Phenomenological quantum gravity is the research field that deals with the
phenomenology
Phenomenology may refer to:
Art
* Phenomenology (architecture), based on the experience of building materials and their sensory properties
Philosophy
* Phenomenology (Peirce), a branch of philosophy according to Charles Sanders Peirce (1839â ...
of
quantum gravity
Quantum gravity (QG) is a field of theoretical physics that seeks to describe gravity according to the principles of quantum mechanics. It deals with environments in which neither gravitational nor quantum effects can be ignored, such as in the v ...
. The relevance of this research area derives from the fact that none of the candidate theories for quantum gravity has yielded experimentally testable predictions.
Phenomenological models are designed to bridge this gap by allowing physicists to test for general properties that the hypothetical correct theory of quantum gravity has. Furthermore, due to this current lack of experiments, it is not known for sure that gravity is indeed quantum (i.e. that
general relativity
General relativity, also known as the general theory of relativity, and as Einstein's theory of gravity, is the differential geometry, geometric theory of gravitation published by Albert Einstein in 1915 and is the current description of grav ...
can be
quantized), and so evidence is required to determine whether this is the case.
Phenomenological models are also necessary to assess the promise of future quantum gravity experiments.
Direct experiments for quantum gravity (perhaps by detecting
gravitons) would require reaching the
Planck energy — on the order of 10
28 eV, around 15 orders of magnitude higher than can be achieved with current
particle accelerators
A particle accelerator is a machine that uses electromagnetic fields to propel electric charge, charged particles to very high speeds and energies to contain them in well-defined particle beam, beams. Small accelerators are used for fundamental ...
— as well as needing a detector the size of a large
planet
A planet is a large, Hydrostatic equilibrium, rounded Astronomical object, astronomical body that is generally required to be in orbit around a star, stellar remnant, or brown dwarf, and is not one itself. The Solar System has eight planets b ...
.
As a result, experimental investigation of quantum gravity was long thought to be impossible with current levels of technology.
However, in the early 21st century, new experiment designs and technologies have arisen which suggest that indirect approaches to testing quantum gravity may be feasible over the next few decades.
See also
*
Phenomenology (physics)
In physics, phenomenology is the application of theoretical physics to experimental data by making quantitative predictions based upon known theories. It is related to the philosophical notion of the same name in that these predictions describ ...
*
Modern searches for Lorentz violation
*
Quantum gravity
Quantum gravity (QG) is a field of theoretical physics that seeks to describe gravity according to the principles of quantum mechanics. It deals with environments in which neither gravitational nor quantum effects can be ignored, such as in the v ...
References
{{Quantum-stub
Theoretical physics
Quantum gravity