Covariant origin of the U(1)3 model for Euclidean quantum gravity

If one replaces the constraints of the Ashtekar-Barbero $SU(2)$ gauge theory formulation of Euclidean gravity by their $U(1)^3$ version, one arrives at a consistent model which captures significant structures of its $SU(2)$ version. In particular, it displays a non-trivial realisation of the hypersurface deformation algebra which makes it an interesting testing ground for (Euclidean) quantum gravity as has been emphasised in a recent series of papers due to Varadarajan et al. The simplification from SU(2) to U(1)$^3$ can be performed simply by hand within the Hamiltonian formulation by dropping all non-Abelian terms from the Gauss, spatial diffeomorphism, and Hamiltonian constraints respectively. However, one may ask from which Lagrangian formulation this theory descends. For the SU(2) theory it is known that one can choose the Palatini action, Holst action, or (anti-)selfdual action (Euclidean signature) as starting point all leading to equivalent Hamiltonian formulations. In this paper, we systematically analyse this question directly for the U(1)$^3$ theory. Surprisingly, it turns out that the Abelian analog of the Palatini or Holst formulation is a consistent but topological theory without propagating degrees of freedom. On the other hand, a twisted Abelian analog of the (anti-)selfdual formulation does lead to the desired Hamiltonian formulation. A new aspect of our derivation is that we work with 1. half-density valued tetrads which simplifies the analysis, 2. without the simplicity constraint (which admits one undesired solution that is usually neglected by hand) and 3. without imposing the time gauge from the beginning. As a byproduct, we show that also the non-Abelian theory admits a twisted (anti-)selfdual formulation. Finally, we also derive a pure connection formulation of Euclidean GR including a cosmological constant by extending previous work due to Capovilla, Dell, Jacobson, and Peldan which may be an interesting starting point for path integral investigations and displays (Euclidean) GR as a Yang-Mills theory with non-polynomial Lagrangian.

Distributions in CFT. Part II. Minkowski space

CFTs in Euclidean signature satisfy well-accepted rules, such as the convergent Euclidean OPE. It is nowadays common to assume that CFT correlators exist and have various properties also in Lorentzian signature. Some of these properties may represent extra assumptions, and it is an open question if they hold for familiar statistical-physics CFTs such as the critical 3d Ising model. Here we consider Wightman 4-point functions of scalar primaries in Lorentzian signature. We derive a minimal set of their properties solely from the Euclidean unitary CFT axioms, without using extra assumptions. We establish all Wightman axioms (temperedness, spectral property, local commutativity, clustering), Lorentzian conformal invariance, and distributional convergence of the s-channel Lorentzian OPE. This is done constructively, by analytically continuing the 4-point functions using the s-channel OPE expansion in the radial cross-ratios ρ, $$ \overline{\rho} $$ ρ ¯ . We prove a key fact that |ρ|, $$ \left|\overline{\rho}\right| $$ ρ ¯ < 1 inside the forward tube, and set bounds on how fast |ρ|, $$ \left|\overline{\rho}\right| $$ ρ ¯ may tend to 1 when approaching the Minkowski space.We also provide a guide to the axiomatic QFT literature for the modern CFT audience. We review the Wightman and Osterwalder-Schrader (OS) axioms for Lorentzian and Euclidean QFTs, and the celebrated OS theorem connecting them. We also review a classic result of Mack about the distributional OPE convergence. Some of the classic arguments turn out useful in our setup. Others fall short of our needs due to Lorentzian assumptions (Mack) or unverifiable Euclidean assumptions (OS theorem).

Sasakians and the geometry of a mass term

A gauge-invariant mass term for nonabelian gauge fields in two dimensions can be expressed as the Wess–Zumino–Witten (WZW) action. Hard thermal loops in the gauge theory in four dimensions at finite temperatures generate a screening mass for some components of the gauge field. This can be expressed in terms of the WZW action using the bundle of complex structures (for Euclidean signature) or the bundle of lightcones over Minkowski space. We show that a dynamically generated mass term in three dimensions can be put within the same general framework using the bundle of Sasakian structures.

A note on boundary conditions in Euclidean gravity

We review what is known about boundary conditions in General Relativity on a spacetime of Euclidean signature. The obvious Dirichlet boundary condition, in which one specifies the boundary geometry, is actually not elliptic and in general does not lead to a well-defined perturbation theory. It is better-behaved if the extrinsic curvature of the boundary is suitably constrained, for instance if it is positive- or negative-definite. A different boundary condition, in which one specifies the conformal geometry of the boundary and the trace of the extrinsic curvature, is elliptic and always leads formally to a satisfactory perturbation theory. These facts might have interesting implications for semiclassical approaches to quantum gravity. April, 2018

2-D AXIOMATIC CONFORMAL FIELD THEORY

In this article I have tried to give a self-contained introduction to two-dimensional conformal field theory through some basic concepts and postulates – that is using a system of axioms as presented in [1] and based on the work of Osterwalder and Schrader [2], [3]. I will assume the Euclidean signature (+,+) on ℝ2 (or on Reimann surfaces), as it is customary because of the close connection of conformal field theory to statistical mechanics ( [4] and [5]) and its relation to complex analysis.

Perturbatively renormalizable quantum gravity

The Wilsonian renormalization group (RG) requires Euclidean signature. The conformal factor of the metric then has a wrong-sign kinetic term, which has a profound effect on its RG properties. In particular, around the Gaussian fixed point, it supports a Hilbert space of renormalizable interactions involving arbitrarily high powers of the gravitational fluctuations. These interactions are characterized by being exponentially suppressed for large field amplitude, perturbative in Newton’s constant but nonperturbative in Planck’s constant. By taking a limit to the boundary of the Hilbert space, diffeomorphism invariance is recovered whilst retaining renormalizability. Thus the so-called conformal factor instability points the way to constructing a perturbatively renormalizable theory of quantum gravity.

A toy model of discretized gravity in two dimensions and its extensions

We propose a toy model of quantum gravity in two dimensions with Euclidean signature. The model is given by a kind of discretization which is different from the dynamical triangulation. We show that there exists a continuum limit and we can calculate some physical quantities such as the expectation value of the area, that is, the volume of the two-dimensional Euclidean spacetime. We also consider the extensions of the model to higher dimensions.