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On the expansion of a quantum field theory around a topological sector

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Abstract

The idea of treating quantum general relativistic theories in a perturbative expansion around a topological theory has recently received attention, in the quantum gravity literature. We investigate the viability of this idea by applying it to conventional Yang–Mills theory on flat spacetime. This theory admits indeed a formulation as a modified topological theory, like general relativity. We find that the expansion around the topological theory coincides with the usual expansion around the free abelian theory, though the equivalence is non-trivial. In this context, the technique appears therefore to be viable, but not to bring particularly new insights. On the other hand, we point out that the relation of this expansion with the actual quantum BF theory is far from being transparent. Some implications for gravity are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre de Physique Théorique de Luminy, Unité mixte de recherche (UMR 6207) du CNRS et des Universités de Provence (Aix-Marseille I), de la Meditarranée (Aix-Marseille II) et du Sud (Toulon-Var), laboratoire affilié à la FRUMAM (FR 2291), Université de la Méditerranée, 13288, Marseille, France

    Carlo Rovelli

  2. Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, 31 Caroline Street North, Waterloo, ON, N2L 2Y5, Canada

    Simone Speziale

  3. Dipartimento di Fisica dell’Università “La Sapienza”, and INFN Sez. Roma1, 00185, Rome, Italy

    Carlo Rovelli & Simone Speziale

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  1. Carlo Rovelli
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  2. Simone Speziale
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Correspondence to Simone Speziale.

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Rovelli, C., Speziale, S. On the expansion of a quantum field theory around a topological sector. Gen Relativ Gravit 39, 167–178 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10714-006-0378-y

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