Dirac observables and the phase space of general relativity
arXiv:gr-qc/0112051
Abstract
In the canonical approach to general relativity it is customary to parametrize the phase space by initial data on spacelike hypersurfaces. However, if one seeks a theory dealing with observations that can be made by a single localized observer, it is natural to use a different description of the phase space. This results in a different set of Dirac observables from that appearing in the conventional formulation. It also suggests a possible solution to the problem of time, which has been one of the obstacles to the development of a satisfactory quantum theory of gravity.
Latex,18 pages,no figures