Leonardo Modesto

Fractal spacetime from the area spectrum

In this communication, we calculate the spectral dimension in loop quantum gravity (LQG) using simple arguments coming from the area spectrum at different length scales. We obtain that the spectral dimension of the spatial section runs from 2 to 3, across a 1.5 phase, when the energy of a probe scalar field decreases from high to low energy. We calculate also the spectral dimension of the spacetime using results from spin-foam models and we obtain a two-dimensional effective manifold at high energy. Our result is consistent with two other approaches to non-perturbative quantum gravity: causal dynamical triangulation and asymptotically safety quantum gravity.In this paper we have calculated the spectral dimension of loop quantum gravity (LQG) using simple arguments coming from the area spectrum at different length scales. We have obtained that the spectral dimension of the spatial section runs from 2 to 3, across a 1.5 phase, when the energy of a probe scalar field decrees from high to low energy. We have calculated the spectral dimension of the space-time also using results from spin-foam models, obtaining a 2-dimensional effective manifold at hight energy. Our result is consistent with other two approach to non perturbative quantum gravity: causal dynamical triangulation and asymptotic safety quantum gravity.

Rotating regular black holes

Abstract The formation of spacetime singularities is a quite common phenomenon in General Relativity and it is regulated by specific theorems. It is widely believed that spacetime singularities do not exist in Nature, but that they represent a limitation of the classical theory. While we do not yet have any solid theory of quantum gravity, toy models of black hole solutions without singularities have been proposed. So far, there are only non-rotating regular black holes in the literature. These metrics can be hardly tested by astrophysical observations, as the black hole spin plays a fundamental role in any astrophysical process. In this Letter, we apply the Newman–Janis algorithm to the Hayward and to the Bardeen black hole metrics. In both cases, we obtain a family of rotating solutions. Every solution corresponds to a different matter configuration. Each family has one solution with special properties, which can be written in Kerr-like form in Boyer–Lindquist coordinates. These special solutions are of Petrov type D, they are singularity free, but they violate the weak energy condition for a non-vanishing spin and their curvature invariants have different values at r = 0 depending on the way one approaches the origin. We propose a natural prescription to have rotating solutions with a minimal violation of the weak energy condition and without the questionable property of the curvature invariants at the origin.

Charged rotating noncommutative black holes

In this paper we complete the program of the noncomutative geometry inspired black holes, providing the richest possible solution, endowed with mass, charge and angular momentum. After providing a prescription for employing the Newman-Janis algorithm in the case of nonvanishing stress tensors, we find regular axisymmetric charged black holes in the presence of a minimal length. We study also the new thermodynamics and we determine the corresponding higher-dimensional solutions. As a conclusion we make some consideration about possible applications.

Spectral dimension of a quantum universe

In this paper, we calculate in a transparent way the spectral dimension of a quantum spacetime, considering a diffusion process propagating on a fluctuating manifold. To describe the erratic path of the diffusion, we implement a minimal length by averaging the graininess of the quantum manifold in the flat space case. As a result we obtain that, for large diffusion times, the quantum spacetime behaves like a smooth differential manifold of discrete dimension. On the other hand, for smaller diffusion times, the spacetime looks like a fractal surface with a reduced effective dimension. For the specific case in which the diffusion time has the size of the minimal length, the spacetime turns out to have a spectral dimension equal to 2, suggesting a possible renormalizable character of gravity in this regime. For smaller diffusion times, the spectral dimension approaches zero, making any physical interpretation less reliable in this extreme regime. We extend our result to the presence of a background field and curvature. We show that in this case the spectral dimension has a more complicated relation with the diffusion time, and conclusions about the renormalizable character of gravity become less straightforward with respect to what we found with the flat space analysis.

Super-renormalizable and finite gravitational theories

Abstract We hereby introduce and extensively study a class of non-polynomial higher derivative theories of gravity that realize a ultraviolet (UV) completion of Einstein general relativity. These theories are unitary (ghost free) and at most only one-loop divergences survive. The outcome is a class of theories super-renormalizable in even dimension and finite in odd dimension. Moreover, we explicitly prove in D = 4 that there exists an extension of the theory that is completely finite and all the beta functions vanish even at one-loop. These results can be easily extended in extra dimensions and it is likely that the higher dimensional theory can be made finite, too. Therefore we have the possibility for “finite quantum gravity” in any dimension.

Black holes in an ultraviolet complete quantum gravity

Abstract In this Letter we derive the gravity field equations by varying the action for an ultraviolet complete quantum gravity. Then we consider the case of a static source term and we determine an exact black hole solution. As a result we find a regular spacetime geometry: in place of the conventional curvature singularity extreme energy fluctuations of the gravitational field at small length scales provide an effective cosmological constant in a region locally described in terms of a de Sitter space. We show that the new metric coincides with the noncommutative geometry inspired Schwarzschild black hole. Indeed, we show that the ultraviolet complete quantum gravity, generated by ordinary matter is the dual theory of ordinary Einstein gravity coupled to a noncommutative smeared matter. In other words we obtain further insights about that quantum gravity mechanism which improves Einstein gravity in the vicinity of curvature singularities. This corroborates all the existing literature in the physics and phenomenology of noncommutative black holes.

Terminating black holes in asymptotically free quantum gravity

We study the homogeneous gravitational collapse of a spherical cloud of matter in a super-renormalizable and asymptotically free theory of gravity. We find a picture that differs substantially from the classical scenario. The central singularity appearing in classical general relativity is replaced by a bounce, after which the cloud re-expands indefinitely. We argue that a black hole, strictly speaking, never forms. The collapse only generates a temporary trapped surface, which can be interpreted as a black hole when the observational timescale is much shorter than the one of the collapse. However, it may also be possible that the gravitational collapse produces a black hole and that after the bounce the original cloud of matter evolves into a new universe.

Non-local massive gravity

Abstract We present a general covariant action for massive gravity merging together a class of “non-polynomial” and super-renormalizable or finite theories of gravity with the non-local theory of gravity recently proposed by Jaccard, Maggiore and Mitsou (Phys. Rev. D 88 (2013) 044033). Our diffeomorphism invariant action gives rise to the equations of motion appearing in non-local massive gravity plus quadratic curvature terms. Not only the massive graviton propagator reduces smoothly to the massless one without a vDVZ discontinuity, but also our finite theory of gravity is unitary at tree level around the Minkowski background. We also show that, as long as the graviton mass m is much smaller the todayʼs Hubble parameter H 0 , a late-time cosmic acceleration can be realized without a dark energy component due to the growth of a scalar degree of freedom. In the presence of the cosmological constant Λ, the dominance of the non-local mass term leads to a kind of “degravitation” for Λ at the late cosmological epoch.

Model for nonsingular black hole collapse and evaporation

We study the formation of a black hole and its subsequent evaporation in a model employing a minisuperspace approach to loop quantum gravity. In previous work the static solution was obtained and shown to be singularity-free. Here, we examine the more realistic dynamical case by generalizing the static case with the help of the Vaidya metric. We track the formation and evolution of trapped surfaces during collapse and evaporation and examine the buildup of quantum gravitationally caused stress energy preventing the formation of a singularity.

Semiclassical loop quantum black hole

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. The new quantum constraint reduces to the classical constraint when the polymeric parameter δ goes to zero. Using this modification we have obtained a large class of semiclassical solutions parametrized by a generic function σ(δ). We have found that only a particular choice of this function reproduces the black hole solution with the correct asymptotic flat limit. In r = 0 the semiclassical metric is regular and the Kretschmann invariant has a maximum peaked in rmax ∼ lP . The radial position of the pick does not depend on the black hole mass and the polymeric parameter δ. The semiclassical solution is very similar to the Reissner-Nordström metric. We have constructed the Carter-Penrose diagrams explicitly, giving a causal description of the space-time and its maximal extension. The LQBH metric interpolates between two asymptotically flat regions, the r → ∞ region and the r → 0 region. We have studied the thermodynamics of the semiclassical solution. The temperature, entropy and the evaporation process are regular and could be defined independently from the polymeric parameter δ. We have studied the particular metric when the polymeric parameter goes towards to zero. This metric is regular in r = 0 and has only one event horizon in r = 2m. The Kretschmann invariant maximum depends only on lP . The polymeric parameter δ does not play any role in the black hole singularity resolution. The thermodynamics is the same.