paper

Residual Diffeomorphisms and Symplectic Softs Hairs: The Need to Refine Strict Statement of Equivalence Principle

arXiv:1603.07862 · doi:10.1142/S0218271816440193

Abstract

General covariance is the cornerstone of Einstein's General Relativity (GR) and implies that any two metrics related by diffeomorphisms are physically equivalent. There are, however, many examples pointing to the fact that this strict statement of general covariance needs refinement. There are a very special (measure-zero) subset of diffeomorphisms, the residual diffeomrphisms, to which one can associate well-defined conserved charges. This would hence render these diffeomorphic geometries physically distinct. We discuss that these symmetries may be appropriately called "symplectic symmetries". Existence of residual diffeomorphisms and sympelctic symmetries can be a quite general feature and not limited to the examples discussed so far in the literature. We propose that, in the context of black holes, these diffeomorphic, but distinct, geometries may be viewed as "symplectic soft hair" on black holes. We comment on how this may remedy black hole microstate problem, which in this context are dubbed as "horizon fluffs".

v2: 8 pages, Essay received honorable mention in the Gravity Research Foundation 2016 Awards for Essays on Gravitation; the version to appear in IJMPD special issue

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