Original Penrose Version > s.a. quantum
spacetime and discrete
models; quantum
technology.
* Idea: A trivalent graph, with edges labelled by half-integers j corresponding
to representations of G = SO(3), subject to consistency conditions
coming from spin composition rules (Clebsch-Gordan coefficients).
@ References: Penrose in(70); Kauffman & Lins 94.
In Loop Quantum Gravity > s.a. 3D
quantum gravity;
quantum gauge theories; quantum
spacetime;
semiclassical quantum gravity.
* Motivation: A complete,
but not overcomplete, set of orthonormal states in the kinematical gauge theory
Hilbert space.
* Idea: "Colored
graphs" for
a group G, taken to be SU(2),
i.e., triples S = (
, j, I)
of graphs
with
edges e labeled
by irreps je of SU(2),
and vertices n by intertwiners; In the connection
representation, spin
network states are
S(A):=
e
n In R j_e(U(e, A))
.
* Intertwiners: Maps Iv:
incoming
e je →
outgoing
e je associated
with vertices v of graphs.
* Properties: ![]()
S |
S'
=
gamma,
gamma'
jj'
II',
and the eigenvalues of area and volume operators are discrete.
@ Precursors: Loll NPB(92), NPB(93); Smolin in(92).
@ General references: Baez AiM(96)gq/94,
gq/95-in;
Rovelli & Smolin PRD(95)gq;
Foxon CQG(95)gq/94;
Borissov et al CQG(96)gq/95;
Barbieri gq/97 [vertices]; Barrett & Crane JMP(98)gq/97;
Smolin gq/97;
Reisenberger JMP(99)gq/98;
Major AJP(99)gq [primer];
Barrett & Steele
CQG(03)gq/02 [asymptotics];
Mikovic CQG(03)gq [and
vacuum]; Lorente gq/05-in
[rev].
@ Evolution: Markopoulou gq/97, & Smolin
NPB(97)gq,
PRD(98)gq/97,
PRD(98)ht/97;
Borissov PRD(97)gq/96, & Gupta
PRD(99)gq/98 [including
dual triangulations]; Mikovic CQG(01)gq [quantum
field theory]; Smolin & Wan NPB(08)
[braid states]; > s.a. spin
foam.
@ Spin webs: Lewandowski & Thiemann
CQG(99)gq [all piecewise smooth].
@ Invariants: Gambini IJTP(99), et al NPB(98)gq,
Di Bartolo et al PRL(00)gq/99 & CQG(00)gq/99,
CQG(00)gq/99 [Vassiliev
knot invariants]; Carbone et al gq/99.
@ Related topics: Freidel & Krasnov JMP(00)ht/99 [Feynman
graphs]; Lewandowski & Marolf IJMPD(98)
[T* states];
Zizzi Ent(00)gq/99 [holography];
Ma & Ling PRD(00)gq [Q];
Baez & Barrett
CQG(01)gq [integrability];
Pfeiffer ATMP(02)gq [positivity
of evaluations]; Mikovic a0706 [and
graviton propagator]; Wan a0710,
Smolin & Wan NPB(08)-a0710 [particle-like
braid excitations]; > s.a. gravitational
thermodynamics; string
theory.
Modifications > s.a. supergravity.
* Extended: Non gauge-invariant
spin network states, given by quintuplets N = (
, j, I,
,
M).
* Deformed: Edges of spin
networks are enlarged to ribbons or tubes,
so
the network becomes a tubular, genus-g manifold, decomposable into trinions,
separated by circles; Each circle is labeled by a representation of SU(2)q,
each
trinion by an intertwiner; Motivation are inclusion of a cosmological constant,
symmetries.
@ Deformed: Markopoulou & Smolin PRD(98)gq/97 [(p, q)
string evolution];
Barrett & Crane
CQG(00)gq/99 [Lorentzian];
> s.a. topological field theories.
@ Other: Ashtekar & Lewandowski CQG(97)gq/96 [extended];
Baez & Sawin JFA(98)qa/97 [diffeomorphism-invariant];
Ling JMP(02)
[supersymmetric];
Freidel & Livine
JMP(03)ht/02 [non-compact G];
He & Wan a0805, a0805 [framed,
braid excitations and C, P, T].
Related Models and Topics > s.a. graph
types; ising
model; lattice
field theory; quantum
information; spin
foam;
spin models; SU(2).
@ References: Martins & Mikovic CMP(08)gq/06 [and
3-manifold invariants]; Chen & Zhu gq/07 [evolution
of spin labels and self-organized criticality].
Online Resources > Greg Egan's page.
Main page – Abbreviations – Journals – Comments – Other
sites – Acknowledgements
Send feedback and suggestions to bombelli at olemiss.edu – Modified
12 jun 2008