Cited by 381Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity TheoriesRelativity and Gravitational TheoryBlack Holes and Theoretical Physics

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 61 of the 61 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 48 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Spin foam models

Open access
Baez, John C·1998·Classical and Quantum Gravity

Abstract

While the use of spin networks has greatly improved our understanding of the kinematical aspects of quantum gravity, the dynamical aspects remain obscure. To address this problem, we define the concept of a `spin foam' going from one spin network to another. Just as a spin network is a graph with edges labelled by representations and vertices labelled by intertwining operators, a spin foam is a two-dimensional complex with faces labelled by representations and edges labelled by intertwining operators. Spin foams arise naturally as higher-dimensional analogues of Feynman diagrams in quantum gravity and other gauge theories in the continuum, as well as in lattice gauge theory. When formulated as a `spin foam model', such a theory consists of a rule for computing amplitudes from spin foam vertices, faces and edges. The product of these amplitudes gives the amplitude for the spin foam, and the transition amplitude between spin networks is given as a sum over spin foams. After reviewing how spin networks describe `quantum 3-geometries', we describe how spin foams describe `quantum 4-geometries'. We conclude by presenting a spin foam model of four-dimensional Euclidean quantum gravity, closely related to the state sum model of Barrett and Crane, but not assuming the presence of an underlying spacetime manifold.

Overview

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1088/0264-9381/15/7/004

Cites

61 of 61 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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59 No basis given · 39 Not checked yet · 35 Own interpretation

Verify all 48 references — free account
  • It may state two separate claims as one. 41
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 8
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 27
64 of 64
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The geometry of a 4-simplex affinely embedded in Euclidean R4 is determined by ten numbers, such as its edge lengths.

    “However, the geometry of a 4-simplex affinely embedded in Euclidean R 4 is determined by only ten numbers, e.g. the lengths of its edges.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Not every collection of bivectors E_ab comes from a 4-simplex; extra constraints are required.

    “The reason is that not every such E field can be written as e ∧ e for some cotetrad field e.For this to hold, it must satisfy some extra constraints.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    In the cotetrad formulation, the equations of motion are equivalent to the vacuum Einstein equations when the cotetrad is nondegenerate.

    “When e is nondegenerate these equations are equivalent to the vacuum Einstein equations.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    If stationary points of the BF action subject to the extra constraints are found, the equations are equivalent to the vacuum Einstein equations when E is nondegenerate.

    “If one finds stationary points of the above action subject to these constraints, one obtains equations equivalent to the vacuum Einstein equations, at least when E is nondegenerate.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    The principal bundle and triangulation over M restrict to the already given bundle and triangulation over S.

    “We assume that P → M is a principal G-bundle over M that restricts to the already given bundle over S, and that is a triangulation of M that restricts to the already given triangulation of S.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    For a cobordism M:S→S', M has a boundary identified with the disjoint union of S and S', and there is a principal G-bundle and triangulation restricting to those on S and S'.

    “Here we assume that M has a boundary which has been identified with the disjoint union of S and S .We assume there is a principal G-bundle P → M and a triangulation of M which restricts to triangulations and of S and S , respectively.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    A trivialization of P is fixed at every boundary vertex of the dual complex.

    “We fix a trivialization of P at every vertex of * on the boundary of M.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    Barbieri's orientation-fixing strategy is adopted, accepting that a linearly dependent triple E_i does not describe a unique tetrahedron.

    “While somewhat problematic, we tentatively adopt this strategy in what follows, since it allows us the convenience of working with arbitrary triples E i if we simply accept the fact that a linearly dependent triple E i does not describe a unique tetrahedron.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    Any antisymmetric collection of bivectors E_ab satisfying conditions (5) and (6) is taken as an adequate substitute for a cotetrad, ignoring the extra solutions.

    “In what follows, we simply ignore these subtleties and take any collection of bivectors E ab antisymmetric in a, b and satisfying (5) and ( 6) as an adequate substitute for a cotetrad.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    There is a principal bundle over M with structure group Spin(4).

    “We also assume there is a principal bundle P → M with structure group Spin(4).”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The classical closure, equal-area, and quadratic constraints correctly characterize the geometry of a flat 4-simplex.

    “Now we turn to quantizing the constraints that say when ten bivectors correspond to the faces of a flat 4-simplex.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The quantization procedure used (replacing classical bivectors with operators and imposing the constraints as operator equations) yields the correct quantum description of those constraints.

    “To quantize the closure constraints this way, we start with a Hilbert space”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    There are infinitely many spin foams in a compact oriented 4-manifold M for the Barrett-Crane model.

    “However, because there are usually infinitely many spin foams in M, this sum is likely to diverge.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Spin(4) has infinitely many irreducible representations.

    “The reason for these problems is that Spin(4) has infinitely many irreducible representations.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Quantum groups have only finitely many irreducible representations when q is a suitable root of unity.

    “Since quantum groups have only finitely many irreducible representations when q is a suitable root of unity, one obtains well defined partition functions and time evolution operators this way.”
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Metadata

Authors
Baez, J. C.
Affiliations
University of California, Riverside (US)
Corresponding author
Baez, John C
Venue
Classical and Quantum Gravity
Published
1998-07-01
Volume
15
Issue
7
Pages
1827-1858
ISSN
  • 0264-9381 (ISSN-L)
  • 1361-6382
OpenAlex
W2137409288
Cited by
381
References
61
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 18
FWCI
22.35
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Classical and Quantum Gravity (publishedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University)
Funders
National Science Foundation (9514240)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Nuclear and High Energy Physics › Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity Theories
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Relativity and Gravitational Theory
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Nuclear and High Energy Physics › Black Holes and Theoretical Physics
Keywords
spin foams, spin networks, quantum gravity, Barrett-Crane model, state sum models, Euclidean quantum gravity, Feynman diagrams, lattice gauge theory, transition amplitudes

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