Quantum Mechanics of a Spherically Symmetric Causal Diamond in Minkowski Spacetime

Open Access
Authors
  • Kathryn M. Zurek
Publication date 28-03-2025
Journal Physical Review Letters
Article number 121501
Volume | Issue number 134 | 12
Number of pages 9
Organisations
  • Faculty of Science (FNWI) - Institute of Physics (IoP) - Institute for Theoretical Physics Amsterdam (ITFA)
  • Faculty of Science (FNWI) - Institute of Physics (IoP) - Van der Waals-Zeeman Institute (WZI)
  • Faculty of Science (FNWI) - Institute of Physics (IoP)
Abstract

We construct the phase space of a spherically symmetric causal diamond in (+ 2)-dimensional Minkowski spacetime. Utilizing the covariant phase space formalism, we identify the relevant degrees of freedom that localize to the d-dimensional bifurcate horizon and, upon canonical quantization, determine their commutators. On this phase space, we find two Iyer-Wald charges. The first of these charges, proportional to the area of the causal diamond, is responsible for shifting the null time along the horizon and has been well documented in the literature. The second charge is much less understood, being integrable for ≥ 2 only if we allow for field-dependent diffeomorphisms and is responsible for changing the size of the causal diamond.

Document type Article
Note Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 authors. Published by the American Physical Society.
Language English
Published at https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.121501
Other links https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105000929843
Downloads
PhysRevLett.134.121501 (Final published version)
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