Violating the quantum focusing conjecture and quantum covariant entropy bound in d ⩾ 5 dimensions. (1st August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fu, Zicao; Koeller, Jason; Marolf, Donald
• Is Part Of: Classical and quantum gravity. Volume 34:Number 17(2017:Sep.)
• Publication Date: 2017-08-01
• Subjects: quantum focusing conjecture -- gravitational entropy -- quantum fields in curved space; Quantum gravity -- Periodicals; Gravitation -- Periodicals; Relativity (Physics) -- Periodicals; Space and time -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 521.1
• DOI: 10.1088/1361-6382/aa80ba
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-9381

Abstract

Abstract: We study the quantum focussing conjecture (QFC) in curved spacetime. Noting that quantum corrections from integrating out massive fields generally induce a Gauss–Bonnet term, we study Einstein–Hilbert–Gauss–Bonnet gravity and show for d ⩾ 5 spacetime dimensions that weakly-curved solutions can violate the associated QFC for either sign of the Gauss–Bonnet coupling. The nature of the violation shows that—so long as the Gauss–Bonnet coupling is non-zero—it will continue to arise for local effective actions containing arbitrary further higher curvature terms, and when gravity is coupled to generic d ⩾ 5 theories of massive quantum fields. The argument also implies violations of a recently-conjectured form of the generalized covariant entropy bound. The possible validity of the QFC and covariant entropy bound in d ⩽ 4 spacetime dimensions remains open.