⚛️ Category

gr-qc

3805 papers

Quantum gravity represents the frontier where the very large meets the very small, attempting to unify Einstein's theory of gravity with the strange rules of quantum mechanics. This field explores the fundamental fabric of spacetime, seeking to understand how the universe behaves at its most extreme scales, from the heart of black holes to the moment of the Big Bang. Because these concepts often involve complex mathematics, they can feel distant to non-specialists, yet they hold the key to a complete picture of physical reality.

At Gist.Science, we bridge this gap by processing every new preprint in this category directly from arXiv. Our team provides both plain-language explanations and detailed technical summaries for each paper, ensuring that groundbreaking research is accessible to everyone, from curious students to seasoned researchers. Below are the latest papers in quantum gravity, offering fresh insights into the nature of our cosmos.

⚛️ high-energy theory

Gravitational partition function under volume constraints

This paper investigates gravitational partition functions under fixed-volume constraints by constructing extended volume-constrained Euclidean geometries (ECVEGs) with two horizons, demonstrating that their thermodynamic behavior and topological properties closely mirror those of the Euclidean Schwarzschild–de Sitter static patch, thereby suggesting that volume constraints effectively act as a cosmological constant in semiclassical quantum gravity.

Shan-Ping Wu, Peng Cheng, Shao-Wen Wei2026-08-19
⚛️ general relativity

Classical emergence of the quantum-backreacted BTZ black hole from exponential electrodynamics

This paper demonstrates that the quantum-backreacted BTZ black hole arising in New Massive Gravity can be classically realized as a unique static solution in Einstein gravity coupled to exponential nonlinear electrodynamics, establishing a dynamical equivalence between the two theories and enabling a reinterpretation of quantum imprints as classical charges through a detailed thermodynamic analysis.

Julio A. Méndez-Zavaleta, Efraín Rojas, José Joaquín Suárez-Garibay2026-08-19
⚛️ general relativity

Wormhole Reconstruction in Non-Conservative Unimodular Gravity: Ricci Scalar as an Independently Prescribed Curvature Profile

This paper proposes a curvature reconstruction framework within Non-Conservative Unimodular Gravity that generates traversable wormhole solutions directly from prescribed Ricci scalar profiles, demonstrating how specific curvature parameters control the intensity of exotic matter and the global asymptotic structure of the spacetime.

Marcelo H. Alvarenga, Rodrigo Santos Bufalo, Júlio C. Fabris2026-08-19
⚛️ general relativity

Removability criterion for radiative corrections to the Starobinsky attractor in weakly nonlocal gravity

This paper establishes a removability criterion for radiative corrections in weakly nonlocal gravity, demonstrating that while certain one-loop effects preserve the Starobinsky attractor's predictions by evolving the model into the E-family, other deformations (such as specific RnR^n terms or matter-induced corrections) fail this test and significantly shift the inflationary observables.

Ekapob Kulchoakrungsun, Phongpichit Channuie, Daris Samart2026-08-19
⚛️ general relativity

Ostrogradsky's Theorem is Incompatible with Background Independence in Quantum Gravity

The paper argues that Ostrogradsky's theorem, which predicts unstable ghost modes in higher-derivative systems, does not apply to background-independent quantum gravity because the Hamiltonian constraint forces the total energy to vanish, thereby reinterpreting the ghost mode as a necessary component of spacetime construction, while noting that the theorem remains valid only within background-dependent weak-field approximations below the Planck scale.

Ken-ji Hamada2026-08-19
⚛️ general relativity

Modelling mountains on accreting magnetized neutron stars

This paper presents a novel model that simultaneously accounts for magnetic stresses, deep crustal heating, and elastic responses to predict quadrupolar deformations on accreting magnetized neutron stars, revealing a critical accretion rate threshold that determines the sign of deformation and yielding gravitational wave strain estimates (ε∼10−11\varepsilon\sim 10^{-11}) consistent with current non-detections but potentially accessible to next-generation detectors.

T. Brusco, B. Haskell, M. Razzano, M. Bejger, J. L. Zdunik2026-08-19