dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaThe vacuum state of quantum gravity contains large virtual masses
| Authors | Giovanni Modanese |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0605076 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0605076 |
| DOI | 10.1088/0264-9381/24/8/001 |
| Journal | Class.Quant.Grav.24:1899-1910,2007 |
Abstract
In the functional integral approach to quantum gravity, the quantum configurations are usually treated to order hbar through a stationary phase approximation around the saddle point of the action where spacetime is flat. We show that from this point a "level line" in functional space departs, which comprises a family of static non-flat metrics with zero scalar curvature, depending on a continuous mass parameter. Furthermore, each of these metrics can be perturbed by an arbitrary function in such a way to still satisfy the condition Int(gR)d4x=0. We thus find a set of zero-modes of the gravitational action which has non-vanishing measure in the functional space. These metrics will contribute to the functional integral as vacuum fluctuations, on the same footing as those near the saddle point.
{
"annotation_id": "c4d117e3-8970-4689-89eb-47835eec9cbf",
"date_created": "2026-03-02T18:01:07.200000Z",
"date_modified": "2026-03-02T18:01:07.200000Z",
"file_hash": "ac60aa2a8a8784db933903da1ea05e2f7a9349a96b9e9d85587bee52e5335815",
"private": false,
"record": {
"abstract": "In the functional integral approach to quantum gravity, the quantum\nconfigurations are usually treated to order hbar through a stationary phase\napproximation around the saddle point of the action where spacetime is flat. We\nshow that from this point a \"level line\" in functional space departs, which\ncomprises a family of static non-flat metrics with zero scalar curvature,\ndepending on a continuous mass parameter. Furthermore, each of these metrics\ncan be perturbed by an arbitrary function in such a way to still satisfy the\ncondition Int(gR)d4x=0. We thus find a set of zero-modes of the gravitational\naction which has non-vanishing measure in the functional space. These metrics\nwill contribute to the functional integral as vacuum fluctuations, on the same\nfooting as those near the saddle point.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0605076",
"authors": [
"Giovanni Modanese"
],
"categories": [
"physics.gen-ph"
],
"doi": "10.1088/0264-9381/24/8/001",
"journal_ref": "Class.Quant.Grav.24:1899-1910,2007",
"title": "The vacuum state of quantum gravity contains large virtual masses",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0605076"
},
"schema_id": "dorsal/arxiv",
"source": {
"execution_id": "ca916286-e1b7-4e05-92a2-ce3374659aa2",
"id": "arXiv Dataset IDs",
"type": "Model",
"variant": "snapshot-2026-03-01",
"version": "0.1.0"
},
"user_id": 1000002
}