Graviton propagator as a tool to test spinfoam models

I briefly review the advancements in the construction of the graviton propagator in the context of LQG and Spinfoam Models. In particular the problems of the Barrett-Crane vertex in giving the correct long-distance limit and the introduction of the new corrected models. This kind of calculation applied to an alternative vertex with given asymptotic can give the correct propagator and is then able to help selecting spinfoam models. In particular the study of the asymptotic properties of the new models shows the predicted behavior able to overcome the BC difficulties and to give the correct propagatorComment: to appear in the Proceedings of the 3rd Stueckelberg Workshop on Relativistic Field Theories, July 2008, Pescara - Ital

Spin-Foam Models and the Physical Scalar Product

This paper aims at clarifying the link between Loop Quantum Gravity and Spin-Foam models in four dimensions. Starting from the canonical framework, we construct an operator P acting on the space of cylindrical functions Cyl($\Gamma$), where $\Gamma$ is the 4-simplex graph, such that its ma- trix elements are, up to some normalization factors, the vertex amplitude of Spin-Foam models. The Spin-Foam models we are considering are the topological model, the Barrett-Crane model and the Engle-Pereira-Rovelli model. The operator P is usually called the "projector" into physical states and its matrix elements gives the physical scalar product. Therefore, we relate the physical scalar product of Loop Quantum Gravity to vertex amplitudes of some Spin-Foam models. We discuss the possibility to extend the action of P to any cylindrical functions on the space manifold.Comment: 24 page

Phenomenology for an extra-dimension from gravitational waves propagation on a Kaluza-Klein space-time

In the present work we analize the behavior of 5-dimensional gravitational waves propagating on a Kaluza-Klein background and we face separately the two cases in which respectively the waves are generated before and after the process of dimensional compactification. We show that if the waves are originated on a 5-d space-time which fulfills the principle of general relativity, then the process of compactification can not reduce the dynamics to the pure 4-dimensional scalar, vector and tensor degrees of freedom. In particular, while the electromagnetic waves evolve independently, the scalar and tensor fields couple to each other; this feature appears because, when the gauge conditions are splitted, the presence of the scalar ripple prevents that the 4-d gravitational waves are traceless. The phenomenological issue of this scheme consists of an anomalous relative amplitude of the two independent polarizations which characterize the 4-d gravitational waves. Such profile of polarization amplitudes, if detected, would outline the extra-dimension in a very reliable way, because a wave with non-zero trace can not arise from ordinary matter sources. We discuss the above mentioned phenomenon either in the case of a unit constant value of the background scalar component (when the geodesic deviation is treated with precise outputs), and assuming such background field as a dynamical degree (only qualitative conclusion are provided here, because the details of the polarization amplitudes depend on the choice of specific metric forms). Finally we perturb a real Kaluza-Klein theory showing that in this context, while the electromagnetic waves propagate independently, the 4-d gravitational waves preserve their ordinary structure, while the scalar plays for them the role of source.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figures, to appear on Int. Journ. Mod. Phys.

Quantum gravity predictions for black hole interior geometry

In a previous work we derived an effective Hamiltonian constraint for the Schwarzschild geometry starting from the full loop quantum gravity Hamiltonian constraint and computing its expectation value on coherent states sharply peaked around a spherically symmetric geometry. We now use this effective Hamiltonian to study the interior region of a Schwarzschild black hole, where a homogeneous foliation is available. Descending from the full theory, our effective Hamiltonian, though still bearing the well known ambiguities of the quantum Hamiltonian operator, preserves all relevant information about the fundamental discreteness of quantum space. This allows us to have a uniform treatment for all quantum gravity holonomy corrections to spatially homogeneous geometries, unlike the minisuperspace loop quantization models in which the effective Hamiltonian is postulated. We show how, for several geometrically and physically well motivated choices of coherent states, the classical black hole singularity is replaced by a homogeneous expanding Universe. The resultant geometries have no significant deviations from the classical Schwarzschild geometry in the pre-bounce sub-Planckian curvature regime, evidencing the fact that large quantum effects are avoided in these models. In all cases, we find no evidence of a white hole horizon formation. However, various aspects of the post-bounce effective geometry depend on the choice of quantum states.Comment: v2: 8 pages, 2 figures, wider class of states studied; published versio

Quantum reduced loop gravity effective Hamiltonians from a statistical regularization scheme

We introduce a new regularization scheme for Quantum Cosmology in Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG) using the tools of Quantum Reduced Loop Gravity (QRLG). It is obtained considering density matrices for superposition of graphs based on statistical countings of microstates compatible with macroscopic configurations. We call this procedure statistical regularization scheme. In particular, we show how the $\mu_0$ and $\bar{\mu}$ schemes introduced in Loop Quantum Cosmology (LQC) emerge with specific choices of density matrices. Within this new scheme we compute effective Hamiltonians suitable to describe quantum corrected Friedmann and Bianchi I universes and their leading orders coincide with the corresponding effective LQC Hamiltonians in the $\bar{\mu}$ scheme. We compute the next to the leading orders corrections and numerical investigation of the resulting dynamics shows evidence for the emergent-bouncing universe scenario to be a general property of the isotropic sector of QRLG.Comment: 22 pages, 4 figures. Two small typos fixed. Conclusions unchange

Bianchi I effective dynamics in Quantum Reduced Loop Gravity

The effective quantum dynamics of Bianchi I spacetime is addressed within the statistical regularization scheme in Quantum Reduced Loop Gravity. The case of a minimally coupled massless scalar field is studied and compared with the effective $\bar{\mu}-$Loop Quantum Cosmology. The dynamics provided by the two approaches match in the semiclassical limit but differ significantly after the bounces. Analytical and numerical inspections show that energy density, expansion scalar and shear are bounded also in Quantum Reduced Loop Gravity and the classical singularity is resolved for generic initial conditions in all spatial directions.Comment: 19 pages, 23 figures, 1 tabl

Regularized Hamiltonians and Spinfoams

We review a recent proposal for the regularization of the scalar constraint of General Relativity in the context of LQG. The resulting constraint presents strengths and weaknesses compared to Thiemann's prescription. The main improvement is that it can generate the 1-4 Pachner moves and its matrix elements contain 15j Wigner symbols, it is therefore compatible with the spinfoam formalism: the drawback is that Thiemann anomaly free proof is spoiled because the nodes that the constraint creates have volume.Comment: 4 pages, based on a talk given at Loops '11 in Madrid, to appear in Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS

The EPRL intertwiners and corrected partition function

Do the SU(2) intertwiners parametrize the space of the EPRL solutions to the simplicity constraint? What is a complete form of the partition function written in terms of this parametrization? We prove that the EPRL map is injective for n-valent vertex in case when it is a map from SO(3) into SO(3)xSO(3) representations. We find, however, that the EPRL map is not isometric. In the consequence, in order to be written in a SU(2) amplitude form, the formula for the partition function has to be rederived. We do it and obtain a new, complete formula for the partition function. The result goes beyond the SU(2) spin-foam models framework.Comment: RevTex4, 15 pages, 5 figures; theorem of injectivity of EPRL map correcte