2022/08/03 by Jonathan J. Heckman, Heckman, Jonathan J., Austin Joyce +5 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies #Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity Theories
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2208.02267
We explore potential uses of physics formulated in Kleinian (i.e., 2+2) signature spacetimes as a tool for understanding properties of physics in Lorentzian (i.e., 3+1) signature. Much as Euclidean (i.e., 4+0) signature quantities can be used to formally construct the ground state wavefunction of a Lorentzian signature quantum field theory, a similar analytic continuation to Kleinian signature constructs a state of low particle flux in the direction of analytic continuation. There is also a natural supersymmetry algebra available in 2+2 signature, which serves to constrain the structure of correlation functions. Spontaneous breaking of Lorentz symmetry can produce various N = 1/2 supersymmetry algebras that in 3 + 1 signature correspond to non-supersymmetric systems. We speculate on the possible role of these structures in addressing the cosmological constant problem.