Quantization of Space and Time in 3 and in 4 Space-time Dimensions
Abstract
Description
The fact that in Minkowski space, space and time are both quantized does not have to be introduced as a new postulate in physics, but can actually be derived by combining certain features of General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics. This is demonstrated first in a model where particles behave as point defects in 2 space dimensions and 1 time, and then in the real world having 3+1 dimensions. The mechanisms in these two cases are quite different, but the outcomes are similar: space and time form a (non-cummutative) lattice.
These notes are short since most of the material discussed in these lectures is based on two earlier papers by the same author (gr-qc/9601014 and gr-qc/9607022), but the exposition given in the end is new.
Lectures held at the NATO Advanced Study Institute on ``Quantum Fields and Quantum Space Time", Cargèse, July 22 -- August 3, 1996. 16 pages Plain TeX, 6 Figures
Lectures held at the NATO Advanced Study Institute on ``Quantum Fields and Quantum Space Time", Cargèse, July 22 -- August 3, 1996. 16 pages Plain TeX, 6 Figures