General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)

Abstract: We present a covariant study of static space-times, as such and as solutions of gravity theories. By expressing the relevant tensors through the velocity and the acceleration vectors that characterise static space-times, the field equations provide a natural non-redundant set of scalar equations. The same vectors suggest the form of a Faraday tensor, that is studied in itself and in (non)-linear electrodynamics. In spherical symmetry, we evaluate the explicit expressions of the Ricci, the Weyl, the Cotton and the Bach tensors. Simple restrictions on the coefficients yield well known and new solutions in Einstein, f(R), Cotton and Conformal gravity, with or without charges, in vacuo or with fluid source.

Abstract: We analyze quantum-mechanical counterpart of Newtonian cosmology and show that effects of zero-point motion eliminate classical density singularity. Quantum effects are particularly significant for closed Universes where without the cosmological constant the energy spectrum and space curvature are quantized. When small positive cosmological constant is included, these states become quasi-stationary and decay via tunneling. Corresponding metastable Universes evolve in three stages: long period of gestation followed by rapid tunneling expansion further followed by slower Hubble expansion.

Abstract: Effective spin foams provide the computationally most efficient spin foam models yet and are therefore ideally suited for applications e.g. to quantum cosmology. We provide here the first effective spin foam computations of a finite time evolution step in a Lorentzian quantum de Sitter universe. We will consider a set-up which computes the no-boundary wave function, as well as a set-up describing the transition between two finite scale factors. A key property of spin foams is that they implement discrete spectra for the areas. We therefore study the effects that are induced by the discrete spectra. To perform these computations we had to identify a technique to deal with highly oscillating and slowly converging, or even diverging sums. We illustrate here that high order Shanks transformation work very well and are a promising tool for the evaluation of Lorentzian (gravitational) path integrals and spin foam sums.

Abstract: Considerable attention has been paid to the study of the quantum geometry of nonrotating black holes within the framework of Loop Quantum Cosmology. This interest has been reinvigorated since the introduction of a novel effective model by Ashtekar, Olmedo and Singh. Despite recent advances in its foundation, there are certain questions about its quantization that still remain open. Here we complete this quantization taking as starting point an extended phase space formalism suggested by several authors, including the proposers of the model. Adopting a prescription that has proven succesful in Loop Quantum Cosmology, we construct an operator representation of the Hamiltonian constraint. By searching for solutions to this constraint operator in a sufficiently large set of dual states, we show that it can be solved for a continuous range of the black hole mass. This fact seems in favour of a conventional classical limit (at least for large masses) and contrasts with recent works that advocate a discrete spectrum. We present an algorithm that determines the solutions in closed form. To build the corresponding physical Hilbert space and conclude the quantization, we carry out an asymptotic analysis of those solutions, which allows us to introduce a suitable inner product on them.