Jonathan Engle

We introduce a notion of residual diffeomorphism covariance in quantum Kantowski–Sachs (KS) describing the interior of a Schwarzschild black hole. We solve for the family of Hamiltonian constraint operators satisfying the associated covariance condition, as well as parity invariance, preservation of the Bohr Hilbert space of the Loop Quantum KS and a correct (naïve) classical limit. We further explore the imposition of minimality for the number of terms and compare the solution with those of other Hamiltonian constraints proposed for the Loop Quantum KS in the literature. In particular, we discuss a lapse that was recently commonly chosen due to the resulting decoupling of the evolution of the two degrees of freedom and the exact solubility of the model. We show that such a choice of lapse can indeed be quantized as an operator that is densely defined on the Bohr Hilbert space and that any such operator must include an infinite number of shift operators.

We introduce a notion of residual diffeomorphism covariance in quantum Kantowski-Sachs (KS), describing the interior of a Schwarzschild black hole. We solve for the family of Hamiltonian constraint operators satisfying the associated covariance condition, as well as parity invariance, preservation of the Bohr Hilbert space of Loop Quantum KS and a correct (naïve) classical limit. We further explore imposing minimality of the number of terms, and compare the solution with other Hamiltonian constraints proposed for Loop Quantum KS in the literature. In particular, we discuss a lapse recently commonly chosen due to the resulting decoupling of evolution of the two degrees of freedom and exact solubility of the model. We show that such a lapse choice can indeed be quantized as an operator densely defined on the Bohr Hilbert space, and that any such operator must include an infinite number of shift operators.

Spinfoams provide a framework for the dynamics of loop quantum gravity that is manifestly covariant under the full four-dimensional diffeomorphism symmetry group of general relativity. In this way they complete the ideal of three-dimensional diffeomorphism covariance that consistently motivates loop quantum gravity at every step. Specifically, spinfoam models aim to provide a projector onto, and a physical inner product on, the simultaneous kernel of all of the constraints of loop quantum gravity by means of a discretization of the gravitational path integral. In the limit of small Planck constant, they are closely related to the path integral for Regge calculus, while at the same time retaining all of the tools of a canonical quantum theory of gravity. They may also be understood as generalizations of well-understood state sum models for topological quantum field theories. In this chapter, we review all of these aspects of spinfoams, as well as review in detail the derivation of the currently most used spinfoam model, the EPRL model, calculational tools for it, and the various extensions of it in the literature. We additionally summarize some of the successes and open problems in the field.

We shed some light on the reason why the accidental flatness constraint appears in certain limits of the amplitudes of covariant loop quantum gravity. We show why this constraint is harmless, by displaying how analogous accidental constraints appear in transition amplitudes of simple systems, when certain limits are considered.

The authors previously introduced a diffeomorphism-invariant definition of a homogeneous and isotropic sector of loop quantum gravity (LQG), along with a program to embed loop quantum cosmology (LQC) into it. The present paper works out that program in detail for the simpler, but still physically non-trivial, case where the target of the embedding is the homogeneous, but not isotropic, Bianchi I model. The diffeomorphism-invariant conditions imposing homogeneity and isotropy in the full theory reduce to conditions imposing isotropy on an already homogeneous Bianchi I spacetime. The reduced conditions are invariant under the residual diffeomorphisms still allowed after gauge fixing the Bianchi I model. We show that there is a unique embedding of the quantum isotropic model into the homogeneous quantum Bianchi I model that (a) is covariant with respect to the actions of such residual diffeomorphisms, and (b) intertwines both the (signed) volume operator and at least one directional Hubble rate. That embedding also intertwines all other operators of interest in the respective loop quantum cosmological models, including their Hamiltonian constraints. It thus establishes a precise equivalence between dynamics in the isotropic sector of the Bianchi I model and the quantized isotropic model, and not just their kinematics. We also discuss the adjoint relationship between the embedding map defined here and a projection map previously defined by Ashtekar and Wilson-Ewing. Finally, we highlight certain features that simplify this reduced embedding problem, but which may not have direct analogues in the embedding of homogeneous and isotropic LQC into full LQG.

The authors previously introduced a diffeomorphism-invariant definition of a homogeneous and isotropic sector of loop quantum gravity, along with a program to embed loop quantum cosmology into it. The present paper works out that program in detail for the simpler, but still physically non-trivial, case where the target of the embedding is the homogeneous, but not isotropic, Bianchi I model. The diffeomorphism-invariant conditions imposing homogeneity and isotropy in the full theory reduce to conditions imposing isotropy on an already homogeneous Bianchi I spacetime. The reduced conditions are invariant under the residual diffeomorphisms still allowed after gauge fixing the Bianchi I model. We show that there is a unique embedding of the quantum isotropic model into the homogeneous quantum Bianchi I model that (a) is covariant with respect to the actions of such residual diffeomorphisms, and (b) intertwines both the (signed) volume operator and at least one directional Hubble rate. That embedding also intertwines all other operators of interest in the respective loop quantum cosmological models, including their Hamiltonian constraints. It thus establishes a precise equivalence between dynamics in the isotropic sector of the Bianchi I model and the quantized isotropic model, and not just their kinematics. We also discuss the adjoint relationship between the embedding map defined here and a projection map previously defined by Ashtekar and Wilson-Ewing. Finally, we highlight certain features that simplify this reduced embedding problem, but which may not have direct analogues in the embedding of homogeneous and isotropic loop quantum cosmology into full loop quantum gravity.

We show that, when an approximation used in this prior work is removed, the resulting improved calculation yields an alternative derivation, in the particular case studied, of the accidental curvature constraint of Hellmann and Kaminski. The result is at the same time extended to apply to almost all non-degenerate Regge-like boundary data and a broad class of face amplitudes. This resolves a tension in the literature.

We show that, when an approximation used in this prior work is removed, the resulting improved calculation yields an alternative derivation, in the particular case studied, of the accidental curvature constraint of Hellmann and Kaminski. The result is at the same time extended to apply to almost all non-degenerate Regge-like boundary data and a broad class of face amplitudes. This resolves a tension in the literature.