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arXiv:gr-qc/0605105 · Classical and Quantum Gravity

Affine histories in quantum gravity: introduction and the representation for a cosmological model

Smaragda Kessari

Published Feb 20, 2007• 3 citations
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Abstract

It is shown how consistent histories quantum cosmology can be realized through Isham's histories projection operator consistent histories scheme. This is done by using an affine algebra instead of a canonical one and also by using cocycle representations. A regularization scheme allows us to find a history Hamiltonian which exists as a proper self-adjoint operator. The role of a cocycle choice is also discussed.

DOI
10.1088/0264-9381/24/5/014

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It is shown how consistent histories quantum cosmology can be realized through Isham's histories projection operator consistent histories scheme. This is done by using an affine algebra instead of a canonical one and also by using cocycle representations. A regularization scheme allows us to find a history Hamiltonian which exists as a proper self-adjoint operator. The role of a cocycle choice is also discussed.
We discuss the use of histories labelled by a continuous time in the approach to consistent-histories quantum theory in which propositions about the history of the system are represented by projection operators on a Hilbert space. This extends earlier work by two of us [C. J. Isham and N. Linden, J. Math. Phys. 36, 5392–5408 (1995)] where we showed how a continuous time parameter leads to a history algebra that is isomorphic to the canonical algebra of a quantum field theory. We describe how the appropriate representation of the history algebra may be chosen by requiring the existence of projection operators that represent propositions about the time average of the energy. We also show that the history description of quantum mechanics contains an operator corresponding to velocity that is quite distinct from the momentum operator. Finally, the discussion is extended to give a preliminary account of quantum field theory in this approach to the consistent histories formalism.
A brief summary of the application of coherent states in the examination of quantum dynamics of cosmological models is given. We discuss quantization maps, phase space probability distributions and semiclassical phase spaces. The implementation of coherent states based on the affine group resolves the hardest singularities, renders self-adjoint Hamiltonians without boundary conditions and provides a completely consistent semiclassical description of the involved quantum dynamics. We consider three examples: the closed Friedmann model, the anisotropic Bianchi Type I model and the deep quantum domain of the Bianchi Type IX model.
We review the application of the consistent (or decoherent) histories formulation of quantum theory to canonical loop quantum cosmology. Conventional quantum theory relies crucially on “measurements” to convert unrealized quantum potentialities into physical outcomes that can be assigned probabilities. In the early universe and other physical contexts in which there are no observers or measuring apparatus (or indeed, in any closed quantum system), what criteria determine which alternative outcomes may be realized and what their probabilities are? In the consistent histories formulation it is the vanishing of interference between the branch wave functions describing alternative histories — as determined by the system’s decoherence functional — that determines which alternatives may be assigned probabilities. We describe the consistent histories formulation and how it may be applied to canonical loop quantum cosmology, describing in detail the application to homogeneous and isotropic cosmological models with scalar matter. We show how the theory may be used to make definite physical predictions in the absence of “observers”. As an application, we demonstrate how the theory predicts that loop quantum models “bounce” from large volume to large volume, while conventional “Wheeler–DeWitt”-quantized universes are invariably singular. We also briefly indicate the relation to other work.
We discuss the use of histories labelled by a continuous time in the approach to consistent-histories quantum theory in which propositions about the history of the system are represented by projection operators on a Hilbert space. This extends earlier work by two of us \\cite{IL95} where we showed how a continuous time parameter leads to a history algebra that is isomorphic to the canonical algebra of a quantum field theory. We describe how the appropriate representation of the history algebra may be chosen by requiring the existence of projection operators that represent propositions about time average of the energy. We also show that the history description of quantum mechanics contains an operator corresponding to velocity that is quite distinct from the momentum operator. Finally, the discussion is extended to give a preliminary account of quantum field theory in this approach to the consistent histories formalism.
The problem of time in quantum gravity arises due to the diffeomorphisms invariance of the theory and appears via the Hamiltonian constraint, in the canonical quantizations. There is a need for a description where one can ask some timeless questions that still encode some sense of temporality. The decoherent histories approach to quantum theory, already at the kinematical level admits an internal time. Several alternative proposals for resolving the problem of time via the decoherent histories, exist, and in this contribution we focus on one particular and examine how it manifests itself at some simple cosmological models.
We summarize a fully worked-out consistent histories formulation of a quantum cosmological model, and illustrate with an example calculation of the probability that the quantum universe becomes singular. Specifically, we take a complete Wheeler-DeWitt canonical quantization of a flat Friedmann-Robertson- Walker cosmological model sourced with a free massless scalar field, and construct the decoherence functional which determines which quantum histories may be consistently assigned probabilities. As an example, we exhibit the probability that the quantum universe is singular in the sense that it assumes zero volume. The classical solutions of this model are all singular; we show that the quantum solutions are as well.We comment on the crucial role played by quantum decoherence in arriving at this conclusion. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.