A practical look at Regge calculus

Dimitri Marinelli
Physics Department Universit`
a degli Studi di Pavia
and I.N.F.N. - Pavia

in collaboration with
Prof. G. Immirzi

Karl Schwarzschild Meeting 2013,

Frankfurt am Main

Many Quantum Gravity Theories need,

either a discrete gravity in the classical limit
or
a statistical mechanics of discrete space(-times).

this can be provided by

Regge calculus
(Regge 1961)

Many Quantum Gravity Theories need,

either a discrete gravity in the classical limit
or
a statistical mechanics of discrete space(-times).

this can be provided by

Regge calculus
(Regge 1961)

In this talk:

discretized

S R - cylindrical model

Friedmann Robertson Walker space-time with closed universe

proposed by Wheeler - Les Houches Lectures 1963
...several attempts ...
until 1994
John W. Barrett, Mark Galassi, Warner A. Miller, Rafael D.
Sorkin, Philip A. Tuckey, Ruth M. Williams
gr-qc/9411008

What is Regge calculus?

General Relativity
4-dimensional differential manifold M
m
a metric tensor g with signature (, +, +, +)

S [g ] =

c4 Z
R [g ] g d 4 x + LM [g ] g d 4 x
16G M

What is Regge calculus?

Spacetime is replaced by a

4-dimensional simplicial complex:

Each block is a 4-simplex (4d generalization of a tetrahedron).
Each 4-simplex shares its boundary tetrahedra.
The space bounded by tetrahedra is a flat Minkowski

spacetime (each block encloses a piece of flat spacetime)

Metric structure is replaced by

Edge lengths of 4-simplices dynamically fixed

Curvature in a 2-simplicial complex

Deficit angle 
A deficit angle is introduced  = 2 6

Curvature in a 2-simplicial complex

Deficit angle 
A deficit angle is introduced  = 2 6

Regge action
Einstein-Hilbert action for conic singularities Sorkin-1974

In Minkowski spacetime:
t =t


x = r cos (k() )
k () 1 2
y = r sin (k() )
[0, 2[

z=z

g0 =

1
0

0
1

0
0
2

r2
1 2

0
0

Regularizing
cusp we can calculate the Ricci scalar
 the


2
r
if
r0
2
00
0


e 2(r) =

R
=
2

(r)
+
(
(r))
2

r 2 1 2
if r  0

and the action:

1
S=
16

ZZZZ

1
d dr dz dt R g =

8
p

ZZ

dz dt =

1
A
8

Regge action
Einstein-Hilbert action for conic singularities Sorkin-1974

In Minkowski spacetime:
t =t


x = r cos (k() )
k () 1 2
y = r sin (k() )
[0, 2[

z=z

g0 =

1
0

0
1

0
0
2

1 2
r2

0
0

Regularizing
cusp we can calculate the Ricci scalar
 the


2
r
if
r0
2
00
0


e 2(r) =

R
=
2

(r)
+
(
(r))
2

r 2 1 2
if r  0

and the action:

1
S=
16

ZZZZ

1
d dr dz dt R g =

8
p

ZZ

dz dt =

1
A
8

Regge action
Einstein-Hilbert action for conic singularities Sorkin-1974

In Minkowski spacetime:
t =t


x = r cos (k() )
k () 1 2
y = r sin (k() )
[0, 2[

z=z

g0 =

1
0

0
1

0
0
2

1 2
r2

0
0

Regularizing
cusp we can calculate the Ricci scalar
 the


2
r
if
r0
2
00
0


e 2(r) =

R
=
2

(r)
+
(
(r))
2

r 2 1 2
if r  0

and the action:

1
S=
16

ZZZZ

1
d dr dz dt R g =

8
p

ZZ

dz dt =

1
A
8

Regge action
Einstein-Hilbert action for conic singularities Sorkin-1974

In Minkowski spacetime:
t =t


x = r cos (k() )
k () 1 2
y = r sin (k() )
[0, 2[

z=z

g0 =

1
0

0
1

0
0
2

1 2
r2

0
0

Regularizing
cusp we can calculate the Ricci scalar
 the


2
r
if
r0
2
00
0


e 2(r) =

R
=
2

(r)
+
(
(r))
2

r 2 1 2
if r  0

and the action:

1
S=
16

ZZZZ

1
d dr dz dt R g =

8
p

ZZ

dz dt =

1
A
8

Regge calculus
To study a gravitational system with Regge calculus one has to:
build a 4-dimensional triangulation (fix the topology),
find a solution of SR [le ] = 0 where

SR =

1 X
At t
8 t

with At the area of the triangle t and t its associated deficit

angle.
Einsteins equations (non linear partial differential equations) now
become implicit equations.
Can be considered a finite difference method for general relativity.

From 3-d simplicial complex to 4-d

We are interested in a triangulation with topology S 3 R.

for S 3 :
5-cell or Pentachoron
16-cell
600-cell

Tent-like evolution
space-like triangles

Conditions for the simplicial complex

Dehn-Sommerville equations

For a simplicial complex with boundary

Nv () Nv () =

4
X

i+4

i+1
1

i+4

i+1
2

i+4

i+1
3

i+4

i+1
4

i+4

i+1
5

(1)

Ni (M )

= Nv 2Ne + 3Nt 4N + 5N

Ni (M )

= Ne + 3Nt 6N + 10N

Ni (M )

= Nt 4N + 10N

Ni (M )

= N + 5N

Ni (M )

= N

i=0

Ne () Ne () =

4
X

(1)

i=1

Nt () Nt () =

4
X

(1)

i=2

N () N () =

4
X

(1)

i=3

N () N () =

4
X
i=4

(1)

Combinatorial-symmetric scheme
potentially all edges space-like

30 s

Combinatorial-symmetric scheme

l0
d
d

d
l
l

interesting triangulation for quantum gravity.

Metric structure

Topology is fixed (a foliated triangulation of dimension 3 + 1).

Initial value approach:

We choose the time symmetric condition.
In this case choosing initial data means choose edge lengths

for the initial 3-sphere.

We can choose lapse and shift.

Preliminary numeric analysis

tent-like model, 5-cell

where a(t) is the scale parameter.

Preliminary numeric analysis

tent-like model, 16 and 600-cell

where a(t) is the scale parameter.

Conclusions
Regge calculus can be an important tool both to understand
classical gravity and as a map in the labyrinth of the modern
models of quantum gravity.

One can finally hope that Regges truly geometric way of

formulating general relativity will someday make the content of the
Einstein field equation ... stand out sharp and clear...
J. A. Wheeler

Thank you.

Conclusions
Regge calculus can be an important tool both to understand
classical gravity and as a map in the labyrinth of the modern
models of quantum gravity.

One can finally hope that Regges truly geometric way of

formulating general relativity will someday make the content of the
Einstein field equation ... stand out sharp and clear...
J. A. Wheeler

Thank you.