Huge Quantum Gravity Effects in the Solar System

TL;DR

This paper explores how quantum gravity effects, amplified by classical chaos, could lead to significant uncertainties in planetary motions and the long-term fate of Uranus in the Solar System.

Contribution

It introduces the idea that quantum gravity effects can be amplified by chaos, leading to large uncertainties in planetary trajectories and future states.

Findings

Quantum uncertainties could cause Uranus to be ejected from the Solar System.

Uncertainty in Uranus's exit time could be about a billion billion years.

Quantum effects could make Uranus's future position almost entirely unpredictable.

Abstract

Normally one thinks of the motion of the planets around the Sun as a highly classical phenomenon, so that one can neglect quantum gravity in the Solar System. However, classical chaos in the planetary motion amplifies quantum uncertainties so that they become very large, giving huge quantum gravity effects. For example, evidence suggests that Uranus may eventually be ejected from the Solar System, but quantum uncertainties would make the direction at which it leaves almost entirely uncertain, and the time of its exit uncertain by about a billion billion years. For a time a billion billion years from now, there are huge quantum uncertainties whether Uranus will be within the Solar System, within the Galaxy, or even within causal contact of the Galaxy.