Thermodynamic aspects of quantum gravity

量子引力的热力学方面

• 批准号: RGPIN-2017-05024
• 负责人: Smolin, Lee
• 金额: $ 3.88万
• 依托单位: University of Waterloo
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=711358
• 关键词: Thermodynamic; aspects; quantum; gravity

Quantum gravity is the search for the completion of the revolution in science that Einstein launched in 1905 with his simultaneous proposal of quantum theory and relativity theory. In this proposal I put forward a new strategy for completing Einstein's revolution, based on discovering new principles for quantum gravity. The aim of this proposal is to make significant progress on the problem of quantum gravity by building on a persistent theme of research the last 45 years, which is the thermodynamic nature of gravitation. There is ample evidence that the dynamics of general relativity, as expressed by the Einstein equations, embody phenomena that have a close analogue to thermodynamics. Such evidence comes from the classical laws of black hole mechanics, which apply to stationary black hole solutions. These suggest an identification of horizon area with entropy and surface gravity with temperature. When we take the mass of the black hole to correspond to energy, these quantities satisfy relations that have the form of the laws of thermodynamics. Over the last two decades, a very exciting hypothesis has been developed, according to which classical spacetime is an emergent phenomenon, arising from a fundamental quantum description, given by a discrete theory of fundamental processes. Hence, causation, energy and momentum are fundamental. Moreover, the Einstein equations of general relativity arise as the expression of the laws of thermodynamics applied to the fundamental quantum processes. In recent years the PI and others have developed this hypothesis, taking for the fundamental processes a model of quantum spacetime called spin foam models. There have also been inspiring insights obtained by combining entanglement entropy with holography. The present proposal builds on this recent progress in four ways. First, we seek to discover the principles which underlie the fundamental quantum processes. These include a version of the holographic principle as well as an extension of the equivalence principle to histories of quantum processes. Second, we will derive general relativity directly as a consequence of the principles, combined with the laws of thermodynamics. Third, we seek to develop new experimental predictions directly from these principles, giving us new quantum gravity phenomena by which the principles may be tested. Fourth, we will test whether specific models of quantum spacetime satisfy the principles. These include spin foam models, proposals for background independent string theories, causal set models and dynamical triangulation models. We believe this is a strategy to discover quantum gravity which takes best advantage of the deep links connecting gravity to thermodynamics as well as recent insights regarding holography and entanglement. It also builds on progress in various models of quantum spacetime.

量子引力是为了完成爱因斯坦于1905年同时提出量子理论和相对论的科学革命而进行的探索。在这个建议中，我提出了一个新的策略，以完成爱因斯坦的革命，基于发现量子引力的新原理。该提案的目的是通过建立在过去45年来一直存在的研究主题上，即引力的热力学性质，在量子引力问题上取得重大进展。 有充分的证据表明，爱因斯坦方程所表达的广义相对论的动力学包含了与热力学非常相似的现象。这些证据来自黑洞力学的经典定律，这些定律适用于稳态黑洞解。这表明，与熵和表面重力与温度的地平线面积的识别。当我们用黑洞的质量来对应能量时，这些量满足热力学定律形式的关系。 在过去的20年里，一个非常令人兴奋的假设已经发展起来，根据这个假设，经典时空是一种涌现现象，产生于基本量子描述，由基本过程的离散理论给出。因此，因果关系、能量和动量是基本的。此外，广义相对论的爱因斯坦方程是作为热力学定律应用于基本量子过程的表达式而出现的。 近年来，PI和其他人已经发展了这一假设，将一种称为自旋泡沫模型的量子时空模型作为基本过程。通过将纠缠熵与全息术相结合，也获得了令人鼓舞的见解。本建议以四个方面借鉴了最近取得的进展。 首先，我们寻求发现基本量子过程的基本原理。这些包括全息原理的一个版本，以及等效原理对量子过程历史的扩展。 第二，我们将从这些原理结合热力学定律直接导出广义相对论。 第三，我们寻求直接从这些原理发展新的实验预言，给我们新的量子引力现象，通过这些现象可以检验这些原理。 第四，我们将检验特定的量子时空模型是否满足这些原理。这些包括自旋泡沫模型，背景独立弦理论的建议，因果集模型和动态三角模型。 我们相信这是一种发现量子引力的策略，它最大限度地利用了引力与热力学之间的深层联系，以及最近关于全息和纠缠的见解。它还建立在各种量子时空模型的基础上。