Stochastic semiclassical gravity is a theory developed in the 1990s using semiclassical gravity (quantum fields in classical spacetimes, the dynamics of both matter and spacetime are solved self-consistently) as the starting point and aiming at a theory of quantum gravity as the goal. While semiclassical gravity is based on the semiclassical Einstein equation with the source given by the expectation value of the stress-energy tensor of quantum fields, stochastic semiclassical gravity, or stochastic gravity for short, also includes its fluctuations in a new stochastic semiclassical Einstein–Langevin equation (we will often use the shortened term stochastic gravity as there is no confusion as to the nature and source of stochasticity in gravity being induced from the quantum fields and not a priori from the classical spacetime). If the centerpiece in semiclassical-gravity theory is the vacuum expectation value of the stress-energy tensor of a quantum field and the central issues are how well the vacuum is defined and how the divergences can be controlled by regularization and renormalization, the centerpiece in stochastic semiclassical-gravity theory is the stress-energy bitensor and its expectation value known as the noise kernel. The mathematical properties of this quantity and its physical content in relation to the behavior of fluctuations of quantum fields in curved spacetimes are the central issues of this new theory. How they induce metric fluctuations and seed the structures of the universe, how they affect the black-hole horizons and the backreaction of Hawking radiance in black hole dynamics, including implications for trans-Planckian physics, are new horizons to explore. On theoretical issues, stochastic gravity is the necessary foundation to investigate the validity of semiclassical gravity and the viability of inflationary cosmology based on the appearance and sustenance of a vacuum energy-dominated phase. It is also a useful beachhead supported by well-established low-energy (sub-Planckian) physics from which to explore the connection with high-energy (Planckian) physics in the realm of quantum gravity.
In this review we summarize the major work and results of this theory since 1998. It is in the nature of a
progress report rather than a review. In fact we will have room only to discuss a handful of topics of basic
importance. A review of ideas leading to stochastic gravity and further developments originating from it can
be found in [181, 187
], a set of lectures, which include a discussion of the issue of the validity of
semiclassical gravity in [207
] and a pedagogical introduction of stochastic-gravity theory with a more
detailed treatment of backreaction problems in cosmology and black holes in quasi-equilibrium in [208
]. A
comprehensive formal description of the fundamentals is given in [257
, 258
], while that of the noise
kernel in arbitrary spacetimes can be found in [258
, 304
, 305
]. Here we will try to mention
related work so the reader can at least trace out the parallel and sequential developments. The
references at the end of each topic below are representative work in which one can seek out further
treatments.
Stochastic gravity theory is built on three pillars: general relativity, quantum fields and nonequilibrium
statistical mechanics. The first two uphold semiclassical gravity, the last two span statistical field theory.
Strictly speaking one can understand a great deal without appealing to statistical mechanics, and we will
try to do so here. But concepts such as quantum open systems [88, 246
, 370
] and techniques
such as the influence functional [107
, 108
] (which is related to the closed-time-path effective
action [14
, 54
, 56
, 82
, 87
, 94
, 222
, 223
, 227
, 296
, 323
, 343
]) were a great help in our understanding of the
physical meaning of issues involved in the construction of this new theory. Foremost because quantum
fluctuations and correlation have ascended the stage and become the focus of attention. Quantum statistical
field theory and the statistical mechanics of quantum field theory [55, 57
, 59, 61
] also aided us in
searching for the connection with quantum gravity through the retrieval of correlations and
coherence.
We show the scope of stochastic gravity as follows:
For lack of space we list only the latest work in the respective topics above, describing ongoing research.
The reader should consult the references therein for earlier work and background material. We do
not seek a complete coverage here, but will discuss only those selected topics in theory, issues
and applications. We use the sign conventions of [266, 361
], and units in which
.
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