Article (Scientific journals)
Spacelike Singularities and Hidden Symmetries of Gravity
Henneaux, M.; Persson, D.; Spindel, Philippe
2008In Living Rev. Relativity, 11
Peer reviewed
 

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Abstract :
[en] We review the intimate connection between (super-)gravity close to a spacelike singularity (the BKL-limit') and the theory of Lorentzian Kac{Moody algebras. We show that in this limit the gravitational theory can be reformulated in terms of billiard motion in a region of hyperbolic space, revealing that the dynamics is completely determined by a (possibly in nite) sequence of re ections, which are elements of a Lorentzian Coxeter group. Such Coxeter groups are the Weyl groups of in nite-dimensional Kac{Moody algebras, suggesting that these algebras yield symmetries of gravitational theories. Our presentation is aimed to be a self- contained and comprehensive treatment of the subject, with all the relevant mathematical background material introduced and explained in detail. We also review attempts at making the in nite-dimensional symmetries manifest, through the construction of a geodesic sigma model based on a Lorentzian Kac{Moody algebra. An explicit example is provided for the case of the hyperbolic algebra E10, which is conjectured to be an underlying symmetry of M-theory. Illustrations of this conjecture are also discussed in the context of cosmological solutions to eleven-dimensional supergravity.
Disciplines :
Physics
Author, co-author :
Henneaux, M.
Persson, D.
Spindel, Philippe ;  Université de Mons > Faculté des Sciences > Mécanique et gravitation
Language :
English
Title :
Spacelike Singularities and Hidden Symmetries of Gravity
Publication date :
01 January 2008
Journal title :
Living Rev. Relativity
ISSN :
1433-8351
Volume :
11
Peer reviewed :
Peer reviewed
Commentary :
http://www.livingreviews.2008-1. e-Print Archive: hep-th/0710.1818 Bibliographic Code:2008LRR....11....1H
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