Correlated worldline theory of quantum gravity: low-energy consequences & table-top tests

September 22, 2015
12:00pm to 1:00pm

IFT Seminar Room/Red Room

Specialist level
Speaker: 
P.C.E. Stamp
Institution: 
Pacific Institute of Theoretical Physics, Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Location&Place: 

IFT Seminar Room/Red Room

Abstract: 

It is often assumed that the clash between Quantum Mechanics (QM) and General Relativity (GR) happens only as one approaches the Planck energy. I will show through simple thought experiments that there is also a severe conflict at laboratory energy scales. I will then argue that the only reasonable way to fix this is in a “correlated worldline” theory wherein gravity creates correlations between different Feynman paths for the SAME PARTICLE (or same Quantum Field). The basic structure of this theory is explained, and the modifications it implies for our ideas about spacetime.
For laboratory tests one only requires the low-energy version of this  theory, and controlled calculations can be done with no adjustable  parameters. I describe how such calculations can be done, and then  what sort of effects they predict for ‘2-path’ experiments. The deviations from QM will be hard to see, since gravity is a weak  force – but they are by no means beyond current experimental  techniques.