Spacetime foam

TL;DR

This paper explores the structure of spacetime foam using the holographic principle, linking quantum foam physics to black holes, and proposes laser interferometry experiments to detect spacetime fluctuations.

Contribution

It deduces the structure of spacetime foam via the holographic principle and suggests experimental detection methods, connecting quantum foam physics with black hole phenomena.

Findings

Consistency with gedanken experiments on spacetime measurements

Proposed laser interferometry to detect spacetime fluctuations

Implications for semiclassical gravity and black hole physics

Abstract

Spacetime is composed of a fluctuating arrangement of bubbles or loops called spacetime foam, or quantum foam. We use the holographic principle to deduce its structure, and show that the result is consistent with gedanken experiments involving spacetime measurements. We propose to use laser-based atom interferometry techniques to look for spacetime fluctuations. Our analysis makes it clear that the physics of quantum foam is inextricably linked to that of black holes. A negative experimental result, therefore, might have non-trivial ramifications for semiclassical gravity and black hole physics.