Physicists propose a framework linking quantum gravity models to interferometers, enabling laboratory detection of tiny spacetime fluctuations, or quantum foam.
Warwick framework enables interferometers to detect tiny spacetime fluctuations from quantum gravity
Photo Credit: ESA
Physicists now have a method to detect tiny fluctuations of spacetime, a prediction of theories attempting to merge quantum mechanics and the theory of gravity. Tiny fluctuations in spacetime are now referred to as “quantum foam” in a theory postulated by Wheeler. These tiny waves have been theorized for a number of years but never actually detected. They now have a way to be detected via a method developed at the University of Warwick.
The new study sorts possible spacetime distortions into three broad categories based on how their patterns vary in space and time. For each category, the authors identified a distinct interferometer signature, effectively mapping abstract theory to measurable effects. They found that small lab interferometers such as QUEST and GQuEST, despite their short arms, sweep a wide band of frequencies and can reveal detailed fluctuation patterns, while LIGO's 4-km arms are ideal for simply flagging whether any such noise exists at all. In short, the paper provides a “translation guide” from quantum-gravity predictions into actual experimental signals.
Different quantum gravity theories predicted various kinds of spacetime “jitter,” but until now each lacked a clear experimental plan. Previous searches – for example, looking for tiny delays in gamma-ray flashes from distant galaxies – have so far been inconclusive. These effects are expected only at the unimaginably tiny Planck length (~10^-35 m), so spotting them requires extreme precision. Now this framework is model-agnostic: it can test any theory that predicts random spacetime noise. In short, the work turns speculative “quantum foam” math into concrete experimental targets, paving the way for real measurements of spacetime's ultimate grain.
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