Spin foam models for 3D quantum geometry

Various aspects of three-dimensional spin foam models for quantum gravity are discussed. Spin foam models and graphical calculus are introduced via the Ponzano-Regge model for 3d gravity and some important properties of this model are described. The asymptotic formula for the 6j symbol found by Ponz...

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Main Author: Dowdall, R. J.
Format: Thesis (University of Nottingham only)
Language:English
Published: 2011
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/11755/
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author Dowdall, R. J.
author_facet Dowdall, R. J.
author_sort Dowdall, R. J.
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Various aspects of three-dimensional spin foam models for quantum gravity are discussed. Spin foam models and graphical calculus are introduced via the Ponzano-Regge model for 3d gravity and some important properties of this model are described. The asymptotic formula for the 6j symbol found by Ponzano and Regge is generalised to include the Ponzano-Regge amplitude for triangulations of handlebodies. Some simple observables are computed in a model for fermions coupled to 3d gravity. The result is a sum over spin foam models with certain vertex amplitudes which are described. An explicit example is given and the vertex amplitudes expressed in terms of 6j symbols. Finally, a group field theory for this spin foam model is described.
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format Thesis (University of Nottingham only)
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spelling nottingham-117552025-02-28T11:15:25Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/11755/ Spin foam models for 3D quantum geometry Dowdall, R. J. Various aspects of three-dimensional spin foam models for quantum gravity are discussed. Spin foam models and graphical calculus are introduced via the Ponzano-Regge model for 3d gravity and some important properties of this model are described. The asymptotic formula for the 6j symbol found by Ponzano and Regge is generalised to include the Ponzano-Regge amplitude for triangulations of handlebodies. Some simple observables are computed in a model for fermions coupled to 3d gravity. The result is a sum over spin foam models with certain vertex amplitudes which are described. An explicit example is given and the vertex amplitudes expressed in terms of 6j symbols. Finally, a group field theory for this spin foam model is described. 2011-03-15 Thesis (University of Nottingham only) NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en arr https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/11755/1/RDowdall-thesis-14-1-11.pdf Dowdall, R. J. (2011) Spin foam models for 3D quantum geometry. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.
spellingShingle Dowdall, R. J.
Spin foam models for 3D quantum geometry
title Spin foam models for 3D quantum geometry
title_full Spin foam models for 3D quantum geometry
title_fullStr Spin foam models for 3D quantum geometry
title_full_unstemmed Spin foam models for 3D quantum geometry
title_short Spin foam models for 3D quantum geometry
title_sort spin foam models for 3d quantum geometry
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/11755/