Abhay Ashtekar and Jerzy Lewandowski 2004 Class. Quantum Grav. 21 R53 doi:10.1088/0264-9381/21/15/R01
Background independent quantum gravity: a status report
REVIEW ARTICLEAbhay Ashtekar1,2,3 and Jerzy Lewandowski2,2,3,4
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a 69, 00-681 Warsaw, Poland
TOPICAL REVIEW
The goal of this review is to present an introduction to loop quantum gravity—a background-independent, non-perturbative approach to the problem of unification of general relativity and quantum physics, based on a quantum theory of geometry. Our presentation is pedagogical. Thus, in addition to providing a bird's eye view of the present status of the subject, the review should also serve as a vehicle to enter the field and explore it in detail. To aid non-experts, very little is assumed beyond elements of general relativity, gauge theories and quantum field theory. While the review is essentially self-contained, the emphasis is on communicating the underlying ideas and the significance of results rather than on presenting systematic derivations and detailed proofs. (These can be found in the listed references.) The subject can be approached in different ways. We have chosen one which is deeply rooted in well-established physics and also has sufficient mathematical precision to ensure that there are no hidden infinities. In order to keep the review to a reasonable size, and to avoid overwhelming non-experts, we have had to leave out several interesting topics, results and viewpoints; this is meant to be an introduction to the subject rather than an exhaustive review of it.
- PACS
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04.60.Pp Loop quantum gravity, quantum geometry, spin foams
03.65.Sq Semiclassical theories and applications
- MSC
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53B21 Methods of Riemannian geometry
81Txx Quantum field theory; related classical field theories (See also 70Sxx)
- Subjects
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Quantum information and quantum mechanics
- Dates
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Issue 15 (7 August 2004)
Received 5 April 2004
Published 9 July 2004
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Background independent quantum gravity: a status report
Abhay Ashtekar and Jerzy Lewandowski 2004 Class. Quantum Grav. 21 R53
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Knot theory and a physical state of quantum gravity
Tomáš Liko and Louis H Kauffman 2006 Class. Quantum Grav. 23 R63
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Physical replicas and the Bose glass in cold atomic gases
S Morrison et al 2008 New J. Phys. 10 073032
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A critical approach to the concept of a polar, low-altitude LARES satellite
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Fibre bundle formulation of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics: II. Equations of motion and observables
Bozhidar Z Iliev 2001 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 34 4919
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Search for gravitational-wave bursts in LIGO data from the fourth science run
B Abbott et al 2007 Class. Quantum Grav. 24 5343
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Applications of Monte Carlo methods to statistical physics
K Binder 1997 Rep. Prog. Phys. 60 487
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