during inflation, the initially large scale-invariant fluctuations reduce in amplitude to the appropriate magnitude suggested by tiny CMB anisotropies. The goal of this research is to derive the spectra of scalar fluctuations at the phase transition point, that is, the primordial spectra. A system of nonlinear evolution equations for the fluctuations is derived from the quantum gravity effective action. The running coupling constant is then expressed by a time-dependent average following the spirit of the mean field approximation. In this paper, we determine and examine various nonlinear terms, not treated in previous studies such as the exponential factor of the conformal mode. These contributions occur during the early stage of inflation when the amplitude is still large. Moreover, in order to verify their effects concretely, we numerically solve the evolution equation by making a simplification to extract the most contributing parts of the terms in comoving momentum space. The result indicates that they serve to maintain the initial scale invariance over a wide range beyond the comoving Planck scale. This is a challenge toward the derivation of the precise primordial spectra, and we expect in the future that it will lead to the resolution of the tensions that have arisen in cosmology.

On the testability of the Károlyházy model

Károlyházy’s original proposal, suggesting that space-time fluctuations could be a source of decoherence in space, faced a significant challenge due to an unexpectedly high emission of radiation (13 orders of magnitude more than what was observed in the latest experiment). To address this issue, we reevaluated Károlyházy’s assumption that the stochastic metric fluctuation must adhere to a wave equation. By considering more general correlation functions of space-time fluctuations, we resolve the problem and consequently revive the aforementioned proposal.

Light ray fluctuation and lattice refinement of simplicial quantum gravity

In several approaches of non-perturbative quantum gravity, a major outstanding problem is to obtain results valid at the infinite lattice refinement limit. Working with Lorentzian simplicial quantum gravity, we compute light ray fluctuation probabilities in 3D and 4D across different lattices. In a simplified refined box model with the Einstein–Hilbert action, numerical results show that lattice refinement does not simply suppress or simply enhance light ray fluctuations, but actually drives very wide and very narrow light probability distributions towards intermediate ones. A comparison across lattices and across couplings reveals numerical hints at a lattice refinement fixed point associated with a universality class of couplings. The results fit the intuition that quantum spacetime fluctuations reflected by light ray fluctuations start wild microscopically and become mild macroscopically. The refined box model is limited by the assumption of a rigid frame at all scales. The present results suggest further studies around the zero-coupling limit to relax the simplifying assumptions of the model.

Quantifying space-time load shifting flexibility in electricity markets

The power grid is undergoing significant restructuring driven by the incorporation of renewable power and new flexible technologies that enable space–time load shifting, which is essential to mitigating space–time fluctuations associated with wind/solar power and other disruptions (e.g., extreme weather). The impact of load shifting is typically quantified via sensitivity analysis, which does not quantify operational flexibility (e.g., range or probability of feasible operation). In this work, we present a computational framework to quantify operational flexibility by assessing how much uncertainty in net loads can be tolerated by a power grid under varying levels of load shifting capacity. Our framework combines optimization formulations that quantify operational flexibility with power grid models that capture load shifting in the form of virtual links (pathways that transfer loads across space–time). Our case studies reveal that adding a single virtual link can lead to dramatic improvements in system-wide flexibility; this is because shifting helps relieve space–time congestion from transmission and generator ramping constraints.

Cosmological collider signals of non-Gaussianity from higgs boson in GUT

Cosmological Collider Physics gives us the opportunity to probe high-energy physics from observing the space–time fluctuations generated during inflation imprinted on the cosmic microwave background. In other words, it is a method to investigate physics on energy scales that cannot be reached by terrestrial accelerators by means of precise observations of the universe. In this paper, we focus on the case where the GUT scale is close to the energy scale of inflation, and calculate three-point function of inflaton by exchanging the Higgs boson in GUT at tree level. The results are found to be consistent with the current observed restrictions on non-Gaussianity without a drastic fine-tuning of parameters, and it might be possible to detect the signature of the Higgs boson in GUT by 21 cm spectrum, future LSS and future CMB depending on our model parameters.

Cosmological bounce and the cosmological constant problem

We discuss how the modifications of the standard Einstein’s equations needed to support the cosmological bounce can at the same time lead to vanishing of the well known cosmological constant problem, while also studying the effects of spacetime fluctuations. We first concentrate on the case of the classical Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker (FLRW) spacetime and show that in a bouncing cosmology, where the modification of the Einstein–Hilbert action can be represented by the most general function needed to support the bounce, the cosmological constant problem is absent if this function at late cosmological times approaches a sufficiently large value. We show that this result is general and does not depend on the details of modifications needed to support the cosmological bounce. Therefore, the bouncing cosmologies could potentially at the same time solve the problem of singularity and cosmological constant. Motivated by the recent studies of cosmological constant problem in the context of fluctuations of the metric, we then generalize our study to incorporate the effects of spacetime fluctuations. We show that some problems of the recent earlier proposals, like singularities and negative values of the scale factor, are also naturally resolved in the approach proposed here.

Quantum Gravity Based on Generalized Thermodynamics

This paper proposes a novel approach and simplified model of Quantum Gravity based on the unification framework of Generalized Thermodynamics which suggests cross-related terms and modified equations of General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics. To address the “background problem”, a metric tensor is introduced into stationary Schrödinger equations via curved coordinates yielding quantum spacetime variation term. Then quantum Lagrangian is added to Einstein-Hilbert functional yielding quantum stress-energy tensor. Obtained from one variational principle, two theories are linked by a common quantum spacetime field. The theory offers some interpretations of the quantum vacuum spacetime fluctuations, zero-point-fields, quantum fields shifting towards high spacetime densities, the quantum nature of spacetime, and black hole singularity.

Quantum gravitational decoherence in the three neutrino flavor scheme

In many theories of quantum gravity quantum fluctuations of spacetime may serve as an environment for decoherence. Here we study quantum-gravitational decoherence of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos in the presence of fermionic dark sectors and for a realistic three neutrino scenario. We show how violation of global symmetries expected to arise in quantum gravitational interactions provides a possibility to pin down the number of dark matter fermions in the Universe. Furthermore, we predict the expected total neutrino flux and flavor ratios at experiments depending on the flavor composition at the source.

Thermodynamics of a quantum corrected Schwarzschild black hole in AdS spacetime

The thermodynamics for a quantum corrected Schwarzschild black hole with AdS background is investigated. First, the black hole metric is introduced and given when the spherical symmetric quantum fluctuations of spacetime are considered for Schwarzschild AdS black hole. Then, based on AdS background, we get the free energy for the quantum corrected black hole by AdS gravity renormalization and saddle-point approximation. By the spherical symmetric quantum fluctuation in AdS spacetime is considered, there are three main results found. Firstly, due to quantum fluctuation, there is a divergence term in the Euclidean action, which contributes to the energy of spacetime. Secondly, the entropy of the modified black hole is still proportional to the horizon area. But when the contribution of quantum fluctuations is deducted, the relationship between entropy and area is not so. It shows that, the area entropy theorem for the black hole is the both effect of quantum fluctuations and black hole. Thirdly, quantum fluctuation doesn't affect the temperature of Hawking-Page transition, but the radius of the black hole of Hawking-Page transition will be corrected.

Numerical simulations of wave propagation in a stochastic partial differential equation model for tumor–immune interactions

Abstract In this paper, we introduce a stochastic partial differential equation model for the spatial dynamic of tumor–immune interactions. We perform numerical simulations in order to investigate the propagation of traveling waves in model system under the influence of random space-time fluctuations. One of methods is to solve a stochastic partial differential equation system for tumor–immune cell densities. The second method is to solve a stochastic partial differential algebraic equation system in order to assess the wave behavior of the solution in comparison with the deterministic approach. Finally, we discuss the implications of the model results.

How gravitational fluctuations degrade the high-dimensional spatial entanglement

Twisted photons carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) are competent candidates for future interstellar communications. However, the gravitational fluctuations are ubiquitous in spacetime. Thus a fundamental question arises naturally as to how the gravitational fluctuations affect the coherence and the degree of high-dimensional OAM entanglement when twisted photons travel across the textures of curved spacetime. Here, we consider the covariant scalar Helmholtz equations and the Minkowski metric with fluctuations of Gaussian distribution and formulate analytically the equations describing the motion for twisted light in the Laguerre-Gaussian mode space. It is seen that the OAM cannot remain conserved in the presence of gravitational fluctuations. Furthermore, two-photon density matrices are derived for interstellar OAM quantum entanglement distribution, and the degree of entanglement degradation is characterized by purity and negativity. It is revealed that the higher-dimensional OAM entanglement is more susceptible to spacetime fluctuations. We believe that our findings will be of fundamental importance for the future interstellar quantum communications with twisted photons.

New Tsallis agegraphic dark energy

The proposed model is a study of the nature of dark energy through nonextensive Tsallis entropy. The method is based on the Karolyhazy relation which is a combined idea from quantum physics and general relativity. Dark energy is the energy density of quantum fluctuations in spacetime. This is the key idea behind proposing agegraphic dark energy (ADE) models here. The parameter [Formula: see text] is used to measure the quantitative distinction from the standard scenario. To look at the cosmological implications of the hypothesized dark energy model, as well as the expansion of the universe filled with zero pressure matter and the resulting dark energy alternatives, the role of IR cutoff is played by age of the universe. The dynamic behavior of dark energy density parameter is carried out. The expressions for the equation of state parameter and deceleration parameter are obtained. The analysis is performed by taking into account a no flow as well as a flow of energy among the dark matter and dark energy sectors of the universe.