Boundaries, frames and the issue of physical covariance

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: Gomes, Henrique, Langenscheidt, Simon, Oriti, Daniele
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2024
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author Gomes, Henrique
Langenscheidt, Simon
Oriti, Daniele
author_facet Gomes, Henrique
Langenscheidt, Simon
Oriti, Daniele
contents We focus on three distinct lines of recent developments: edge modes and boundary charges in gravitational physics, relational dynamics in classical and quantum gravity, and quantum reference frames. We argue that these research directions are in fact linked in multiple ways, and can be seen as different aspects of the same research programme. This research programme has two main physical goals and one general focus, as well as broader conceptual implications. The physical goals are to move beyond the two idealizations/approximations of asymptotic or closed boundary conditions in gravitational physics and of ideal reference frames (coded in coordinate frames or gauge fixings), thus achieving a more realistic modelling of (quantum) gravitational physical phenomena. These two goals combine to identify a key open issue: a proper characterization of physical covariance, i.e. covariance across fully physical (as opposed to idealized) reference frames. The broader conceptual implications concern the influence of observers in physics and possible physical limits to objectivity.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2412_00993
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Boundaries, frames and the issue of physical covariance
Gomes, Henrique
Langenscheidt, Simon
Oriti, Daniele
History and Philosophy of Physics
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Theory
Quantum Physics
We focus on three distinct lines of recent developments: edge modes and boundary charges in gravitational physics, relational dynamics in classical and quantum gravity, and quantum reference frames. We argue that these research directions are in fact linked in multiple ways, and can be seen as different aspects of the same research programme. This research programme has two main physical goals and one general focus, as well as broader conceptual implications. The physical goals are to move beyond the two idealizations/approximations of asymptotic or closed boundary conditions in gravitational physics and of ideal reference frames (coded in coordinate frames or gauge fixings), thus achieving a more realistic modelling of (quantum) gravitational physical phenomena. These two goals combine to identify a key open issue: a proper characterization of physical covariance, i.e. covariance across fully physical (as opposed to idealized) reference frames. The broader conceptual implications concern the influence of observers in physics and possible physical limits to objectivity.
title Boundaries, frames and the issue of physical covariance
topic History and Philosophy of Physics
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Theory
Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.00993