Introduction To Loop Quantum Gravity

marcus · Jul 21, 2011

I try to use this thread primarily as a place to keep the best current source material on LQG, including its phenomenology (ways of testing) and application to cosmology.

It should provide quick access to the latest review articles and survey talks.

Here is a search intended to dig up LQG/LQC pheno papers. It now gets 44 articles
http://www-library.desy.de/cgi-bin/spiface/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+%28DK+LOOP+SPACE+AND+%28QUANTUM+GRAVITY+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%29+%29+AND+%28GRAVITATIONAL+RADIATION+OR+PRIMORDIAL+OR+INFLATION+OR+POWER+SPECTRUM+OR+COSMIC+BACKGROUND+RADIATION%29+AND+DATE%3E2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=ds%28d%29

To see the latest, change the ordering from "by cite count" to "by date" and repeat the search.

The May 2011 Loops conference in Madrid had some great review talks. Video and slides PDF are available online. It can be useful to download both because you can scan through the slides and then drag the timebutton of the video to a part of the talk where you wish to focus attention. Also the video shows both slide and speaker and may sometimes cut off a part of a slide you want to read. So it may work best to download both and do your own split-screen. Ashtekar and Rovelli gave great survey talks:

Ashtekar's talk (for a Loop cosmology review):
http://loops11.iem.csic.es/loops11/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=181
Rovelli's talk (for status and open problems of the full LQG theory):
http://loops11.iem.csic.es/loops11/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76

Peter McK expressed an interest in Causal Dynamical Triangulations, and Renate Loll gave a CDT review at the same conference. It's a good way to hear the latest.
Loll's review of CDT:
http://loops11.iem.csic.es/loops11/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=182

For the listing of all the talks (linked to an abstract for each):
http://loops11.iem.csic.es/loops11/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=75

I'll include Frank Wilczek's Uppsala talk because I think it is a reality-based view of particle physics unification prospects. He gives the most likely picture of matter's future--- that which LQG spacetime geometry is apt to join up with.
Wilczek video: http://media.medfarm.uu.se/flvplayer/strings2011/video24
Wilczek slides: http://www-conference.slu.se/strings2011/presentations/4%20Thursday/1140_Wilczek.pdf

marcus · Jul 24, 2011

I'm currently having difficulty getting some of the videos of the Madrid talks.
The link to Rovelli's talk is:
http://www.iem.csic.es/departamentos/qft/grupos/gravitacional/loops11/Archives/Plenary-Lectures/Videos/Carlo-Rovelli_The-covariant-version-of-Loop-Quantum-Gravity-definition-of-the-theory-results-open-problems.mp4
That works fine. And the link to video of Ashtekar's talk works:
http://www.iem.csic.es/departamentos/qft/grupos/gravitacional/loops11/Archives/Plenary-Lectures/Videos/Abhay-Ashtekar_Recent-Advances-in-Loop-Quantum-Cosmology.mp4
But I believe the link to, for example, Renate Loll's talk is currently broken.
You can try various ones and see what luck you have. Here is the program:
http://loops11.iem.csic.es/loops11/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=75
If you click on a particular talk you get a one-page summary with further links to the slides and (in the case of plenary talks given in the morning session) a link to the video, or what looks like one.
For example here are two summary pages:
Ashtekar's talk (for a Loop cosmology review):
http://loops11.iem.csic.es/loops11/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=181
Rovelli's talk (for status and open problems of the full LQG theory):
http://loops11.iem.csic.es/loops11/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76

Click on Loll's talk and you get the summary page all right:
http://loops11.iem.csic.es/loops11/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=182
And you can get her slides PDF. But the link to the video is given as:
http://161.111.24.61/loops11/Archiv...avity-from-Causal-Dynamical-Triangulation.mp4

And that doesn't work. My first guess was that the links to video which are broken are the ones that begin
"161.111.24.61". The talks seem to be archived at two separate locations and one of the systems might be down. But that guess was wrong. If you have any current experience with getting videos of the talks, please share it. I'd like to know what luck others have had. Fortunately I downloaded a number of the talks before this problem developed (but I didn't happen to do that with Renate Loll's)

marcus · Jul 27, 2011

marcus said:

Currently the best review of LQG is this video talk:
http://loops11.iem.csic.es/loops11/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76
The talk was given 25 May 2011 in Madrid, at the biannual Loops conference.
...

When I posted that, a few weeks ago, the new version of its written counterpart, Zakopane Lectures, had not yet appeared. Now the new version is out. It has been expanded by an additional 10 pages or so, and rewritten in parts. It's now an excellent tutorial, aimed at advanced grad students ready and wanting to get into Loop research.
http://arxiv.org/abs/1102.3660
The Loop people have introductory winter "schools" for grad students and postdocs. This year they had a two-week school at the Zakopane ski resort. This paper is a condensed version of the series of lectures Rovelli taught at that that school. It has examples and exercises to work out. It reviews the open research problems, some where progress has recently been made. It presents the theory concisely, and also gives an overview of the various approaches that converged to it from different directions.

For a printed journal-style review article, try http://arxiv.org/abs/1012.4707 which appeared December 2010. Ths is not as pedagogical as the other. It is more for nonspecialists who just want a general status report and overview, with some historical background. It is not aimed at people who want to get their hands on quantum geometry and do some research in it.

marcus · Aug 1, 2011

QG growth in France has been remarkable in the past few years. It's interesting to examine what shape this is taking and to try to figure out why.
There are now many active centers of QG research:
Marseille (Rovelli's group)
Paris-Sud (Rivasseau's Orsay group)
Lyon (Livine's group)
Montpellier (Alexandrov, Roche)
Tours (Noui)
Ecole Polytechnique (Gabriel Catren)

http://www.rivasseau.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/École_Polytechnique
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris-Sud_11_University
http://www.polytechnique.edu/home/about-ecole-polytechnique/awards-and-honors/erc-starting-grant-awarded-to-gabriel-catren-62493.kjsp?RH=1282806775110

Paris-Sud has 4 Fields Medalists and 2 Nobel prizewinners. By Usa standards it is "Ivy", I guess.
The Paris Ecole Poly is like the French MIT---a small elite tech school. These are distinguished places.
It's interesting that Gabriel Catren should get a 5 year European Research Council (ERC) grant to set up a QG research team at the Ecole Poly. The emphasis of that research is on the foundations---the ontology of space and time---a more philosophical approach to basic questions in physics. You can read what he has to say about it at the above link.

I didn't know of Catren. Here is a bit more information:
http://www.crea.polytechnique.fr/LeCREA/fiches/Catren.htm
Perimeter video lectures:
http://pirsa.org/index.php?p=speaker&name=Gabriel_Catren

marcus · Aug 21, 2011

A little over 3 months ago, in post #274, I reported that the job situation (if postdoc fellowships are included) looked fairly good for new loop PhDs from Marseille, Penn State, and AEI Potsdam. This needs to be corrected or qualified by reservations.

The job situation is difficult (as with other areas of theoretical physics). Permanent positions are scarce, so what we are keeping track of are postdoc and other temporary positions.

For one thing, the new PhDs used to be mostly out of Marseille and Penn State, and now several new centers have emerged (Erlangen, Lyon, Beijing Normal, Florida Atlantic, Asia Pacific CTP in Korea, Morelia, Louisiana State, Sydney...to name a few) so it is more difficult to keep track. And it adds to the potential competition.

About all I can do is keep an eye on two or three main centers (Marseille, Penn State, Potsdam AEI) and from those I see new PhDs continuing to be placed, for the most part, but in temporary positions. I'd be glad to get other people's impressions and more accurate assessments based on direct experience.

To hazard a guess just as a casual onlooker (and this could be completely wrong) at this point if you are a new loop PhD to have a good chance at a 2 year postdoc contract or better your advisor should be Ashtekar, Rovelli, or Thiemann. I would be delighted to be corrected on that score.

The journal General Relativity and Gravitation has published a special issue containing written versions of talks at the 2nd QG school and workshop held at Corfu.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/473t7416228530w1/fulltext.pdf
The editors were:
Konstantinos Anagnostopoulos · Paolo Aschieri · Martin Bojowald · Harald Grosse · Larisa Jonke · George Zoupanos
Much of the special issue is restricted access ("pay per view") but John Baez' article is open access ("free") and there may be other stuff like that.
I think the editorial I linked to just now is free.

The main lecture series at the Corfu school were given by Abhay Ashtekar, John Baez, John Barrett, Vincent Rivasseau, Carlo Rovelli. Some of these were lectures were written up and included, along with some of the individual talks.
Here is the TOC for GRG Volume 43 Number 9
http://www.springerlink.com/content/p513t4384471/
This has links to all the ABSTRACTS---just click on the title of the talk. But the full text is in general not freely available.

Editorial
Noncommutative quantum field theory and gravity
Konstantinos Anagnostopoulos, Paolo Aschieri, Martin Bojowald, Harald Grosse, Larisa Jonke & George Zoupanos

Review Article
An invitation to higher gauge theory
John C. Baez & John Huerta

Research Articles
Non-perturbative QEG corrections to the Yang–Mills beta function
J.-E. Daum, U. Harst & M. Reuter

Geometry and observables in (2+1)-gravity
C. Meusburger

Asymptotics of 4d spin foam models
John W. Barrett, Richard J. Dowdall, Winston J. Fairbairn, Henrique Gomes, Frank Hellmann & Roberto Pereira

Braided algebras and the kappa-deformed oscillators
Jerzy Lukierski & Mariusz Woronowicz

Equivariant dimensional reduction and quiver gauge theories
Brian P. Dolan & Richard J. Szabo

Open multiple M2-branes I: quantum geometry of the M5-brane in a C-field
Chong-Sun Chu & Douglas J. Smith

Noncommutative geometry in string and twisted Hopf algebra of diffeomorphism
Satoshi Watamura

Renormalizable noncommutative quantum field theory
Harald Grosse & Raimar Wulkenhaar

Gravitational anomaly and fundamental forces
J. J. van der Bij

UV/IR duality in noncommutative quantum field theory
André Fischer & Richard J. Szabo

Curved space (matrix) membranes
Jens Hoppe

The Coulomb solution as a coherent state of unphysical photons
Glenn Barnich

Gauge symmetry breaking in matrix models
Harald Grosse, Fedele Lizzi & Harold Steinacker

marcus · Sep 16, 2011

Bianca Dittrich has accepted a tenure-track position at Perimeter.
There's an interview with her in Physics Today:
http://www.physicstoday.org/daily_edition/singularities/searching_for_a_theory_of_quantum_gravity

In the course of conversation with Atyy and others, in the Current Status of LQG thread, we came up with four papers which taken together can serve as a review as of August 2011:
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?p=3485140#post3485140

==quote==
That would make the combined essential "current status" review be
1102.3660 + 1108.2258 +1105.2212 + 1108.0832
Zakopane lectures+Emergence of gravity+Cosmological constant + On the structure
Rovelli + Magliaro Perini + Han + Rovelli
33 pages +6 pages +6 pages + 7 pages
==endquote==

For a video lecture affording an overview of LQG as of May 2011:
http://loops11.iem.csic.es/loops11/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76

For Loop Quantum Cosmology status report:
http://arxiv.org/abs/1108.0893

For an index of research activity:

LOOP RESEARCH BY YEAR (loop quantum gravity, loop quantum cosmology, spin foam)

2005 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2005&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (42 found)
2006 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2006&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (77 found)
2007 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2007&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (120 found)
2008 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2008&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (142 found)
2009 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2009&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (145 found)
2010 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2010&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (152 found)
2011 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2011&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (134 as of 16 Sept, annualized > 180)

http://howlonguntil.net/ 258 since 1 January
The annualized rate in this case 134*365/258 = 189

========================
Two links I want to keep handy relating to the cosmological constant problem:
http://arxiv.org/abs/1002.3966
http://arxiv.org/abs/1103.4841
=========================
αβγδεζηθικλμνξοπρσςτυφχψωΓΔΘΛΞΠΣΦΨΩ∏∑∫∂√±←↓→↑↔~≈≠≡ ≤≥½∞(⇐⇑⇒⇓⇔∴∃ℝℤℕℂ⋅)

marcus · Sep 19, 2011

http://www.physics.ntua.gr/cosmo11/Naxos2011/sci_prog.html

Called a "Summer School" but from the looks of the program it was more a high level workshop. The list of participants was mostly experts already established in various fields, not grad students! Interesting mix of Loop gravity, String, Loop cosmology, Asymsafe gravity, Triangulations gravity.

Just concluded. It ran last week 12-17 September

The topic was "Quantum Gravity and Quantum Cosmology"
Morning hour lectures by the likes of Ashtekar and Rovelli (Loop) and Kelly Stelle (String) and
Joe Silk (Latest Obs. Dark Matter) and Robert Brandenberger (Unconventional Cosmology)
Reuter (AsymSafe) Woodard (QG and Inflation) Bachas (String) Tsujikawa (Latest on Dark Energy) Wetterich (Spinor gravity), and so on.

And then after lunch there were 30 minute and 15 minute presentations. Also covering a broad mix of active approaches to QG and QC. To me the program looks like people getting down to business. Cosmology is the ultimate testing ground and whether they struggle or join forces, the different teams have to know each other accurately in depth and confront observations together.

One can say that representative folks from Loop, String, and other innovative approaches to gravity/cosmology were FRATERNIZING on the Aegean island of Naxos. Including major people, leaders in various fields. Nice to see that.

BTW Munich is hosting Strings 2012 and they have already set up their website:
http://wwwth.mpp.mpg.de/members/strings/strings2012/strings.html
We will see if they move a bit in the ecumenical direction of acknowledging the competition (Strings 2008 at CERN had a talk by Rovelli, 2010 at TexasA&M had one by Weinberg on AsymSafe cosmology, 2011 Uppsala had talks by Frank Wilczek and Erik Verlinde)

marcus · Oct 5, 2011

Also in September there was a 3 week workshop about QG at CERN.
http://ph-dep-th.web.cern.ch/ph-dep-th/content2/THInstitutes/2011/QG11/QG11.html
Hermann Nicolai's talk was at 2PM on 21 September and was followed by a scheduled period of discussion that concluded the day. It was titled: Quantum Gravity: Where do we stand?
http://ph-dep-th.web.cern.ch/ph-dep-th/content2/THInstitutes/2011/QG11/talks/QGCERN.pdf

There were 28 slides, each normally repeating as points were added.
Slide 13(3 repeats) was Background Independence
Slide 14(6 repeats) was Canonical Quantization
Slide 15(5) was Geometrodynamics [i.e. original quantum grav. eqn. Wheeler-DeWitt]
Slides 16-18(7) was a sequence of "Numerous Questions..." in which slide 17 posed an unexpected question with some humor/mild shock value.
Slide 19(6) was Loop Quantum Gravity
Slide 20(1) Quantum geometry according to LQG
Slide 21(1) Spin Foams
Slide 22(1) Spin Foam Models
Slide 23(5) Quantum gravity and experiment?
Slide 24(8) A Key Issue: Non-Uniqueness
Slide 25(1) The future of quantum gravity? [humorous illustration]
Slide 26(9) Waiting for news from the LHC.
Slide 27(9) Prospects I
Slide 28(6) Prospect II

marcus · Nov 3, 2011

First introductory LQG textbook went on sale 1 November 2011.
I checked today to see how it's doing. Earier books have covered related topics: canonical GR, application to cosmology etc. this is first wholly devoted to intro Loop.
A First Course in Loop Quantum Gravity
Rodolfo Gambini, Jorge Pullin
Oxford University Press.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0199590753/?tag=pfamazon01-20
I found several things---one is that you get to browse online. You can look inside the book.
Another is that at least at 7PM Pacific time 3 November it is doing rather well for a textbook:
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #62,638 in Books
#26 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Physics > Mathematical Physics
So it is #26 on the Mathematical Physics bestseller list.

Here's the Oxford Press description:

This book provides an accessible introduction to loop quantum gravity and some of its applications, at a level suitable for undergraduate students and others with only a minimal knowledge of college level physics. In particular it is not assumed that the reader is familiar with general relativity and only minimally familiar with quantum mechanics and Hamiltonian mechanics. Most chapters end with problems that elaborate on the text, and aid learning. Applications such as loop quantum cosmology, black hole entropy and spin foams are briefly covered. The text is ideally suited for an undergraduate course in the senior year of a physics major. It can also be used to introduce undergraduates to general relativity and quantum field theory as part of a 'special topics' type of course.

First book on the subject at the undergraduate level
Quick introduction to many major topics in fundamental theoretical physics suitable for undergraduate courses
High interest currently in quantum gravity among physicists worldwide
Controversial subject which needs good, impartial introduction from respected scientists

Readership: Undergraduates and beginning graduate physics students, lecturers in physics.

Masters program at Nottingham, including Loop and other QG research
http://pgstudy.nottingham.ac.uk/postgraduate-courses/gravity-particles-and-fields-masters-msc_1163.aspx

Some papers:
Loop quantum gravity: the first twenty five years
Survey for non-specialists, historical development and indications the theory recovers classical GR.
http://arxiv.org/abs/1012.4707

Lectures on Loop Gravity
Definitive presentation of Loop gravity, with some math prerequisites:
http://arxiv.org/abs/1102.3660

The Big Bang and the Quantum
Loop cosmology, as of mid-2010:
http://arxiv.org/abs/1005.5491.

Testing:
Loop cosmology derives from LQG and this provides the most accessible route to testing. Here are articles mostly by early universe phenomenologists about ways of testing LQC against CMB data,
http://www-library.desy.de/cgi-bin/spiface/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+%28DK+LOOP+SPACE+AND+%28QUANTUM+GRAVITY+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%29+%29+AND+%28GRAVITATIONAL+RADIATION+OR+PRIMORDIAL+OR+inflation+or+POWER+SPECTRUM+OR+COSMIC+BACKGROUND+RADIATION%29+AND+DATE%3E2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=citecount%28d%29
These articles appeared 2009 or later. As of 3 November there were 45 of them.

Loops 2011 the biannual Loops conference was held in Madrid.
http://www.iem.csic.es/loops11/
Click on "scientific program" in the menu on the left to see the list of talks. Abstracts and slides pdf of most talks are now available, just click on the title. Videos of the plenary session morning talks are online. There were about 100 parallel session talks.

=========================

Research trends, as of 3 November:

http://howlonguntil.net/ day 307
162*365/307 = 193
816*365/307 = 970

LOOP RESEARCH BY YEAR (loop quantum gravity, loop quantum cosmology, spin foam)
2005 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2005&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (42 found)
2006 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2006&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (77 found)
2007 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2007&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (120 found)
2008 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2008&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (142 found)
2009 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2009&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (145 found)
2010 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2010&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (152 found)
2011 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2011&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (162 found, annualized 193)

STRING,MEMBRANE,AdS/CFT RESEARCH BY YEAR
(search terms "string model", "membrane model" and "AdS/CFT correspondence")
2005 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2005&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=10&sc=0&of=hb (988 found)
2006 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2006&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=10&sc=0&of=hb (1029 found)
2007 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2007&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=10&sc=0&of=hb (1050 found)
2008 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2008&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=10&sc=0&of=hb (1128 found)
2009 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2009&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=10&sc=0&of=hb (1132 found)
2010 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2010&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=10&sc=0&of=hb (1046 found)
2011 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2011&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=10&sc=0&of=hb (816 found, annualized 970)

marcus · Nov 13, 2011

There is currently a broken link in the Nottingham webpage given in the previous post:
Masters program at Nottingham, including Loop and other QG research
http://pgstudy.nottingham.ac.uk/postgraduate-courses/gravity-particles-and-fields-masters-msc_1163.aspx

The link to "the Quantum Gravity group" near the bottom of the page should be to:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/mathematics/research/groups/mathematical-physics/quantum-gravity.aspx
=======================================

Francesca has created a world map of places where LQG research is being done or where you can do a PhD in Loop.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...985216139270436.0004843830d27f3e6c50e&t=h&z=0

It does not have UC Davis but on the whole it is remarkably complete. It's hard to keep such a map up to date.
As confirmation that Carlip is advising LQG research as well as other QG, see:
http://arxiv.org/pdf/1111.2107v1

marcus · Nov 21, 2011

I want to assemble some information and links about the Quantum Geometry/Gravity program at Erlangen. It is getting to be quite a strong program. They have TWO QG groups, one in the Physics department led by Thiemann and now a second group in the Math department led by Meusburger. The intent is to have several postdocs in each, plus PhD students.

Here is about Meusburger:
http://www.algeo.math.uni-erlangen.de/people/meusburger-catherine/prof-dr-catherine-meusburger/research-group.html
A postdoc in Meusburger's group is Winston Fairbairn whom we know of as a Rovelli PhD and co-author. There is another postdoc opening. Prof Meusburger recently sent out this email announcement:
==excerpt==
A postdoc position will be available in the quantum gravity group within the algebra and geometry group at the Department of Mathematics, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg in Erlangen, Germany...
==endquote==
for more information:
http://www.algeo.math.uni-erlangen.de/people/meusburger-catherine/prof-dr-catherine-meusburger/positions.html

Here is about the quantum gravity group in the Physics Department led by Thiemann:
http://theorie3.physik.uni-erlangen.de/people.html

This group has grown by the addition of some strong people who have had experience with various "new models" approaches. Maïté Dupuis comes there from Lyon, for example.
She has co-authored a lot with Etera Livine, who was her PhD advisor, and also one paper with Freidel.

Enrique Borja, who has co-authored with Etera Livine (several) and Freidel (one)

Emanuele Alesci, a Rovelli PhD and coauthor.

It's also interesting that John Baez' student Derek Wise is there.αβγδεζηθικλμνξοπρσςτυφχψωΓΔΘΛΞΠΣΦΨΩ∏∑∫∂√±←↓→↑↔~≈≠≡ ≤≥½∞(⇐⇑⇒⇓⇔∴∃ℝℤℕℂ⋅)

marcus · Nov 22, 2011

Here are results of an InSpire search is designed to turn up observational test-related Loop gravity/cosmology papers. In conjunction with LQG/LQC, the DESY search categories are gravitational radiation, inflation, power spectrum, cosmic background radiation, primordial.

Loop pheno papers (increasingly observational test-related)

Code:

2000-2003     2004-2007     2008-2011
    6              27           46

Here's for the 4-year stretch (2008-2011)---as of today we get 46 papers.
http://inspirehep.net/search?ln=en&...Search&sf=&so=d&rm=citation&rg=100&sc=0&of=hb

If we look at the earlier 4-year stretch (2004-2007) using the same categories, we get 27 papers.
http://inspirehep.net/search?ln=en&...Search&sf=&so=d&rm=citation&rg=100&sc=0&of=hb

Here's the same search for the previous 4 years (2000-2003 inclusive), 6 papers found.
http://inspirehep.net/search?ln=en&...Search&sf=&so=d&rm=citation&rg=100&sc=0&of=hb

There is a small amount of overlap in the time segments because InSpire counts a paper as having appeared in a certain year, say 2006, if either it was published in professional journal in 2006 or posted as a preprint on arxiv in 2006.
αβγδεζηθικλμνξοπρσςτυφχψωΓΔΘΛΞΠΣΦΨΩ∏∑∫∂√±←↓→↑↔ ~≈≠≡ ≤≥½∞(⇐⇑⇒⇓⇔∴∃ℝℤℕℂ⋅)

marcus · Nov 25, 2011

marcus · Jan 29, 2012

One way to keep track of current developments in LQG is to watch the ILQGS online seminar list. I've shortened some titles for brevity.
ILQGS SEMINAR SCHEDULE SPRING 2012
(All seminars will held at 9:00 AM Central Time)

Code:

DATE       Seminar Title                                    Speaker(Institution)
1/31  [B]Physics of Bianchi models in LQC[/B]	                   Parampreet Singh(LSU)
2/14 [B] Classical limit of SF on arbitrary triangulation[/B] Claudio Perini(PennState)
2/28  [B]Continuous formulation of the LQG phase space[/B]  Marc Geiller(Paris-Diderot)
3/13  [B]Black hole evaporation in LQG[/B]                        Jacobo Diaz-Polo(LSU)
3/27  [B]BH entropy in LQG new insight from local perspective[/B]    A.Perez(Marseille)
4/10  [B]Effective Field Theory QG from Shape Dynamics[/B]     Tim Koslowski(Perimeter)
4/24  [B]Path integral measure and triangulation independence[/B]      S.Steinhaus(AEI)
5/8    TBA

http://relativity.phys.lsu.edu/ilqgs/schedulesp12.html
Audio files and slides PDF are made availble online at the ILQGS website.
http://relativity.phys.lsu.edu/ilqgs/
The site's blog has commentary by other LQG researchers and background notes.
Note that the 2/28 topic is the Freidel Geiller Ziprick paper, currently leading in our MIP poll. The 4/10 talk is on the topic of the current MIP runner-up.
Two of the talks are concerned with triangulation independence, an important issue, and one deals with the classical limit of spinfoam LQG. Pretty much all are topics of current interest.
==================

For convenience I'll gather some potentially useful links:
Here is Rovelli's group at Marseille
http://www.cpt.univ-mrs.fr/~quantumgravity/

Here's the QG bunch at Perimeter
http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca/Scientific/Research/Quantum_Gravity/

Here is Thiemann's group at Erlangen
http://theorie3.physik.uni-erlangen.de/people.html

Here is Meusburger's group at Erlangen
http://www.algeo.math.uni-erlangen.de/people/meusburger-catherine/prof-dr-catherine-meusburger/research-group.html

Here is Dittrich's group at AEI
http://www.aei.mpg.de/english/research/teams/canonicalCovariantDynamics/index.html
http://www.aei.mpg.de/english/research/teams/canonicalCovariantDynamics/members/index.php

Here is Oriti's group at AEI
http://www.aei.mpg.de/english/research/teams/microscopicQuantumStructure/members/index.php

Livine's QG group at Lyon
http://www.ens-lyon.fr/PHYSIQUE/index.php?langue=anglais&page=equipe4&souspage=gravite

Pullin's QG group at LSU is part of overall gravity physics, no separate page
http://relativity.phys.lsu.edu/

Ashtekar's Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos
http://gravity.psu.edu/
see the QG partBy now anyone who follows QG will be familiar with the strong research group at Marseille, so I won't list names there. Perimeter has a lot of well-known people, among the younger researchers: Eugenio Bianchi, Valentin Bonzom, Razvan Gurau, Tim Koslowski, Cecelia Flori, Joseph Ben Geloun. Thiemann's group currently includes Maïté Dupuis, Derek Wise, Emanuele Alesci, Enrique Borja among others. Meusburger's group includes Winston Fairbairn. Dittrich's AEI group incudes Dario Benedetti, Song He, James Ryan, Sebastian Steinhaus (giving the ILQGS presentation this semester), Wojciech Kaminski,...
Oriti's group includes Fotini Markopoulou (as visitor), Matteo Smerlak, Isabeau Premont-Schwarz, Gianluca Calcagni, Lorenzo Sindoni,...
Livine's group at Lyon includes Johannes Tambornino
QG at LSU incudes Jorge Pullin, Parampreet Singh, and Jacobo Diaz-Polo

I should also ennumerate the QG bunch at Penn State. There is a lot to keep track of. Maybe in a later post.

αβγδεζηθικλμνξοπρσςτυφχψωΓΔΘΛΞΠΣΦΨΩ∏∑∫∂√±←↓→↑↔ ~≈≠≡ ≤≥½∞⇐⇑⇒⇓⇔∴∃⋅ℝℤℕℂ

marcus · Jan 29, 2012

To continue the above list:
In the above I should have noted that Kristina Giesel has joined the faculty of Thiemann's group at Erlangen. Also in the above Perimeter QG bunch I should have included Steffen Gielen. This month he moved from AEI (Dittrich group) to Perimeter. http://www.aei.mpg.de/~gielen/

Barrett's QG group at Nottingham
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/mathematics/research/groups/mathematical-physics/quantum-gravity.aspx (faculty: John Barrett, Kirill Krasnov, Jorma Louko)

More detail on QG at Penn State
http://cft.igc.psu.edu/
(besides many well-known faculty, younger members include Elena Magliaro, Claudio Perini, William Nelson, Adam Henderson, Ivan Agullo---David Sloan until recently of this group is now at Utrecht, Ed Wilson-Ewing has moved on to Marseille, Jon Engle is now faculty at Florida-Atlantic, Param Singh now faculty at LSU)

I shouldn't forget to mention two divisions of the University of Paris: Orsay (Vincent Rivasseau is there) and Paris-Diderot (Marc Geiller). Geiller is giving the February 28 ILQGS talk mentioned in the preceding post, on the Freidel Geiller Ziprick paper.

Hanno Sahlmann has started a QG group at the AsiaPacific CPT (Pohang University of Science and Technology)

Some resource links:

Loops 2011 (many videos and slides pdf of the talks)
http://www.iem.csic.es/loops11/

Undergrad LQG textbook
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0199590753/?tag=pfamazon01-20
A First Course in Loop Quantum Gravity
Rodolfo Gambini, Jorge Pullin
Oxford University Press.

Master's program at Nottingham
http://pgstudy.nottingham.ac.uk/postgraduate-courses/gravity-particles-and-fields-masters-msc_1163.aspx

Latest review papers
http://arxiv.org/abs/1201.4598
Introduction to Loop Quantum Gravity (Abhay Ashtekar)
and
http://arxiv.org/abs/1108.0893
Loop Quantum Cosmology: A Status Report (Abhay Ashtekar, Parampreet Singh)

Searches for Loop and String/M papers by year (results for 2011 now appear complete):
LOOP RESEARCH BY YEAR (loop quantum gravity, loop quantum cosmology, spin foam)
2006 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2006&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (77 found)
2007 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2007&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (120 found)
2008 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2008&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (142 found)
2009 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2009&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (145 found)
2010 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2010&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (152 found)
2011 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2011&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb (203 found)
2012 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2012&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0&of=hb

STRING,MEMBRANE,AdS/CFT RESEARCH BY YEAR
(search terms "string model", "membrane model" and "AdS/CFT correspondence")
2006 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2006&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=10&sc=0&of=hb (1029 found)
2007 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2007&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=10&sc=0&of=hb (1050 found)
2008 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2008&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=10&sc=0&of=hb (1128 found)
2009 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2009&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=10&sc=0&of=hb (1133 found)
2010 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2010&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=10&sc=0&of=hb (1044 found)
2011 http://inspirebeta.net/search?ln=en...2y=2011&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=10&sc=0&of=hb (928 found)
2012 http://inspirehep.net/search?ln=en&...2y=2012&sf=&so=a&rm=citation&rg=10&sc=0&of=hb

A great series of Perimeter video lectures going back to 2003
PIRSA QUANTUM GRAVITY SERIES
http://pirsa.org/S005
select "semester"=all and "year"=all.
Among the more recent are talks by Eugenio Bianchi, Elena Magliaro, Edward Wilson-Ewing, Aristide Baratin, Philipp Höhn, Maïté Dupuis, Muxin Han, Matteo Smerlak
This recent talk by Joseph Ben Geloun was for some reason not catalogued in the QG series
http://pirsa.org/12010132/ so it does not show up in the above search. (topic GFT, tensor field theory)

ινξςυφΓΘΛΞΠΣΦΨ⋅ℤℕ

marcus · Feb 2, 2012

Phenomenology issues affecting various models, which may already be ruled out, are part of the general QG phenomenology picture http://backreaction.blogspot.com/2012/02/no-evidence-for-spacetime-foam.html that we need to keep track of.
Although the observations discussed here seem not relevant to LQG specifically. In LQG space is not in a simple or naive sense "grainy". Its network states are quantum states of geometry (i.e. refer to relations among geometric measurements)---they're not imagined to be "what space is made of". Lorentz violation such as energydependent speed of light or the blurring of images one might get with a grainy substance are not predictions. One way to say it is QG is not about what space IS but rather it is about HOW IT RESPONDS to measurement. Analogous to basic quantum theory in other areas.

==quote Bee, above link==
...the authors have presented an analysis of the images of 157 high-redshift (z > 4) quasi-stellar objects. They found no blurring. With that, also the holographic foam model is ruled out. Or, to be precise, the parameter α is constrained into a range that is implausible for quantum gravitational effects.

As it is often the case in the phenomenology of quantum gravity, the plausible models are difficult, if not impossible, to constrain by data. And the implausible ones nobody misses when they are ruled out. This is a case of the latter.
==endquote==

fellupahill · Feb 2, 2012

I read a lot of Three Roads to Quantum Gravity last night. I found a free, legal, online pdf source if anyone wants to check it out too. Kinda for laymen, but it filled in the blanks for me :)

marcus · Feb 2, 2012

Three Roads is certainly one way to get an introduction to QG. Right now I want to focus on the TESTING issue which has surfaced fairly recently. Bee Hossenfelder is a QG phenomenologist and she has just posted a paper written with Leonardo Modesto that discusses a completely new mode of QG testing.

It sounds weird to me and dubious but I respect Bee a lot and maybe I have to get used to it.

It is based on Modesto's 2008 paper that CLAIMS that in LQG a black hole will not have a singularity but will open up out the bottom to make a new spacetime region.
Maybe this could be tested and proved wrong without it showing the whole theory to be wrong.
Maybe it is not an airtight case, maybe he made some special assumption or did not derive it correctly from the full LQG theory.

Anyway it gives an opportunity to test SOMETHING, and Bee is involved. So here is Modesto
s original 2008 paper:
==quote==
http://arxiv.org/abs/0811.2196
Space-Time Structure of Loop Quantum Black Hole
Leonardo Modesto
In this paper we have improved the semiclassical analysis of loop quantum black hole (LQBH) in the conservative approach of constant polymeric parameter. In particular we have focused our attention on the space-time structure. We have introduced a very simple modification of the spherically symmetric Hamiltonian constraint in its holonomic version...
=endquote==
NOW HERE IS THE NEW PAPER:
http://arxiv.org/abs/1202.0412
Emission spectra of self-dual black holes
Sabine Hossenfelder, Leonardo Modesto, Isabeau Prémont-Schwarz
(Submitted on 2 Feb 2012)
We calculate the particle spectra of evaporating self-dual black holes that are potential dark matter candidates. We first estimate the relevant mass and temperature range and find that the masses are below the Planck mass, and the temperature of the black holes is small compared to their mass. In this limit, we then derive the number-density of the primary emission particles, and, by studying the wave-equation of a scalar field in the background metric of the black hole, show that we can use the low energy approximation for the greybody factors. We finally arrive at the expression for the spectrum of secondary particle emission from a dark matter halo constituted of self-dual black holes.
15 pages, 6 figures

I LIKE THIS BECAUSE it is a way to DISPROVE the existence of these weird double-mouthed black holes by looking for, and not finding, their distinctive radiation. It's empirical. And if they actually found some matching radiation it might be quite surprising. So good either way.

marcus · Feb 4, 2012

A good introduction to the topic of LQBH (loop quantum black holes) Modesto-style is
http://arxiv.org/abs/0905.3170
Self-dual Black Holes in LQG: Theory and Phenomenology
Leonardo Modesto, Isabeau Prémont-Schwarz
(Submitted on 20 May 2009)
In this paper we have recalled the semiclassical metric obtained from a classical analysis of the loop quantum black hole (LQBH). We show that the regular Reissner-Nordstrom-like metric is self-dual in the sense of T-duality: the form of the metric obtained in Loop quantum Gravity (LQG) is invariant under the exchange "r ↔ a₀/r" where "a₀" is proportional to the minimum area in LQG and "r" is the standard Schwarzschild radial coordinate at asymptotic infinity. Of particular interest, the symmetry imposes that if an observer at "r" close to infinity sees a black hole of mass "m" an observer in the other asymptotic infinity beyond the horizon (at "r" close to "0") sees a dual mass "m_p/m" ("m_p" is the Planck mass). We then show that small LQBH are stable and could be a component of dark matter. Ultra-light LQBHs created shortly after the Big Bang would now have a mass of approximately "10^-5 m_p" and emit radiation with a typical energy of about 10¹³ - 10¹⁴ eV but they would also emit cosmic rays of much higher energies, albeit few of them. If these small LQBHs form a majority of the dark matter of the Milky Way's Halo, the production rate of ultra-high-energy-cosmic-rays (UHECR) by these ultra light black holes would be compatible with the observed rate of the Auger detector.
18 pages, 32 figures. Extra Plot, Improved Numerical Results

I think the more recent paper I'll call HMP http://arxiv.org/abs/1202.0412
Emission spectra of self-dual black holes refines and corrects some of these estimates. Here is an excerpt
==quote Hossenfelder Modesto Prémont-Schwarz (HMP)==
Integrating the inverse of dM/dt to obtain the lifetime, one finds that the time it takes for the black hole to completely evaporate exceeds the lifetime of the universe for m >~ 10⁻⁵m_p. The primordially produced black holes with masses of about 10⁻³m_p thus would still not have entirely decayed today. Moreover, they would have an average temperature of T ≈ 10⁻⁹m_p ≈ 10⁹ TeV, which is about in the energy range of the ultra high energetic cosmic rays (UHECRs) whose origin is still unclear. We thus see why the self-dual black holes can make for an interesting phenomenology. However, to arrive at observational consequences we have to make this rough estimate more precise. For this, we take ...
==endquote==

marcus · Mar 3, 2012

One way to see where a field is going is to check the conferences, what speakers and themes emerge as important. We've done that in the past in this thread. 2011 was a big year for Loop, in terms of research output and conferences, so 2012 is likely to be comparatively quiet. One upcoming event is this June Prague Relativity and Gravitation conference:
http://ae100prg.mff.cuni.cz/program
Here are excerpts from the invited speaker list.
...
Abhay Ashtekar (Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos, Penn State University, University Park )
T.B.A.[my guess is Loop cosmology: inflation, initial conditions at the bounce, power spectrum]
...
Julian Barbour (Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford)
Prague and the conception of general relativity: Kepler, Mach and Einstein
...
Karel Kuchař (Department of Physics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City )
Canonical quantum gravity: Einstein's posthumous anathema
Jerzy Lewandowski (Department of Physics, University of Warsaw, Warsaw)
Loop quantum gravity: The status report
...
Hermann Nicolai (Albert-Einstein-Institut Golm, Potsdam)
Quantum gravity: the view from particle physics
...
Misao Sasaki (Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University, Kyoto)
Inflation and birth of cosmological perturbations
...
Bernard Schutz (Albert-Einstein-Institute Golm, Potsdam)
Gravity talks: observing the Universe with gravitational waves
Alexei Starobinsky (Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, Moscow)
f(R) gravity--the most straightforward generalization of the Einstein gravity
Robert Wald (Enrico Fermi Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago)
T.B.A.
Clifford Will (Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis)
Testing general relativity: Centenary highlights and future prospects

================
Ashtekar has new quantum cosmology results with coauthors Agullo and Nelson, that have not been posted yet but were presented in seminar by Nelson
http://relativity.phys.lsu.edu/ilqgs/nelson101811.pdf
http://relativity.phys.lsu.edu/ilqgs/nelson101811.wav
http://relativity.phys.lsu.edu/ilqgs/nelson101811.aif
and which will be the subject of an invited presentation by Agullo at the April American Physical Society meeting.
They are important results so it seems possible that Ashtekar will feature the new paper in his Prague talk this June.
================
This year's Marcel Grossmann meeting (July, in Stockholm) has these relevant parallel sessions:
http://www.icra.it/mg/mg13/parallel_sessions.htm

L. Quantum Gravity
QG1 Loop Quantum Gravity, Quantum Geometry, Spin Foams (Jerzy Lewandowski)
QG2 Quantum Gravity Phenomenology (Giovanni Amelino-Camelia)
QG3 Asymptotic Safeness and Symmetry Breaking in Quantum Gravity (Eckehard W. Mielke)
QG4 Loop quantum gravity: cosmology and black holes (Jorge Pullin, Parampreet Singh)
for more information: http://www.icra.it/mg/mg13/
================

marcus · Jun 3, 2012

In the previous post I mentioned the Relativity and Gravitation conference scheduled to take place in Prague this month.
http://ae100prg.mff.cuni.cz/program
at that point the title of Ashtekar's talk was TBA. Now it is listed on the program as:

Abhay Ashtekar (Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos, Penn State University, University Park )
Loop quantum gravity and the very early universe

I certainly hope that the conference organizers will post PDF slide sets for the talks, online video would be even better. Two other talks could prove especially helpful:

Jerzy Lewandowski (Department of Physics, University of Warsaw, Warsaw)
Loop quantum gravity: The status report
...
Hermann Nicolai (Albert-Einstein-Institut Golm, Potsdam)
Quantum gravity: the view from particle physics
...

Back in May a PF member named Neutrino98 asked a basic question. How does Loop gravity work? This post is one possible very basic answer
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?p=3930796#post3930796
This occasioned a positive reaction from Tom Stoer, who knows quite a lot about LQG, so I take that as a good sign. Maybe the explanation is worth keeping track of, so I will copy it here and maybe we can fill out some more details---of the simplest possible entry-level account of the theory's basics.
==quote==
Loop gravity works first of all by focusing attention on geometric MEASUREMENT.

You know that the Einstein 1915 theory of gravity is actually a theory of geometry. How geometry evolves and interacts with matter. How a concentration of matter will cause geometry to curve around it. So gravity = geometry.

Any modern theory of gravity must be a theory of geometry.

What is geometry? It's about measuring things like areas, volumes, angles. And about relations among these measurements, which can change depending on when and what order you measure them. And about predictions concerning future measurements. On a cosmic scale geometry can be about the pattern of expanding distances people call "expanding universe" and all the stuff that goes along with that.

So Loop Gravity works first of all by setting up NETWORKS where each node corresponds to a volume measurement something might make, and the connections between nodes are labeled to indicate the AREA where those chunks of volume might touch. Another word for network is graph: something made up of a bunch of points (nodes) interconnected by lines (links). In this case it's a network of possible measurements and the nodes and links are labeled with volume and area numbers.

A network could have millions of nodes but to picture one of the simplest examples it might just be a square: four nodes at the corners, connected by 4 links which are the sides of the square.

So a network is an idealized STATE of the world's geometry representing the results of a bunch of interrelated measurements which some thing or somebody could be imagined making. (If matter measurements like particle detections are included, that means more labels on the network.)

Then, as a theory of dynamically evolving geometry, LOOP HAS TO SAY HOW THESE NETWORKS, these states of geometry, EVOLVE.

In a quantum theory the PROBABILITY of going from state A to state B is given by a complex number called an AMPLITUDE. So Loop has to say what the amplitude is of going from network state A to network state B.

At the current stage of development of the theory, the tool used to arrive at amplitudes is a kind of path leading from one network to the other. the path looks like a FOAM. To take a simple example, suppose both A and B are squares as described earlier. A path between the two squares could be pictured as a CUBE with A on the bottom or "start" and B on the top or "finish". A hollow cube is all you need to make continuous connection between the two squares. It can even be open on the top and bottom. Such a cube might be one part of a much more elaborate foam.
Loop has a rule for calculating amplitudes from foams. Given a foam that runs from network A (say at the bottom) to network B (say at the top) there is a way to calculate the amplitude of that foam---the probability amplitude of that path of evolution being taken from A to B.

That's the theory. That's how it works.

It gives results like replacing the BigBang "singularity" (where the old theory broke down) by a bounce. The present theory applied to cosmology predicts that a collapsing universe will rebound and undergo a brief very rapid phase of re-expansion. It let's us extrapolate backwards in time to before the start of our own universe's expansion and suggests things to look for as traces of the bounce (as a way of testing.)
==endquote==

The special issue of the journal SIGMA devoted to LQG and LQC now has 19 articles that have gone thru peer review and whose final versions are online. The special issue is still listed as "in progress" so there may be more articles in the pipeline, but I do not know of any. So this may turn out to be the near-final version of the special issue.
http://www.emis.de/journals/SIGMA/LQGC.html
A useful cross-section sampling of current research in the Loop Gravity&Cosmology community.

marcus · Jun 13, 2012

More complete information is now available about the lineup of talks at the Prague June conference Relativity and Gravitation http://ae100prg.mff.cuni.cz/program
It's a large conference covering a wide range of topics (observation, numerical work, theory, testing) with talks by major people from many fields. So to get a good idea of the scope you need to look over the whole program. I'll just give some selected excerpts where there is relevance to Loop gravity/cosmology or to provide context. Here's a sample of the program.

MONDAY June 25
...
...
Parallel Session

16:00 Jorge Pullin
A local Hamiltonian for spherically symmetric gravity coupled to a scalar field

16:15 Maite Dupuis
Loop Quantum gravity in terms of spinors and harmonic oscillators

16:30 Seth Major
On the Observability of Granularity of Spatial Geometry

16:45 Yuri Bonder
Quantum Gravity Phenomenology without Lorentz Invariance Violations

17:00 Break

17:15 Deborah Konkowski
Quantum singularities in static and conformally static space-times

17:30 Vladimír Balek
From 'nothing' to inflation and back again

17:45 Jakub Mielczarek
Signature change in loop quantum cosmology

18:00 Andrzej Gorlich
A transfer matrix model of volume fluctuations in 4D Causal Dynamical Triangulations

18:15 Igor Khavkine
Time delay observable in classical and quantum geometries

TUESDAY June 26

Plenary Talks in Blue Lecture Hall
8:40 Gary Gibbons
Links between general relativity and other parts of physics

9:20 Abhay Ashtekar
Loop quantum gravity and the very early universe

10:00 Coffee break

10:30 Misao Sasaki
Inflation and birth of cosmological perturbations

11:10 Alexei Starobinsky
f(R) gravity - the most straightforward generalization of the Einstein gravity

WEDNESDAY June 27

Plenary Talks in Blue Lecture Hall
8:40 Bernard Schutz
Gravity talks: observing the Universe with gravitational waves

9:20 Daniel Sudarsky
The quantum gravity interface and the origin of the seeds of cosmic structure during inflation

10:00 Coffee break

10:30 Helmut Friedrich
The large scale Einstein evolution problem

11:10 Hermann Nicolai
Quantum Gravity: the view from particle physics
...
...

Parallel Session in Yellow Lecture Hall
16:00 Alejandro Corichi
Effective Dynamics of Anisotropic Cosmologies in Loop Quantum Cosmology

16:15 Steffen Gielen
Spontaneous breaking of Lorentz symmetry for canonical gravity

16:30 Thomas Roman
Probability Distributions of Quantum Stress Tensors in Two and Four Dimensions

16:45 Florian Girelli
Geometric operators in loop quantum gravity with a cosmological constant FRIDAY June 29

Plenary Talks in Blue Lecture Hall
...
...
11:10 Jerzy Lewandowski
Loop Quantum Gravity - where are we?
=========================

In early July there will be another large conference, the MG13 (13th Marcel Grossmann) in Stockholm. For Loop and related QG there are several parallel sessions to check out. The chair of each session is supposed to list the lineup of talks in their brief descriptions, but this hasn't happened in all cases yet. I'll give the links to where the listing should appear.

http://www.icra.it/mg/mg13/par_sessions_chairs_details.htm#lewandowski
Parallel Session: QG2 - Loop Quantum Gravity, Quantum Geometry, Spin Foams

http://www.icra.it/mg/mg13/par_sessions_chairs_details.htm#mielke
Parallel Session: QG3 - Asymptotic Safeness and Symmetry Breaking in Quantum Gravity

http://www.icra.it/mg/mg13/par_sessions_chairs_details.htm#moniz
Parallel Session: CM4 - Quantum Cosmology and Quantum Effects in the Early Universe

http://www.icra.it/mg/mg13/par_sessions_chairs_details.htm#pullin
Parallel Session: QG4 - Loop quantum gravity: cosmology and black holes

http://www.icra.it/mg/mg13/par_sessions_chairs_details.htm#novello
Parallel Session: CM3 - Nonsingular Cosmology

http://www.icra.it/mg/mg13/par_sessions_chairs_details.htm#amelinocamelia
Parallel Session: QG2 - Quantum Gravity Phenomenology

marcus · Jun 19, 2012

The Prague "Relativity and Gravitation" conference starts in about 5 days and the abstracts of all the talks are posted. http://ae100prg.mff.cuni.cz/abstracts Here is a sample of the talks:

http://ae100prg.mff.cuni.cz/img/abstracts/25d99baef0860381a14c4b539cd744e6.pdf
Jerzy Lewandowski
Loop Quantum Gravity - where are we?
Abstract: For several models of gravity coupled to other fields, the algorithm of the canonical quantization has been completed and performed to an end. It gave rise to well defined, exact quantum theories. The Dirac observables are provided by the relational and the deparametrization frameworks. The quantum states, Hilbert spaces and concrete quantum operators are furnished by the canonical Loop Quantum Gravity framework. The models are not confirmed experimentally and admit ambiguities, but they are there, available for further study and applications.

http://ae100prg.mff.cuni.cz/img/abstracts/3be634f679c60019132a7a3b4e153470.pdf
Abhay Ashtekar
Loop quantum gravity and the very early universe
Abstract: Since the standard cosmological perturbation theory is based on QFT on curved space-times, it is not applicable in the Planck era. Using techniques from loop quantum gravity, the theory is extended to overcome this limitation. The new framework sharpens conceptual issues by distinguishing between true and apparent trans-Planckian difficulties and shows that the true difficulties can be generically overcome in the standard inflationary scenario, with interesting lessons for both theory and observations. The talk will be based largely on some recently completed joint work with Ivan Agullo and William Nelson.

http://ae100prg.mff.cuni.cz/img/abstracts/7f79ff4a754e798d850287e3abe1f296.pdf
Hermann Nicolai
Quantum Gravity: the view from particle physics
Abstract: In this talk I will review some facts and lessons that particle physics can offer to help in the search for a fully consistent theory of quantum gravity, including a brief discussion of recent LHC data from this perspective.

Jorge Pullin
A local Hamiltonian for spherically symmetric gravity coupled to a scalar field
Abstract: We present a gauge fixing for gravity coupled to a scalar field in spherical symmetry that leads to a true Hamiltonian that is the integral over space of a local density. We discuss its potential use to study black hole evaporation.

Maite Dupuis
Loop Quantum gravity in terms of spinors and harmonic oscillators
Abstract: Loop Quantum Gravity is an attempt to quantize general relativity. Its kinematical aspects are well understood and yield a description of space in terms of quanta. Spinorial tools provide a really nice geometrical picture of the classical phase space of Loop Gravity. Moving to the quantum level, spinors are simply quantized as harmonic oscillators. They are then the building blocks to define coherent states for Loop Quantum Gravity and to build spinfoam models which is a regularized path integral for general relativity. I will recall the main results of the spinorial formalism in the context of Loop Quantum Gravity and Spinfoam models and explain how it can be generalized to introduce a cosmological constant into the game.

Yuri Bonder
Quantum Gravity Phenomenology without Lorentz Invariance Violations
Abstract: In the last years the phenomenology of quantum gravity has been dominated by the search of violations of Lorentz symmetry. However, there are very serious arguments that led us to assume that Lorentz invariance is a real symmetry in Nature. This motivated us to construct a phenomenological model describing how a Lorentz invariant discrete structure of spacetime could become manifest. The proposal is fully observer covariant, it involves non-trivial couplings of curvature to matter fields and leads to a well defined phenomenology. In fact, an experiment specially designed to test the model has been performed by the Eöt-Wash group allowing to put bounds on some of the model's free parameters.

Jakub Mielczarek
Signature change in loop quantum cosmology
Abstract: The Wick rotation is commonly considered only as an useful computational trick. However, as it was suggested by Hartle and Hawking already in early eighties, Wick rotation may gain physical meaning at the Planck epoch. While such possibility is conceptually interesting, leading to no-boundary proposal, mechanism behind the signature change remains mysterious.
In this talk we show that the signature change anticipated by Hartle and Hawking may occur in result of the loop quantum gravity effects. Theory of cosmological perturbations with the effects of quantum holonomies is constructed. It is shown that such theory can be uniquely formulated in the anomaly-free manner. The algebra of quantum constraints turns out to be modified such that the signature is changing from Lorentzian in low curvature regime to Euclidean in high curvature regime. Implications of this phenomenon on propagation of cosmological perturbations are discussed. Possible relations with other approaches to quantum gravity are also outlined.

Alejandro Corichi
Effective Dynamics of Anisotropic Cosmologies in Loop Quantum Cosmology
Abstract: We present results of numerical evolutions of effective equations for anisotropic cosmologies with spatial curvature in loop quantum cosmology. We address the issue of singularity resolution for different types of initial conditions and study the behavior of geometrical scalar quantities.

Steffen Gielen
Spontaneous breaking of Lorentz symmetry for canonical gravity
Abstract: In Hamiltonian formulations of general relativity, in particular Ashtekar variables which serve as the classical starting point for loop quantum gravity, Lorentz covariance is a subtle issue which has been the focus of some debate, while at the same time being crucial with regard to possible experimental tests. After reviewing the sources of difficulty, we present a Lorentz covariant formulation in which we generalise the notion of a foliation of spacetime usually used in the Hamiltonian formalism to a field of ”local observers” which specify a time direction only locally. This field spontaneously breaks the local SO(3,1) symmetry down to a subgroup SO(3), in a way similar to systems in condensed matter and particle physics. The formalism is analogous to that in MacDowell-Mansouri gravity, where SO(4,1) is spontaneously broken to SO(3,1). We show that the apparent breaking of SO(3,1) to SO(3) is not in conflict with Lorentz covariance. We close by outlining other possible applications of the formalism of local observer, especially with regard to phenomenology of quantum gravity.

Florian Girelli
Geometric operators in loop quantum gravity with a cosmological constant
Abstract: Loop quantum gravity is a candidate to describe the quantum gravity regime with zero cosmological constant. One of its key results is that geometric operators, such as area, angle, volume, are quantized. Not much is known when the cosmological constant is not zero. It is usually believed that to introduce this parameter in the game, we need to use quantum groups. However due to the complicated algebraic structure inherent to quantum groups not much is known in this case. Apart from the area operator, the geometric operators are not yet defined. I will discuss how the use of tensor operators can circumvent the difficulties and allow to construct a natural set of observables. In particular, I will construct the natural geometric observables such as angle or volume and discuss some of their properties.

Franz Hinterleitner
Quantization of plane gravitational waves
Abstract: A long-standing problem in Loop Qauntum Gravity (LQG) is the semiclassical limit and the question of Lorentz invariance violation due to the "granularity" of quantum space-time. In full 3+1 LQG there are strong indications for such violations, but no definitve answer to this issue has been given so far.
Unidirectional plane gravitational waves are 1+1 dimensional fully general-relativistic systems, which are convenient for an investigation of possible dispersion of gravitational radiation, quantum fluctuations of flat space, and the speed of light in a quantum space-time environmant.
In a recent paper a classical canonical approach to plane waves was found, where the reduction from arbitrarily forth- and back running waves to unidirectional ones is formulated in terms of first-class constraints. This means that this step of symmetry reduction can be carried out after quantization. The presently ongoing work deals with the formulation of the corresponding quantum constraint operators and the construction of solutions.

More information about the schedule and program of the conference is here:
http://ae100prg.mff.cuni.cz/program

marcus · Jun 29, 2012

The triennial Marcel Grossmann meeting "MG13" starts next week in Stockholm.
To see the QG-related talks to be given go to:
http://www.icra.it/mg/mg13/parallel_sessions.htm
Scroll down to the QG block
Clicking on QG4 A gives, for example, the first of two sessions chaired by Jorge Pullin, taking place Thursday 5 July and Friday 6 July.
CLICKING ON THE TITLE OF THE TALK links to a brief abstract.
http://ntsrvg9-5.icra.it/mg13/FMPro...tField=order2&-SortOrder=ascend&-Max=50&-Find

1) 14:00 - 14:30
Rovelli, Carlo
Recent developments in Black Hole physics

2) 14:30 - 15:00
Perez, Alejandro
Black holes in LQG, a local perspective.

3) 15:00 - 15:30
Bianchi, Eugenio
Entropy of Non-Extremal Black Holes from Loop Gravity

4) 15:30 - 16:00
Barbero, Fernando
The thermodynamic limit for black holes in loop quantum gravity.

COFFEE BREAK

5) 16:30 - 17:00
Diaz Polo, Jacobo
Testable predictions from loop quantum gravity in evaporating microscopic black holes

6) 17:00 - 17:30
Gambini, Rodolfo
Quantum scalar field in spherical quantum gravity: Standard and nonstandard techniques.

7) 17:30 - 18:00
Pranzetti, Daniele
Dynamical evaporation of quantum horizons

8) 18:00 - 18:30
Frodden, Ernesto
Toward the LQG quantization of rotating black holes

marcus · Jun 29, 2012

See also the previous post #304
The triennial Marcel Grossmann meeting "MG13" starts next week in Stockholm.
To see the QG-related talks to be given go to:
http://www.icra.it/mg/mg13/parallel_sessions.htm
Scroll down to the QG block and click on, for example, QG1A.
This will give the Tuesday 3 July session, the first of two Loop-and-allied sessions chaired by Jerzy Lewandowski. CLICKING ON THE TITLE OF THE TALK links to a brief abstract.

1) 14:00 - 14:30
Rovelli, Carlo
Covariant dynamics

2) 14:30 - 15:00
Lewandowski, Jerzy
Quantizable canonical LQG

3) 15:00 - 15:30
Ma, Yongge
Loop Quantum Scalar-Tensor Gravity and Cosmology

4) 15:30 - 16:00
Bianchi, Eugenio
Horizons in spin foam gravity

COFFEE BREAK (I've added some possibly incomplete place tags to help keep track of the next batch of speakers.)

5) 16:30 - 16:50
Vidotto, Francesca (Mars. Utr.)
Spinfoam Cosmology

6) 16:50 - 17:10
Puchta, Jacek (Wars. Mars.)
Operator Spin-network Diagrams in calculations of higher order amplitudes in dipole cosmology

7) 17:10 - 17:30
Zipfel, Antonia (Erl.)
Solving the Euclidean scalar constraint with Spin Foam methods

8) 17:30 - 17:50
Pawlowski, Tomasz (Wars. Mad. UNB Penn.)
Computable framework of Loop Quantum Gravity

9) 17:50 - 18:10
Alesci, Emanuele (Mars. Erl.)
A new perspective on early cosmology

10) 18:10 - 18:30
Duston, Christopher (FSU-Marcolli)
Topspin Networks and Loop Quantum Gravity

11) 18:30 - 18:50
Smerlak, Matteo (Mars. Perim.)
The shift symmetry in spin foam models of BF theory

12) 18:50 - 19:10
Ryan, James (AEI, Unam)
Tensor models and discrete quantum gravity

marcus · Jun 29, 2012

See also post #304 on the previous page.
I should note that session QG2 A, the first of two chaired by Giovanni Amelino-Camelia, has a talk by Bee Hossenfelder discussing the possibility of FTL exchange of information within the context of quantum gravity. Try clicking on QG2A and check out her abstract.

On the other hand, still in the QG block, clicking on QG4 B
will give Friday 6 July the second of two sessions chaired by Jorge Pullin
http://ntsrvg9-5.icra.it/mg13/FMPro...tField=order2&-SortOrder=ascend&-Max=50&-Find
Here as on the previous page, the abstract shows up when you click on the talk's title.

1) 14:00 - 14:30
Agullo, Ivan
A quantum gravity extension of the inflationary paradigm

2) 14:30 - 15:00
Wilson-Ewing, Edward
Lattice LQC

3) 15:00 - 15:20
Cailleteau, Thomas
Observational consequences of Loop Quantum Cosmology

4) 15:20 - 15:40
Vidotto, Francesca
Spinfoam for cosmologists

5) 15:40 - 16:00
Dapor, Andrea
Loop Quantum Cosmology for nonminimally coupled Scalar Field

COFFEE BREAK

6) 16:30 - 17:00
Pawlowski, Tomasz
Geometric time in quantum cosmology

7) 17:00 - 17:30
Velhinho, Jose
Uniqueness of the Fock quantization of scalar fields with time dependent mass

8) 17:30 - 17:50
Fernández-Méndez, Mikel
Hybrid quantization of an inhomogeneous inflationary scenario

9) 17:50 - 18:10
Martín-de Blas, Daniel
Approximated quantum solutions in inhomogeneous loop quantum cosmology

10) 18:10 - 18:50
Dapor, Andrea
Quantum Field Theory on LQC Bianchi Spacetimes

11) 18:30 - 18:50
Cianfrani, Francesco
Inhomogeneous Universe in Loop Quantum Gravity

marcus · Jun 29, 2012

The Marcel Grossmann triennial conference is a major indicator of what fields of research are active and people are interestied in hearing about in the areas of theoretical/experimental General Rel., Cosmology, Field theory on curved spacetime, Astrophysics, and suchlike. The last two meetings MG11 and MG12 averaged about 800 participants each---a big international gathering. This years's MG13 has 1021 registered participants.
http://ntsrvg9-5.icra.it/mg13/FMPro...astname_and_name&-max=1200&-token.0=19&-find=
http://www.icra.it/mg/mg13/parallel_sessions.htm

So it's interesting that Loop is making a strong showing in the MG13 parallel sessions.
Many more talks, for example, than other QG approaches and than are String-related.
Also I was interested to see several Loop people are giving talks at more than one session. Rovelli (2)
Bianchi (2) Pawlowski (2) Vidotto (2)...

QG is broadly represented in the Plenary Sessions.
Martin Reuter is giving a plenary talk:
http://ntsrvg9-5.icra.it/mg13/FMPro...&-max=1200&-recid=35110&-token.0=19&-findall=
And Jan Ambjorn as well:
http://www.icra.it/mg/mg13/invited_speakers_details.htm#ambjorn
To check for more look for links in the right hand column beside participants' names:
http://ntsrvg9-5.icra.it/mg13/FMPro...astname_and_name&-max=1200&-token.0=19&-find=

Tony Padilla's giving a talk, don't want to lose the link:
http://ntsrvg9-5.icra.it/mg13/FMPro...s&talk_accept=yes&-max=50&-recid=41805&-find=

marcus · Aug 1, 2012

In a little over a week there will be a QG summer school in Beijing---giving an introduction to Loop Quantum Gravity and related topics (Loop Cosmology, Spinfoam, Limits, LQG black hole, GroupFieldTheory, and Regge calculus). The speaker lineup can provide perspective on the current makeup of the field:
The 2nd BNU International Summer School on Quantum Gravity (Schedule)

13 Aug (Mon.) Coordinators: Yongge Ma, Sijie Gao
9:00-9:50 Jerzy Lewandowski: Canonical loop quantum gravity (1)
10:00-10:50 Jerzy Lewandowski: Canonical loop quantum gravity (2)
11:10-12:00 Benjamin Bahr: Introduction to Regge calculus (1)
2:30-3:20 Benjamin Bahr: Introduction to Regge calculus (2)
3:40-4:30 Jonathan Engle: Isolated horizon and BH entropy in loop quantum gravity (1)
4:40-5:30 Jonathan Engle: Isolated horizon and BH entropy in loop quantum gravity (2)

14 Aug (Tue.) Coordinators: Jinsong Yang, Bin Zhou
9:00-9:50 Jerzy Lewandowski: Canonical loop quantum gravity (3)
10:00-10:50 Jerzy Lewandowski: Canonical loop quantum gravity (4)
11:10-12:00 Benjamin Bahr: Introduction to Regge calculus (3)
2:30-3:20 Thomas Krajewski: Introduction to group field theory (1)
3:40-4:30 Jonathan Engle: Isolated horizon and BH entropy in loop quantum gravity (3)
4:40-5:30 Jonathan Engle: Isolated horizon and BH entropy in loop quantum gravity (4)

15 Aug (Wed.) Coordinator: Kinjal Banerjee
9:00-9:50 Jerzy Lewandowski: Canonical loop quantum gravity (5)
10:10-11:00 Abhay Ashtekar: Loop quantum cosmology (1)
11:15-12:05 Free Discussion (Chair: Jerzy Lewandowsk):
Loop quantum gravity, BH entropy, Regge calculus,…

16 Aug (Thu.) Coordinators: You Ding, Hong Lu
9:00-9:50 Etera Livine: Spinfoam representation of loop quantum gravity (1)
10:00-10:50 Etera Livine: Spinfoam representation of loop quantum gravity (2)
11:10-12:00 Abhay Ashtekar: Loop quantum cosmology (2)
2:30-3:20 John Barrett: Asymptotics of spin foam models (1)
3:40-4:30 Thomas Krajewski: Introduction to group field theory (2)
4:40-5:30 Thomas Krajewski: Introduction to group field theory (3)

16 Aug Public Lecture: Jingwen Lecture Hall
7:30pm-9:00pm Abhay Ashtekar: Big Bang and the Quantum: Einstein and Beyond

17 Aug (Fri.) Coordinators: Li Qin, Jonathan Engle
9:00-9:50 Etera Livine: Spinfoam representation of loop quantum gravity (3)
10:00-10:50 Etera Livine: Spinfoam representation of loop quantum gravity (4)
11:10-12:00 Abhay Ashtekar: Loop quantum cosmology (3)
2:30-3:20 John Barrett: Asymptotics of spin foam models (2)
3:30-4:20 John Barrett: Asymptotics of spin foam models (3)
4:40-5:30 Free Discussion (Chair: John Barrett):
Spin foams, Group field theory, Loop quantum cosmology,…
6:30pm Banquet

18 Aug (Sat.) Coordinator: Jerzy Lewandowski
9:00-9:50 Etera Livine: Spinfoam representation of loop quantum gravity (5)
10:00-10:50 Abhay Ashtekar: Loop quantum cosmology (4)
11:05-11:55 Free Discussion: (Chair: Abhay Ashtekar)-------11:55-12:00 Closing Session

I see that Lewandowski is giving 5 hour lectures on Canonical LQG. Livine is giving 5 on Spinfoam LQG, Ashtekar is giving 4 on Loop Cosmology, Engle 4 on Loop BH, Barrett 3 on Spinfoam limits, Bahr 3 on Regge, Krajewski 3 on GFT.

marcus · Sep 7, 2012

Webpages for Loops 2013 are online, it's interesting to see who they have on board for the International Advisory Committee, and who the local organizers are:

http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca/en/Events/Loops_13/Loops_13/

International Advisory Committee

Giovanni Ameliano-Camelia, University of Rome
Abhay Ashtekar, Pennsylvania State University
Fernando Barbero, Instituto de Estructura de la Materia
John Barrett, University of Nottingham
James Bjorken, SLAC
Martin Bojowald, Pennsylvania State University
Robert Brandenberger, McGill University
Alejandro Corichi, Pennsylvania State University
Fay Dowker, Imperial College, London
Rodolfo Gambini, Instituto de Fisica Facultad de Ciendias
Steve Giddings, University of California, Santa Barbara
Viqar Husain, University of New Brunswick
Ted Jacobson, University of Maryland
Kirill Krasnov, University of Nottingham
Jerzy Lewandowski, University of Warsaw
Stefano Liberati, SISSA
Etera Livine, Ens de Lyon
Renate Loll, Universiteit Utrecht
Joao Magueijo, Imperial College, London
Alex Maloney, McGill University
Matilde Marcolli, California Institute of Technology
Guillermo Mena, Instituto de Estructura de la Materia
Djordje Minic, Virginia Tech
Daniele Oriti, Albert Einstein Institute
Roberto Percacci, SISSA
Alejandro Perez, Centre de Physique Theorique
Jorge Pullin, Lousiana State University
Martin Reuter, Johannes Gutenberg Universitat
Vincent Rivasseau, Laboratoire de Physique Théorique d'Orsay
Carlo Rovelli, Centre de Physique Theorique
Thomas Thiemann, Institut für Theoretische Physik III
William Unruh, University of British Columbia

This is a Loops conference, but somebody has applied ecumenical outreach to the International Advisory Committee. We all know who Matilda Marcolli and Roberto Percacci are. It is great they are on board. And Rivasseau! And James Bjorken! And Ted Jacobson!
Alex Maloney is a young string star who has coauthored with Witten and made faculty at McGill. Probably everybody knows of Steve Giddings and Robert Brandenberger, who've been prominent in String Theory and in string-related Cosmology.
Wow this is Unitarian Universalist Loops 2.0
Maybe it is how it always OUGHT to have been. Am I dreaming?

To make the mix visual, I colored general QG phenomenology green, competing theories orange (Spectral Geometry, AsymSafe, CDT, CausalSets) and string magenta---with blue reserved for some all-purpose great people.

marcus · Sep 8, 2012

Who are the young Perimeter people who are doing the Local Organizer work for Loops 13?
Of course Lee Smolin is the main Perimeter host for the conference. But who else besides him is Local Organizing?
http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca/en/Events/Loops_13/Loops_13/
http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca/Events/Loops_13/Local_Organizers/ Local Organizers

Joseph Ben Geloun, Perimeter Institute
Eugenio Bianchi, Perimeter Institute
Valentin Bonzom, Perimeter Institute
Bianca Dittrich, Perimeter Institute
Astrid Eichhorn, Perimeter Institute
Cecilia Flori, Perimeter Institute
Laurent Freidel, Perimeter Institute
Steffen Gielen, Perimeter Institute
Florian Girelli, Perimeter Institute
Philipp Hoehn, Perimeter Institute
Mercedes Martin-Benito, Perimeter Institute
Flavio, Mercati, Perimeter Institute
Lee Smolin, Perimeter Institute

marcus · Sep 17, 2012

I misspoke in the previous post. The main hosts for Loops 2013 are THREE people: Bianca Dittrich, Laurent Freidel, and Lee Smolin.
Plus there is quite a large crew of Perimeter folk doing the local organizing. The International Scientific Advisory committee has an interesting makeup. If you haven't examined it yet please to scroll back a couple of posts and take a look.
===============
The next big triennial conference for quantum relativists will be "GR20" in Warsaw July 2013.
It actually comes a few weeks before Loops 2013. The announcement and conference webpages were just posted last week. I'll get the list of parallel sessions. This can help us get an idea of what the conference organizers think their research community is interested in, and where important developments are occurring.
http://gr20-amaldi10.edu.pl/index.php?id=18

Parallel sessions: Title (Chairpersons)
A1: Exact solutions and their interpretation (J. Bicak, J. Tafel)
A2: Mathematical relativity and other progress in classical gravity theory (P. Chrusciel)
A3: Modified gravity theories (P. Horava)
A4: Complex and conformal methods in classical and quantum gravity (M. Dunajski)
B1: Relativistic astrophysics (C. Miller, I. Mandel)
B2: Numerical relativity and astrophysical applications (N. Padmanabhan)
B3: Numerical relativity--methods, theoretical gravity and high energy applications (D. Garfinkle)
B4: Analytic approximations, perturbation theory, effective field theory methods and their applications (V. Cardoso, R. Porto)
B5: Observational cosmology (L. Verde)
B6: Theoretical/mathematical cosmology (R. Durrer)
C5: Experimental gravitation (J. Mueller, C. Laemmerzahl)
D1: Loop quantum gravity and spin foams (T. Pawlowski, B. Dittrich)
D2: Strings, branes and M-theory (R. Gopakumar)
D3: Causal sets, causal dynamical triangulations, non-commutative geometry,
and other approaches to quantum gravity (J. Jurkiewicz)
D4: Quantum fields in curved space-time, semiclassical gravity, quantum gravity phenomenology,
and analog models (C. Fewster, S. Liberati)

I'm struck by the fact that Dittrich and Pawlowski are chairing the LQG session. Dittrich has in progress what seems to me to be a bid to reformulate LQG spin foam dynamics in terms of holonomy spin foams offering the prospect of already well-developed coarse-graining techniques (among other expected benefits.) I think she now has a permanent or faculty position at Perimeter, possibly split with AEI-Potsdam, and a fair number of collaborators working with her on this project.
Tom Pawlowski has also been working in an interesting direction recently. Loop early universe cosmology and inflation. Andrea Dapor (one of his co-authors) gave two talks about this work recently at the triennial Marcel Grossmann meeting in Stockholm. Here for reference his most recent 4 papers:
1. arXiv:1207.4353
Inflation from non-minimally coupled scalar field in loop quantum cosmology
Michal Artymowski, Andrea Dapor, Tomasz Pawlowski
14 pages, 5 figures
2. arXiv:1112.0360
Positive cosmological constant in loop quantum cosmology
Tomasz Pawlowski, Abhay Ashtekar
36 pages, 6 figures
Phys. Rev. D 85, 064001 (2012)
3. arXiv:1108.1147
Dust reference frame in quantum cosmology
Viqar Husain, Tomasz Pawlowski
8 pages
4. arXiv:1108.1145
Time and a physical Hamiltonian for quantum gravity
Viqar Husain, Tomasz Pawlowski
5 pages, version to appear in Phys. Rev. Lett

I'm impressed that not only does GR20 provide a session for LQG/SF chaired by these two people but also there is a separate session devoted to: Causal sets, causal dynamical triangulations, non-commutative geometry, and other approaches to quantum gravity. The chairman Jurkiewicz has co-authored many CDT papers with Ambjorn and Loll.

kokolovehuh · Mar 30, 2014

Just a quick question. I thought formulation of loop structure was based on the idea using Giles's theorem and defining different colors via dimensions of solution to the connection's algebra. Here, the author says it's due to vibrations as in QFT. Thoughts?

Introduction To Loop Quantum Gravity

Similar threads

Hot Threads

Recent Insights