Instability of Space-Time due to Euclidean Wormholes
Abstract
Description
The problem of topology change transitions in quantum gravity is discussed. We argue that the contribution of the Giddings-Strominger wormhole to the Euclidean path integral is pure imaginary. This is checked by two techniques: by the functional integral approach and by the analysis of the Wheeler-De Witt equation. We present also a simple quantum mechanical model which shares many features of the system consisting of parent and baby universes. In this simple model, we show that quantum coherence is completely lost and obtain the equation for the effective density matrix of the ''parent universe''.
9 pages in LaTeX, 3 figures in PostScript, to appear in Proceedings of the 9th International Seminar "QUARKS-96"
9 pages in LaTeX, 3 figures in PostScript, to appear in Proceedings of the 9th International Seminar "QUARKS-96"