Journal of High Energy Physics (Apr 2021)

Clock-dependent spacetime

  • Sung-Sik Lee

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP04(2021)204
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2021, no. 4
pp. 1 – 25

Abstract

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Abstract Einstein’s theory of general relativity is based on the premise that the physical laws take the same form in all coordinate systems. However, it still presumes a preferred decomposition of the total kinematic Hilbert space into local kinematic Hilbert spaces. In this paper, we consider a theory of quantum gravity that does not come with a preferred partitioning of the kinematic Hilbert space. It is pointed out that, in such a theory, dimension, signature, topology and geometry of spacetime depend on how a collection of local clocks is chosen within the kinematic Hilbert space.

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