A phenomenological description of space-time noise in quantum gravity

Nature
G Amelino-Camelia

Abstract

Space-time 'foam' is a geometric picture of the smallest size scales in the Universe, which is characterized mainly by the presence of quantum uncertainties in the measurement of distances. All quantum-gravity theories should predict some kind of foam, but the description of the properties of this foam varies according to the theory, thereby providing a possible means of distinguishing between such theories. I previously showed that foam-induced distance fluctuations would introduce a new source of noise to the measurements of gravity-wave interferometers, but the theories are insufficiently developed to permit detailed predictions that would be of use to experimentalists. Here I propose a phenomenological approach that directly describes space-time foam, and which leads naturally to a picture of distance fluctuations that is independent of the details of the interferometer. The only unknown in the model is the length scale that sets the overall magnitude of the effect, but recent data already rule out the possibility that this length scale could be identified with the 'string length' (10-34 m < Ls < 10-33 m). Length scales even smaller than the 'Planck length' (LP approximately 10-35 m) will soon be probed experimentally.

References

Apr 1, 1995·Physical Review. D·V A Kosteleck, R Potting
Apr 17, 1992·Science·A AbramoviciM E Zucker

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Citations

Feb 21, 2006·Physical Review Letters·W A ChristiansenH van Dam
Oct 30, 2015·Reports on Progress in Physics·Abdel Nasser Tawfik, Abdel Magied Diab
Jan 1, 2013·Living Reviews in Relativity·Giovanni Amelino-Camelia
Apr 18, 2020·Physical Review Letters·A AlbertUNKNOWN HAWC Collaboration

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