Abstract
We describe a recently introduced principle of relative locality which we propose governs a regime of quantum gravitational phenomena accessible to experimental investigation. This regime comprises phenomena in which \({\hbar}\) and G N may be neglected, while their ratio, the Planck mass \({M_p =\sqrt{\hbar / G_N}}\), is important. We propose that M p governs the scale at which momentum space may have a curved geometry. We find that there are striking consequences for the concept of locality. The description of events in spacetime now depends on the energy used to probe it. But there remains an invariant description of physics in phase space. There is furthermore a reasonable expectation that the geometry of momentum space can be measured experimentally using astrophysical observations.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Einstein, A.: Zur Elektrodynamik bewegter Körper, Annalen der Physik 17 (1905) 891 ; English translation On the electrodynamics of moving bodies, in The principle of relativity: a collection of original memoirs By Hendrik Antoon Lorentz, Albert Einstein, H. Minkowski, Hermann Weyl, Dover books. (English translation also at http://www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/einstein/specrel/specrel.pdf)
Amelino-Camelia, G., Freidel, L., Kowalski-Glikman, J., Smolin, L.: The principle of relative locality. [arXiv:1101.0931 [hep-th]]
Amelino-Camelia, G., Smolin, L.: Prospects for constraining quantum gravity dispersion with near term observations. Phys. Rev. D 80, 084017 (2009) [arXiv:0906.3731 [astro-ph.HE]]
Freidel, L., Smolin, L.: Gamma ray burst delay times probe the geometry of momentum space. [arXiv:1103.5626[hep-th]]
Born M.: A suggestion for unifying quantum theory and relativity. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A 165, 291 (1938)
Matschull H.-J., Welling M.: Quantum mechanics of a point particle in (2+1)-dimensional gravity. Class. Quant. Grav. 15, 2981 (1998) [gr-qc/9708054]
Freidel L., Livine E.R.: Effective 3-D quantum gravity and non-commutative quantum field theory. Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 221301 (2006) [hep-th/0512113]
Deser S., Jackiw R., ’t Hooft G.: Three-dimensional Einstein gravity: dynamics of flat space. Ann. Phys. 152, 220 (1984)
Abdo A.A., et al.: A limit on the variation of the speed of light arising from quantum gravity effects. Nature 462, 331 (2009)
Amelino-Camelia, G., Freidel, L., Kowalski-Glikman, J., Smolin, L.: In preparation
Arzano M., Kowalski-Glikman J., Walkus A.: A bound on Planck-scale modifications of the energy–momentum composition rule from atomic interferometry. Europhys. Lett. 90, 30006 (2010) [arXiv:0912.2712[hep-th]]
Antonov E.E., Dedenko L.G., Kirillov A.A., Roganova T.M., Fedorova G.F., Fedunin E.Yu.: Test of Lorentz invariance through observation of the longitudinal development of ultrahigh-energy extensive air showers. JETP Lett. 73, 446 (2001)
Smolin L.: On the intrinsic entropy of the gravitational field. Gen. Relativ. Gravit. 17, 417 (1985)
Amelino-Camelia G.: Quantum theory’s last challenge. Nature 408, 661 (2000)
Rothman T., Boughn S.: Can gravitons be detected?. Found. Phys. 36, 1801 (2006) [gr-qc/0601043]
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Second Award in the 2011 Essay Competition of the Gravity Research Foundation.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Amelino-Camelia, G., Freidel, L., Kowalski-Glikman, J. et al. Relative locality: a deepening of the relativity principle. Gen Relativ Gravit 43, 2547–2553 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10714-011-1212-8
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10714-011-1212-8