2007/11/30 by R. Loll, R Loll · 6 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Mathematical Theories and Applications #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity Theories #gr-qc #hep-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/0264-9381/25/11/114006
published as Class.Quant.Grav.25:114006,2008 · 22 pages, 11 figures, final version includes small clarifications/amendments in response to referee comments, to appear in CQG
arxiv created 2008/04/16 · openalex publication_date 2008/05/15 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Is there an approach to quantum gravity which is conceptually simple, relies on very few fundamental physical principles and ingredients, emphasizes geometric (as opposed to algebraic) properties, comes with a definite numerical approximation scheme, and produces robust results, which go beyond showing mere internal consistency of the formalism? The answer is a resounding yes: it is the attempt to construct a nonperturbative theory of quantum gravity, valid on all scales, with the technique of so-called Causal Dynamical Triangulations. Despite its conceptual simplicity, the results obtained up to now are far from trivial. Most remarkable at this stage is perhaps the fully dynamical emergence of a classical background (and solution to the Einstein equations) from a nonperturbative sum over geometries, without putting in any preferred geometric background at the outset. In addition, there is concrete evidence for the presence of a fractal spacetime foam on Planckian distance scales. The availability of a computational framework provides built-in reality checks of the approach, whose importance can hardly be overestimated.