Could quantum gravity phenomenology be tested with high intensity lasers?

João Magueijo
Phys. Rev. D 73, 124020 – Published 14 June 2006

Abstract

In phenomenological quantum gravity theories, Planckian behavior is triggered by the energy of elementary particles approaching the Planck energy, EP, but it is also possible that anomalous behavior strikes systems of particles with total energy near EP. This is usually perceived to be pathological and has been labeled “the soccer ball problem.” We point out that there is no obvious contradiction with experiment if coherent collections of particles with bulk energy of order EP do indeed display Planckian behavior, a possibility that would open a new experimental window. Unfortunately, field theory realizations of “doubly” (or deformed) special relativity never exhibit a soccer ball problem; we present several formulations where this is undeniably true. Upon closer scrutiny we discover that the only chance for Planckian behavior to be triggered by large coherent energies involves the details of second quantization. We find a formulation where the quanta have their energy-momentum (mass-shell) relations deformed as a function of the bulk energy of the coherent packet to which they belong, rather than the frequency. Given ongoing developments in laser technology, such a possibility would be of great experimental interest.

  • Received 20 March 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.73.124020

©2006 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

João Magueijo

  • Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, 31 Caroline Street North, Waterloo N2L 2Y5, Canada
  • Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, 60 St. George Street, Toronto M5S 3H8, Canada
  • Theoretical Physics Group, Imperial College, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom

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Issue

Vol. 73, Iss. 12 — 15 June 2006

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