Hamiltonian approach to gravitation theory and cosmology

Soloviev, Vladimir Olegovich

Lecture course for 4th year students, Physical Department, Moscow State University, kafedra "Quantum Theory and High Energy Physics"

Abstract

The basics of construction and applications of the gravitation theory Hamiltonian formalism are given. The necessary information from the Riemannian geometry of hypersurfaces is provided. The covariant 3+1-decomposition of tensors and the transformation of the Hilbert-Einstein action to the canonical form is presented. The geometrical meaning of the constraint algebra and the problem of canonical realization of the space-time diffeomorphism algebra are studied. The procedure of reduction by means of gauge conditions is considered both for closed spaces and for the asymptotically flat space. In the latter case formulas for the generators of the asymptotic Poincare group are derived. Applications to quantum cosmology and its relation to the inflationary scenario and the standard Friedman model are discussed.