Cayetano Di Bartolo

Canonical quantization of constrained theories on discrete spacetime lattices

We discuss the canonical quantization of systems formulated on discrete spacetimes. We start by analysing the quantization of simple mechanical systems with discrete time. The quantization becomes challenging when the systems have anholonomic constraints. We propose a new canonical formulation and quantization for such systems in terms of discrete canonical transformations. This allows us to construct, for the first time, a canonical formulation for general constrained mechanical systems with discrete time. We extend the analysis to gauge field theories on the lattice. We consider a complete canonical formulation, starting from a discrete action, for lattice Yang–Mills theory discretized in space and Maxwell theory discretized in space and time. After completing the treatment, the results can be shown to coincide with the results of the traditional transfer matrix method. We then apply the method to BF theory, yielding the first lattice treatment for such a theory ever. The framework presented deals directly with the Lorentzian signature without requiring a Euclidean rotation. The whole discussion is framed in such a way so as to provide a formalism that would allow a consistent, well-defined, canonical formulation and quantization of discrete general relativity, which we will discuss in a forthcoming paper.

Consistent canonical quantization of general relativity in the space of vassiliev invariants

We present a quantization of the Hamiltonian and diffeomorphism constraint of canonical quantum gravity in the spin network representation. The novelty consists in considering a space of wave functions based on the Vassiliev invariants. The constraints are finite, well defined, and reproduce at the level of quantum commutators the Poisson algebra of constraints of the classical theory. A similar construction can be carried out in 2+1 dimensions leading to the correct quantum theory.

Dirac-type approach for consistent discretizations of classical constrained theories

We analyze the canonical treatment of classical constrained mechanical systems formulated with a discrete time. We prove that under very general conditions, it is possible to introduce nonsingular canonical transformations that preserve the constraint surface and the Poisson or Dirac bracket structure. The conditions for the preservation of the constraints are more stringent than in the continuous case and as a consequence some of the continuum constraints become second class upon discretization and need to be solved by fixing their associated Lagrange multipliers. The gauge invariance of the discrete theory is encoded in a set of arbitrary functions that appear in the generating function of the evolution equations. The resulting scheme is general enough to accommodate the treatment of field theories on the lattice. This paper attempts to clarify and put on sounder footing a discretization technique that has already been used to treat a variety of systems, including Yang–Mills theories, BF theory, and gen...

The extended loop group: An infinite dimensional manifold associated with the loop space

A set of coordinates in the non-parametric loop-space is introduced. We show that these coordinates transform under infinite dimensional linear representations of the diffeomorphism group. An extension of the group of loops in terms of these objects is proposed. The enlarged group behaves locally as an infinite dimensional Lie group. Ordinary loops form a subgroup of this group. The algebraic properties of this new mathematical structure are analyzed in detail. Applications of the formalism to field theory, quantum gravity and knot theory are considered.

Consistent and mimetic discretizations in general relativity

A discretization of a continuum theory with constraints or conserved quantities is called mimetic if it mirrors the conserved laws or constraints of the continuum theory at the discrete level. Such discretizations have been found useful in continuum mechanics and in electromagnetism. We have recently introduced a new technique for discretizing constrained theories. The technique yields discretizations that are consistent, in the sense that the constraints and evolution equations can be solved simultaneously, but it cannot be considered mimetic since it achieves consistency by determining the Lagrange multipliers. In this paper we would like to show that when applied to general relativity linearized around a Minkowski background the technique yields a discretization that is mimetic in the traditional sense of the word. We show this using the traditional metric variables and also the Ashtekar new variables, but in the latter case we restrict ourselves to the Euclidean case. We also argue that there appear t...

Knot polynomial states of quantum gravity in terms of loops and extended loops: Some remarks

In this paper we review the status of several solutions to all the constraints of quantum gravity that have been proposed in terms of loops and extended loops, based on knot polynomials. We discuss pitfalls of several of the results, and in particular the issues of covariance and regularization of the constraints in terms of extended loops. We also propose a formalism for ‘‘thickened out loops,’’ which does not face the covariance problems of extended loops and may allow to regularize expressions in a consistent manner.

Uniform discretizations: A Quantization procedure for totally constrained systems including gravity

We present a new method for the quantization of totally constrained systems including general relativity. The method consists in constructing discretized theories that have a well defined and controlled continuum limit. The discrete theories are constraint-free and can be readily quantized. This provides a framework where one can introduce a relational notion of time and that nevertheless approximates in a well defined fashion the theory of interest. The method is equivalent to the group averaging procedure for many systems where the latter makes sense and provides a generalization otherwise. In the continuum limit it can be shown to contain, under certain assumptions, the master constraint of the Phoenix project. It also provides a correspondence principle with the classical theory that does not require to consider the semiclassical limit.

Second quantization of the antisymmetric potential in the space of Abelian surfaces

We use the group of Abelian surfaces to develop a gauge-independent quantization for the two-index antisymmetric potential. An exact solution is found for the vacuum and the photon state, and a regularization scheme is proposed.

An analytical expression for the third coefficient of the Jones Polynomial

Abstract An analytical expression for the third coefficient of the Jones polynomial PJ[γ, eq] in the variable q is reported. Applications of the result in Quantum Gravity are considered.

Canonical quantum gravity in the Vassiliev invariants arena: I. Kinematical structure

We generalize the idea of Vassiliev invariants to the spin network context, with the aim of using these invariants as a kinematical arena for a canonical quantization of gravity. This paper presents a detailed construction of these invariants (both ambient and regular isotopic) requiring a significant elaboration based on the use of Chern-Simons perturbation theory which extends the work of Kauffman, Martin and Witten to four-valent networks. We show that this space of knot invariants has the crucial property - from the point of view of the quantization of gravity - of being loop differentiable in the sense of distributions. This allows the definition of diffeomorphism and Hamiltonian constraints. We show that the invariants are annihilated by the diffeomorphism constraint. In a companion paper we elaborate on the definition of a Hamiltonian constraint, discuss the constraint algebra and show that the construction leads to a consistent theory of canonical quantum gravity.