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Main Authors: Gielen, Steffen, Neves, Rita B.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.01907
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author Gielen, Steffen
Neves, Rita B.
author_facet Gielen, Steffen
Neves, Rita B.
contents We study the quantum dynamics of de Sitter space formulated as a minisuperspace model with flat spatial hypersurfaces in unimodular gravity, both in the Wheeler-DeWitt approach and in loop quantum cosmology (LQC). Time evolution is defined naturally in unimodular time, which appears as conjugate to the cosmological (integration) constant. We show that requiring unitary time evolution "resolves" the de Sitter horizon where the flat slicing breaks down and leads to strong quantum effects there, even though locally nothing special happens at this surface. For a cosmological constant that is far below the Planck scale, loop quantum gravity corrections do not alter the main results in any substantial way. This model illustrates the fundamental clash between general covariance and unitarity in quantum gravity.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2412_01907
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Low-curvature quantum corrections from unitary evolution of de Sitter space
Gielen, Steffen
Neves, Rita B.
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Theory
We study the quantum dynamics of de Sitter space formulated as a minisuperspace model with flat spatial hypersurfaces in unimodular gravity, both in the Wheeler-DeWitt approach and in loop quantum cosmology (LQC). Time evolution is defined naturally in unimodular time, which appears as conjugate to the cosmological (integration) constant. We show that requiring unitary time evolution "resolves" the de Sitter horizon where the flat slicing breaks down and leads to strong quantum effects there, even though locally nothing special happens at this surface. For a cosmological constant that is far below the Planck scale, loop quantum gravity corrections do not alter the main results in any substantial way. This model illustrates the fundamental clash between general covariance and unitarity in quantum gravity.
title Low-curvature quantum corrections from unitary evolution of de Sitter space
topic General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Theory
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.01907