Metric fluctuations and the Weak Equivalence Principle

Abstract

We describe space--time fluctuations by means of small fluctuations of the metric on a given background metric. From a minimally coupled Klein--Gordon equation we obtain within a weak-field approximation up to second order and an averaging procedure over a finite space--time scale given by the quantum particle in the non--relativistic limit a modified Schrödinger equation. The dominant modification consists in an anomalous inertial mass tensor which depends on the type of particle and on the fluctuation scenario. The scenario considered in this paper is a most simple picture of spacetime fluctuations and gives an existence proof for an apparent violation of the weak equivalence principle and, in general, for a violation of Lorentz invariance.

10 pages, to appear in Class. Quantum Grav. (2008)

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