Modern Canonical Quantum Gener
Modern physics rests on two fundamental building blocks: general relativity and
quantum theory. General relativity is a geometric interpretation of gravity, while
quantum theory governs the microscopic behaviour of matter. According to Einstein’s
equations, geometry is curved when and where matter is localized. Therefore,
in general relativity, geometry is a dynamical quantity ...
Modern physics rests on two fundamental building blocks: general relativity and
quantum theory. General relativity is a geometric interpretation of gravity, while
quantum theory governs the microscopic behaviour of matter. According to Einstein’s
equations, geometry is curved when and where matter is localized. Therefore,
in general relativity, geometry is a dynamical quantity that cannot be prescribed
a priori but is in interaction with matter. The equations of nature are
background independent in this sense; there is no space-time geometry on which
matter propagates without backreaction of matter on geometry. Since matter is
described by quantum theory, which in turn couples to geometry, we need a quantum
theory of gravity. The absence of a viable quantum gravity theory to date is
due to the fact that quantum (field) theory as currently formulated assumes that
a background geometry is available, thus being inconsistent with the principles of general relativity. In order to construct quantum gravity, one must reformulate quantum theory in a background-independent way. Modern Canonical Quantum General Relativity is about one such candidate for a background-independent quantum gravity theory: loop quantum gravity.
This book provides a complete treatise of the canonical quantization of general
relativity. The focus is on detailing the conceptual and mathematical framework,
describing the physical applications, and summarizing the status of this
programme in its most popular incarnation: loop quantum gravity. Mathematical
concepts and their relevance to physics are provided within this book, so
it is suitable for graduate students and researchers with a basic knowledge of
quantum field theory and general relativity.
Thomas Thiemann is Staff Scientist at the Max Planck Institut fur Gravitationsphysik (Albert Einstein Institut), Potsdam, Germany. He is also
a long-term researcher at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and
Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo, Canada. Thomas Thiemann
obtained his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the Rheinisch-Westf¨alisch Technische ...
Thomas Thiemann is Staff Scientist at the Max Planck Institut fur Gravitationsphysik (Albert Einstein Institut), Potsdam, Germany. He is also
a long-term researcher at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and
Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo, Canada. Thomas Thiemann
obtained his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the Rheinisch-Westf¨alisch Technische Hochschule, Aachen, Germany. He held two-year postdoctoral positions at The Pennsylvania State University and Harvard University. As of 2005 he holds a guest professor position at Beijing Normal University, China.