Structure of random discrete spacetime

Graham Brightwell and Ruth Gregory
Phys. Rev. Lett. 66, 260 – Published 21 January 1991
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Abstract

The usual picture of spacetime consists of a continuous manifold, together with a metric of Lorentzian signature which imposes a causal structure. We consider a model in which spacetime consists of a discrete set of points taken at random from a manifold, with only the causal structure remaining. Using only this structure, we show how to construct a metric, how to define the effective dimension, and how such quantities may depend on the scale of measurement. We discuss possible desirable features of the model.

  • Received 27 July 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.66.260

©1991 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Graham Brightwell

  • Department of Matematics, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE, United Kingdom

Ruth Gregory

  • NASA/Fermilab Astrophysics Center, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory,
  • P.O. Box 500, Batavia, Illinois 60510

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Vol. 66, Iss. 3 — 21 January 1991

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