Up-tunneling is Impossible for Minkowski, DeSitter, or Anti-de Sitter

In summary, the conversation discusses a paper that claims up-tunneling is impossible for certain space-time models and that nothing should be thought of as the limit of anti-de Sitter space with zero curvature. The participants also mention philosophical concerns about using mathematics to describe the universe.
  • #1
Diffeomorphic
23
0
http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/arxiv/pdf/1111/1111.0301v1.pdf

Hi everyone! I'd like to get a little discussion started on what you guys think about this paper if you have the time to read it. I find it really fascinating that they came to the conclusion that up-tunneling is impossible for Minkowski, DeSitter, or anti-de Sitter. They seem to have a very apt description of "down-tunelling" or going from something to nothing.

They say that the main claim of their paper is that, "Nothing should be thought of as the limit of anti-de Sitter space in which the curvature length goes to zero."

Do you think that they have provided substantial evidence for this claim and are there any problems you have found with the paper?
 
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  • #2
Diffeomorphic said:
http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/arxiv/pdf/1111/1111.0301v1.pdf

Hi everyone! I'd like to get a little discussion started on what you guys think about this paper if you have the time to read it. I find it really fascinating that they came to the conclusion that up-tunneling is impossible for Minkowski, DeSitter, or anti-de Sitter. They seem to have a very apt description of "down-tunelling" or going from something to nothing.

They say that the main claim of their paper is that, "Nothing should be thought of as the limit of anti-de Sitter space in which the curvature length goes to zero."

Do you think that they have provided substantial evidence for this claim and are there any problems you have found with the paper?

I take issue on philosophical grounds with any approach that claims that some mathematically describable physics can give rise to the universe. For there is nothing physical before the universe began. So there is no math to describe some physical principles that give rise to the universe.
 
  • #3
I would love to have a discussion about the Philosophy of Mathematics and the correspondence between reality and Mathematical descriptions, but could we discuss on a purely technical level the actual content of the paper, temporarily glossing over the philosophical issues for now?
 

What is "Up-tunneling"?

"Up-tunneling" is a term used in physics to describe the hypothetical process of particles moving from a lower energy state to a higher energy state without passing through any intermediate states. This is often associated with quantum tunneling, where particles can "tunnel" through barriers that would normally be impassable according to classical physics.

Why is up-tunneling impossible for Minkowski, DeSitter, or Anti-de Sitter spacetimes?

This is because these particular spacetimes are all characterized by a positive cosmological constant, which means that they have a "bump" in the fabric of spacetime. This bump acts as a barrier for particles trying to tunnel from a lower energy state to a higher one, making up-tunneling impossible.

What implications does this have for our understanding of the universe?

The fact that up-tunneling is impossible in these particular types of spacetimes has significant implications for our understanding of the universe. It suggests that the fabric of spacetime is not completely smooth, and that there are certain barriers or "bumps" that particles cannot pass through. This challenges some of our fundamental theories and assumptions about how particles and energy behave in the universe.

Are there any exceptions to this rule?

Yes, there are some theories that suggest that up-tunneling may be possible in certain scenarios, even in Minkowski, DeSitter, or Anti-de Sitter spacetimes. However, these theories are still highly debated and have not been widely accepted in the scientific community.

What are the practical applications of this concept?

Currently, there are no known practical applications for the concept of up-tunneling being impossible in certain types of spacetimes. However, further research and understanding of this phenomenon could potentially lead to advancements in our understanding of quantum mechanics and the behavior of particles in the universe.

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