Low energy bounds on Poincare violation in causal set theory

Abstract

In the causal set approach to quantum gravity, Poincaré symmetry is modified by swerving in spacetime, induced by the random lattice discretization of the space-time structure. The broken translational symmetry at short distances is argued to lead to a residual diffusion in momentum space, whereby a particle can acquire energy and momentum by drift along its mass shell and a system in equilibrium can spontaneously heat up. We consider bounds on the rate of momentum space diffusion coming from astrophysical molecular clouds, nuclear stability and cosmological neutrino background. We find that the strongest limits come from relic neutrinos, which we estimate to constrain the momentum space diffusion constant by $k<10^{-61}{\mathrm{GeV}}^3$ for neutrinos with masses $m_{\nu }>0.01\mathrm{eV}$, improving the previously quoted bounds by roughly 17 orders of magnitude.

arXiv commentAdditional discussion about behavior of alpha particles in nuclei added. Version matches that accepted in PRD

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• Quantum Spacetime Phenomenology
• The causal set approach to quantum gravity
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• Signature change events: A challenge for quantum gravity?
• Light, Links and Causal Sets
• Discreteness and the transmission of light from distant sources
• Quantum gravity phenomenology at the dawn of the multi-messenger era -- A review
• Causal sets and conservation laws in tests of Lorentz symmetry
• Stochastic dark matter: Covariant Brownian motion from Planckian discreteness
• Causal Set Phenomenology
• Geodesics in Quantum Gravity