Giulia Gubitosi

• Ph.D.
• University of Naples Federico II

Studies of in-vacuo dispersion are the most active area of quantum-gravity phenomenology. The way in which in-vacuo dispersion produces redshift-dependent corrections to the time of flight of astrophysics particles depends on the model-dependent interplay between Planck-scale effects and spacetime curvature/expansion, and we here derive the most ge...

The unification of quantum mechanics and general relativity has long been elusive. Only recently have empirical predictions of various possible theories of quantum gravity been put to test, where a clear signal of quantum properties of gravity is still missing. The dawn of multi-messenger high-energy astrophysics has been tremendously beneficial, a...

The aim of this contribution is twofold. First, we show that when two (or more) different quantum groups share the same noncommutative spacetime, such an 'ambiguity' can be resolved by considering together their corresponding noncommutative spaces of geodesics. In any case, the latter play a mathematical/physical role by themselves and, in some cas...

We review the main features of models where relativistic symmetries are deformed at the Planck scale. We cover the motivations, links to other quantum gravity approaches, describe in some detail the most studied theoretical frameworks, including Hopf algebras, relative locality, and other scenarios with deformed momentum space geometry, discuss pos...

Understanding whether quantum gravitational effects can lead to a fundamental decoherence, affecting all systems regardless of their environment, is a long standing open challenge. Here we provide a rigorous derivation of decoherence within a full-fledged model of quantum spacetime, encoded by noncommutativity at the Planck scale. Specifically, we...

A bstract We discuss the quantum Poincaré symmetries of the ϱ -Minkowski spacetime, a space characterised by an angular form of noncommutativity. We show that it is possible to give them both a bicrossproduct and a Drinfel’d twist structure. We also obtain a new noncommutative ⋆-product, which is cyclic with respect to the standard integral measure...

Studies of in-vacuo dispersion are the most active area of quantum-gravity phenomenology. The way in which in-vacuo dispersion produces redshift-dependent corrections to the time of flight of astrophysics particles depends on the model-dependent interplay between Planck-scale effects and spacetime curvature/expansion, and we here derive the most ge...

We investigate the implications of decoherence induced by quantum spacetime properties on neutrino oscillation phenomena. We develop a general formalism where the evolution of neutrinos is governed by a Lindblad-type equation and we compute the oscillation damping factor for various models that have been proposed in the literature. Furthermore, we...

In addition to its implications for astrophysics, the hunt for neutrinos originating from gamma-ray bursts could also be significant in quantum-gravity research, as they are excellent probes of the microscopic fabric of spacetime. Some previous studies based on neutrinos observed by the IceCube observatory found intriguing preliminary evidence that...

We discuss the quantum Poincar\'e symmetries of the $\varrho$-Minkowski spacetime, a space characterised by an angular form of noncommutativity. We show that it is possible to give them both a bicrossproduct and a Drinfel'd twist structure. We also obtain a new noncommutative $\star$-product, which is cyclic with respect to the standard integral me...

We perform a comprehensive study of the signatures of Lorentz violation in electrodynamics on the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) anisotropies. In the framework of the minimal Standard Model Extension (SME), we consider effects generated by renormalizable operators, both CPT-odd and CPT-even. These operators are responsible for sourcing, respecti...

The noncommutative spacetimes associated to the κ-Poincaré relativistic symmetries and their “non-relativistic” (Galilei) and “ultra-relativistic” (Carroll) limits are indistinguishable, since their coordinates satisfy the same algebra. In this work, we show that the three quantum kinematical models can be differentiated when looking at the associa...

We perform a comprehensive study of the signatures of Lorentz violation in electrodynamics on the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) anisotropies. In the framework of the minimal Standard Model Extension (SME), we consider effects generated by renormalizable operators, both CPT-odd and CPT-even. These operators are responsible for sourcing, respecti...

The noncommutative spacetimes associated to the $\kappa$-Poincar\'e relativistic symmetries and their "non-relativistic" (Galilei) and "ultra-relativistic" (Carroll) limits are indistinguishable, since their coordinates satisfy the same algebra. In this work, we show that the three quantum kinematical models can be differentiated when looking at th...

We review the main features of models where relativistic symmetries are deformed at the Planck scale. We cover the motivations and links to other quantum gravity approaches. We describe in some detail the most studied theoretical frameworks, including Hopf algebras, relative locality, and other scenarios with deformed momentum space geometry. We di...

Lorentz symmetry violations might produce anomalies in the propagation of particles travelling through the Universe. The IceCube Collaboration performed the most precise search for such an effect with neutrinos, finding no sign of anomalous behaviour.

In addition to its implications for astrophysics, the hunt for GRB neutrinos could also be significant in quantum-gravity research, since they are excellent probes of the microscopic fabric of spacetime. Some previous studies based on IceCube neutrinos had found intriguing preliminary evidence that some of them might be GRB neutrinos with travel ti...

We show that quantum properties of spacetime, encoded by noncommutativity at the Planck scale, lead to a generalized time evolution of quantum systems in which pure states can evolve into mixed states. Specifically, a decoherence mechanism is obtained in the form of a Lindblad-like time evolution for the density operator when the action of time tra...

In a quantum gravity theory, it is expected that the classical notion of spacetime disappears, leading to a quantum structure with new properties. A possible way to take into account these quantum effects is through a noncommutativity of spacetime coordinates. In the literature, there is not a clear way to describe at the same time a noncommutativi...

The exploration of the universe has recently entered a new era thanks to the multi-messenger paradigm, characterized by a continuous increase in the quantity and quality of experimental data that is obtained by the detection of the various cosmic messengers (photons, neutrinos, cosmic rays and gravitational waves) from numerous origins. They give u...

It has been pointed out that different choices of momenta can be associated to the same noncommutative spacetime model. The question of whether these momentum spaces, related by diffeomorphisms, produce the same physical predictions is still debated. In this work, we focus our attention on a few different momentum spaces that can be associated to t...

In a quantum gravity theory, it is expected that the classical notion of spacetime disappears, leading to a quantum structure with new properties. A possible way to take into account these quantum effects is through a noncommutativity of spacetime coordinates. In the literature, there is not a clear way to describe at the same time a noncommutativi...

It has been pointed out that different choices of momenta can be associated to the same noncommutative spacetime model. The question of whether these momentum spaces, related by diffeomorphisms, produce the same physical predictions is still debated. In this work, we focus our attention on a few different momentum spaces that can be associated to t...

A bstract A novel approach to study the properties of models with quantum-deformed relativistic symmetries relies on a noncommutative space of worldlines rather than the usual noncommutative spacetime. In this setting, spacetime can be reconstructed as the set of events, that are identified as the crossing of different worldlines. We lay down the b...

The exploration of the universe has recently entered a new era thanks to the multi-messenger paradigm, characterized by a continuous increase in the quantity and quality of experimental data that is obtained by the detection of the various cosmic messengers (photons, neutrinos, cosmic rays and gravitational waves) from numerous origins. They give u...

Recent work showed that κ-deformations can describe the quantum deformation of several relativistic models that have been proposed in the context of quantum gravity phenomenology. Starting from the Poincaré algebra of special-relativistic symmetries, one can toggle the curvature parameter Λ, the Planck scale quantum deformation parameter κ and the...

Recent work showed that $\kappa$-deformations can describe the quantum deformation of several relativistic models that have been proposed in the context of quantum gravity phenomenology. Starting from the Poincar\'e algebra of special-relativistic symmetries, one can toggle the curvature parameter $\Lambda$, the Planck scale quantum deformation par...

A novel approach to study the properties of models with quantum-deformed relativistic symmetries relies on a noncommutative space of worldlines rather than the usual noncommutative spacetime. In this setting, spacetime can be reconstructed as the set of events, that are identified as the crossing of different worldlines. We lay down the basis for t...

Recently, it was shown that when reference frames are associated to quantum systems, the transformation laws between such quantum reference frames need to be modified to take into account the quantum and dynamical features of the reference frames. This led to a relational description of the phase space variables of the quantum system of which the q...

Recently, it was shown that when reference frames are associated to quantum systems, the transformation laws between such quantum reference frames need to be modified to take into account the quantum and dynamical features of the reference frames. This led to a relational description of the phase space variables of the quantum system of which the q...

We show that the Lorentzian Snyder models, together with their Galilei and Carroll limiting cases, can be rigorously constructed through the projective geometry description of Lorentzian, Galilean and Carrollian spaces with nonvanishing constant curvature. The projective coordinates of such curved spaces take the role of momenta, while translation...

Given a group of kinematical symmetry generators, one can construct a compatible noncommutative spacetime and deformed phase space by means of projective geometry. This was the main idea behind the very first model of noncommutative spacetime, proposed by H.S. Snyder in 1947. In this framework, spacetime coordinates are the translation generators o...

Given a group of kinematical symmetry generators, one can construct a compatible noncommutative spacetime and deformed phase space by means of projective geometry. This was the main idea behind the very first model of noncommutative spacetime, proposed by H.S. Snyder in 1947. In this framework, spacetime coordinates are the translation generators o...

We derive the non-relativistic c→∞ and ultra-relativistic c→0 limits of the κ-deformed symmetries and corresponding spacetime in (3+1) dimensions, with and without a cosmological constant. We apply the theory of Lie bialgebra contractions to the Poisson version of the κ-(A)dS quantum algebra, and quantize the resulting contracted Poisson–Hopf algeb...

We derive the non-relativistic $c\to\infty$ and ultra-relativistic $c\to 0$ limits of the $\kappa$-deformed symmetries and corresponding spacetime in (3+1) dimensions, with and without a cosmological constant. We apply the theory of Lie bialgebra contractions to the Poisson version of the $\kappa$-(A)dS quantum algebra, and quantize the resulting c...

We show that the Lorentzian Snyder models, together with their Galilei and Carroll limiting cases, can be rigorously constructed through the projective geometry description of Lorentzian, Galilean and Carrollian spaces with nonvanishing constant curvature. The projective coordinates of such curved spaces take the role of momenta, while translation...

We follow the life of a generic primordial perturbation mode (scalar or tensor) subject to modified dispersion relations (MDR), as its proper wavelength is stretched by expansion. A necessary condition ensuring that traveling waves can be converted into standing waves is that the mode starts its life deep inside the horizon and in the trans-Plancki...

The essential features of a quantum group deformation of classical symmetries of General Relativity in the case with non-vanishing cosmological constant Λ are presented. We fully describe (anti-)de Sitter non-commutative spacetimes and curved momentum spaces in (1 + 1) and (2 + 1) dimensions arising from the κ-deformed quantum group symmetries. The...

The asymptotic safety program strives for a consistent description of gravity as a non-perturbatively renormalizable quantum field theory. In this framework the gravitational interactions are encoded in a renormalization group flow connecting the quantum gravity regime at trans-Planckian scales to observable low-energy physics. Our proceedings revi...

The essential features of a quantum group deformation of classical symmetries of General Relativity in the case with non-vanishing cosmological constant $\Lambda$ are presented. We fully describe (anti-)de Sitter non-commutative spacetimes and curved momentum spaces in (1+1) and (2+1) dimensions arising from the $\kappa$-deformed quantum group symm...

We follow the life of a generic primordial perturbation mode (scalar or tensor) subject to modified dispersion relations (MDR), as its proper wavelength is stretched by expansion. A necessary condition ensuring that travelling waves can be converted into standing waves is that the mode starts its life deep inside the horizon and in the trans-Planck...

We investigate the relativistic properties under boost transformations of the κ-Poincaré model with multiple causally connected interactions, both at the level of its formulation in momentum space only and when it is endowed with a full phase space construction, provided by the relative locality framework. Previous studies focusing on the momentum...

We investigate the relativistic properties under boost transformations of the $\kappa$-Poincar\'e model with multiple causally connected interactions, both at the level of its formulation in momentum space only and when it is endowed with a full phase space construction, provided by the relative locality framework. Previous studies focussing on the...

The asymptotic safety program strives for a consistent description of gravity as a non-perturbatively renormalizable quantum field theory. In this framework the gravitational interactions are encoded in a renormalization group flow connecting the quantum gravity regime at trans-Planckian scales to observable low-energy physics. Our proceedings revi...

We investigate the compatibility of cosmological constraints on inflation and the cosmological constant with the asymptotic safety scenario of quantum gravity. The effective action is taken to be of f(R) form, truncated to second order. The flow generated by the Functional Renormalisation Group Equation is analysed and it is found to allow for traj...

We report an investigation of the Snyder noncommutative spacetime and of some of its most natural generalizations, also looking at them as a powerful tool for comparing different notions of dimensionality of a quantum spacetime. It is known that (generalized-)Snyder noncommutativity, while having rich off-shell implications (kinematical Hilbert spa...

We investigate the compatibility of cosmological constraints on inflation and the cosmological constant with the asymptotic safety scenario of quantum gravity. The effective action is taken to be of $f(R)$ form, truncated to second order. The flow generated by the Functional Renormalisation Group Equation is analysed and it is found to allow for tr...

Curved momentum spaces associated to the κ-deformation of the (3+1) de Sitter and anti–de Sitter algebras are constructed as orbits of suitable actions of the dual Poisson-Lie group associated to the κ-deformation with nonvanishing cosmological constant. The κ-de Sitter and κ-anti–de Sitter curved momentum spaces are separately analyzed, and they t...

We report an investigation of the Snyder noncommutative spacetime and of some of its most natural generalizations, also looking at them as a powerful tool for comparing different notions of dimensionality of a quantum spacetime. It is known that (generalized-)Snyder noncommutativity, while having rich off-shell implications (kinematical Hilbert spa...

We explore the possibility that well known properties of the parity operator, such as its idempotency and unitarity, might break down at the Planck scale. Parity might then do more than just swap right and left polarized states and reverse the sign of spatial momentum ${\bf k}$: it might generate superpositions of right and left handed states, as w...

Quantum gravity phenomenology suggests an effective modification of the general relativistic dispersion relation of freely falling point particles caused by an underlying theory of quantum gravity. Here we analyse the consequences of modifications of the general relativistic dispersion on the geometry of spacetime in the language of Hamilton geomet...

In this proceedings for the MG14 conference, we discuss the construction of a phenomenology of Planck-scale effects in curved spacetimes, underline a few open issues and describe some perspectives for the future of this research line.

We consider the possibility that the primordial fluctuations (scalar and tensor) might have been standing waves at their moment of creation, whether or not they had a quantum origin. We lay down the general conditions for spatial translational invariance, and isolate the pieces of the most general such theory that comply with, or break translationa...

In this paper we skim the true phenomenological requirements behind the concept of inflationary squeezing. We argue that all that is required is that at horizon re-entry the fluctuations form standing waves with the correct temporal phase (specifically, sine waves). We quantify this requirement and relate it to the initial conditions fed into the r...

In recent work we analyzed the evolution of primordial perturbations satisfying Planck-scale-modified dispersion relations and showed that there is no cosmological "squeezing" in the critical model that produces perturbations with a scale invariant spectrum. Nevertheless, the perturbations reenter the horizon as standing waves with the correct temp...

We bring the concept that quantum symmetries describe theories with nontrivial momentum space properties one step further, looking at quantum symmetries of spacetime in presence of a nonvanishing cosmological constant $\Lambda$. In particular, the momentum space associated to the $\kappa$-deformation of the de Sitter algebra in (1+1) and (2+1) dime...

We use our previously developed identification of dispersion relations with Hamilton functions on phase space to locally implement the κ-Poincaré dispersion relation in the momentum spaces at each point of a generic curved spacetime. We use this general construction to build the most general Hamiltonian compatible with spherical symmetry and the Pl...

We bring the concept that quantum symmetries describe theories with nontrivial momentum space properties one step further, looking at quantum symmetries of spacetime in presence of a nonvanishing cosmological constant $\Lambda$. In particular, the momentum space associated to the $\kappa$-deformation of the de Sitter algebra in (1+1) and (2+1) dime...

We use our previously developed identification of dispersion relations with Hamilton functions on phase space to locally implement the $\kappa$-Poincar\'e dispersion relation in the momentum spaces at each point of a generic curved spacetime. We use this general construction to build the most general Hamiltonian compatible with spherical symmetry a...

We examine some of the roots of parity violation for gravitons and uncover a closely related new effect: correlations between right- and left-handed gravitons. Such correlators have spin 4 if they involve gravitons moving along the same direction and spin zero for gravitons moving with opposite directions. In the first case, the most immediate impl...

We compute the spectral index of primordial perturbations in a rainbow universe. We allow the Newton constant $G$ to run at (super-)Planckian energies and we consider both vacuum and thermal perturbations. If the rainbow metric is the one associated to a generalized Horava-Lifshitz dispersion relation, we find that only when $G$ tends asymptoticall...

The covariant understanding of dispersion relations as level sets of Hamilton functions on phase space enables us to derive the most general dispersion relation compatible with homogeneous and isotropic spacetimes. We use this concept to present a Planck-scale deformation of the Hamiltonian of a particle in Friedman-Lema\^itre-Robertson-Walker (FLR...

We examine some of the roots of parity violation for gravitons and uncover a closely related new effect: correlations between right and left handed gravitons. Such correlators have spin 4 if they involve gravitons moving along the same direction, and spin zero for gravitons moving with opposite directions. In the first case, the most immediate impl...

We revisit one of the earliest proposals for deformed dispersion relations in the light of recent results on dynamical dimensional reduction and production of cosmological fluctuations. Depending on the specification of the measure of integration and addition rule in momentum space the model may be completed so as to merely deform Lorentz invarianc...

In this paper we consider the issue of paradigm evaluation by applying Bayes' theorem along the following nested hierarchy of progressively more complex structures: i) parameter estimation (within a model), ii) model selection and comparison (within a paradigm), iii) paradigm evaluation. In such a hierarchy the Bayesian evidence works both as the p...

In this paper we consider the issue of paradigm evaluation by applying Bayes' theorem along the following nested hierarchy of progressively more complex structures: i) parameter estimation (within a model), ii) model selection and comparison (within a paradigm), iii) paradigm evaluation. In such a hierarchy the Bayesian evidence works both as the p...

We show that the two-point function of a quantum field theory with de Sitter momentum space (herein called DSR) can be expressed as the product of a standard delta function and an energy-dependent factor. The proportionality to a standard delta function is a nontrivial result valid in any theory without a preferred frame and relies crucially on the...

Recent results suggest that a crucial crossroad for quantum gravity is the characterization of the effective dimension of spacetime at short distances, where quantum properties of spacetime become significant. This is relevant in particular for various scenarios of "dynamical dimensional reduction" which have been discussed in the literature. We ar...

The search for possible effects of parity violations in the electromagnetic sector has achieved great accuracy with the latest cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations. The sensitivity of current and future experiments is such that the need to understand the interaction of parity violations with several competing effects is now crucial in ord...

We present the first detailed study of the kinematics of free relativistic particles whose symmetries are described by a quantum deformation of the de Sitter algebra, known as $q$-de Sitter Hopf algebra. The quantum deformation parameter is a function of the Planck length $\ell$ and the de Sitter radius $H^{-1}$, such that when the Planck length va...

We show that the two-point function of a quantum field theory with de Sitter momentum space (herein called DSR) can be expressed as the product of a standard delta function and an energy-dependent factor. This is a highly non-trivial technical result in any theory without a preferred frame. Applied to models exhibiting running of the dimensionality...

Cosmological birefringence is a rotation of the polarization plane of photons coming from sources of astrophysical and cosmological origin. The rotation can also depend on the energy of the photons and not only on the distance of the source and on the cosmological evolution of the underlying theoretical model. In this work, we constrain few selecte...

It has been recently claimed that the initial singularity might be avoided in the context of rainbow cosmology, where one attempts to account for quantum-gravitational corrections through an effective-theory description based on an energy-dependent ("rainbow") spacetime metric. We here scrutinize this exciting hypothesis much more in depth than eve...

We describe the Hamilton geometry of the phase space of particles whose motion is characterised by general dispersion relations. In this framework spacetime and momentum space are naturally curved and intertwined, allowing for a simultaneous description of both spacetime curvature and non-trivial momentum space geometry. We consider as explicit exa...

In this paper we consider the issue of paradigm evaluation by applying Bayes' theorem along the following nested chain of progressively more complex structures: i) parameter estimation (within a model), ii) model selection and comparison (within a paradigm), iii) paradigm evaluation. In such a chain the Bayesian evidence works both as the posterior...

We examine vacuum fluctuations in theories with modified dispersion relations which represent dimensional reduction at high energies. By changing units of energy and momentum we can obtain a description rendering the dispersion relations undeformed and transferring all the non-trivial effects to the integration measure in momentum space. Using this...

We propose that at the beginning of the universe gravity existed in a limbo either because it was switched off or because it was only conformally coupled to all particles. This picture can be reverse-engineered from the requirement that the cosmological perturbations be (nearly) scale-invariant without the need for inflation. It also finds support...

We investigate the cosmological properties of Galileon models with positive kinetic terms. We include both conformal and disformal couplings to matter and focus on constraints on the theory that arise because of these couplings. The disformal coupling to baryonic matter is extremely constrained by astrophysical and particle physics effects. The dis...

We introduce birefringence effects within the propagation history of CMB, considering the two cases of a constant effect and of an effect that increases linearly in time, as the rotation of polarization induced by birefringence accumulates during photon propagation. Both cases result into a mixing of E and B modes before lensing effects take place,...

We investigate the anti-de Sitter (AdS) counterpart to the well studied de Sitter (dS) model for energy-momentum space, viz "$\kappa$-momentum space" space (with a structure based on the properties of the $\kappa$-Poincar\'e Hopf algebra). On the basis of previous preliminary results one might expect the two models to be "dual": dS exhibiting an in...

Finsler geometry is a well known generalization of Riemannian geometry which allows to account for a possibly non trivial structure of the space of configurations of relativistic particles. We here establish a link between Finsler geometry and the sort of models with curved momentum space and DSR-relativistic symmetries which have been recently of...

Several approaches to the investigation of the quantum-gravity problem have provided "theoretical evidence" of a role for the Planck scale in characterizing the geometry of momentum space. One of the main obstructions for a full exploitation of this scenario is the understanding of the role of the Planck-scale-curved geometry of momentum space in t...

Light scalar fields can naturally couple disformally to Standard Model fields without giving rise to the unacceptably large fifth forces usually associated with light scalars. We show that these scalar fields can be studied and constrained through their interaction with photons, and focus particularly on changes to the Cosmic Microwave Background s...

We adopt a framework where quantum gravity’s dynamical dimensional reduction of spacetime at short distances is described in terms of modified dispersion relations. We observe that by subjecting such models to a momentum-space diffeomorphism one obtains a “dual picture” with unmodified dispersion relations, but a modified measure of integration ove...

Several approaches to quantum gravity suggest that the standard description of spacetime as probed at low-energy, with four dimensions, is replaced in the Planckian regime by a spacetime with a spectral dimension of two. The implications for relativistic symmetries can be momentous, and indeed the most tangible picture for "running" of the spectral...

Light scalar fields can naturally couple disformally to Standard Model fields without giving rise to the unacceptably large fifth forces usually associated with light scalars. We show that these scalar fields can still be studied and constrained through their interaction with photons, and focus particularly on changes to the Cosmic Microwave Backgr...

We adopt a framework where quantum-gravity's dynamical dimensional reduction of spacetime at short distances is described in terms of modified dispersion relations. We observe that by subjecting such models to a momentum-space diffeomorphism one obtains a "dual picture" with unmodified dispersion relations, but a modified measure of integration ove...

Several arguments suggest that the Planck scale could be the characteristic scale of curvature of momentum space. As other recent studies we assume that the metric of momentum space determines the condition of on-shellness while the momentum-space affine connection governs the form of the law of composition of momenta. We show that the possible cho...

We show that the κ-Poincaré Hopf algebra can be interpreted in the framework of curved momentum space leading to relative locality. We study the geometric properties of the momentum space described by κ-Poincaré and derive the consequences for particle propagation and energy–momentum conservation laws in interaction vertices, obtaining for the firs...

We re-examine a recently proposed scenario where the deformed dispersion relations associated with a flow of the spectral dimension to a UV value of 2 leads to a scale-invariant spectrum of cosmological fluctuations, without the need for inflation. In that scenario Einstein gravity was assumed. The theory displays a wavelength-dependent speed of li...

We explore the cosmological implications of a mechanism found in several approaches to quantum-gravity, whereby the spectral dimension of spacetime runs from the standard value of 4 in the infrared (IR) to a smaller value in the ultraviolet (UV). Specifically, we invoke the picture where the phenomenon is associated with modified dispersion relatio...

We propose a universal description of dark energy and modified gravity that includes all single-field models. By extending a formalism previously applied to inflation, we consider the metric universally coupled to matter fields and we write in terms of it the most general unitary gauge action consistent with the residual unbroken symmetries of spat...

We study the possibility of constraining the energy dependence of cosmological birefringence by using CMB polarization data. We consider four possible behaviors, characteristic of different theoretical scenarios: energy-independent birefringence motivated by Chern-Simons interactions of the electromagnetic field, linear energy dependence motivated...

We mainly summarize the results reported in a previous work with Pagano, Amelino-Camelia, Melchiorri and Cooray (JCAP 0908:021,2009), which showed, working within a phenomenological model first proposed by Myers and Pospelov, that presently-available Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) polarization data can provide Planck-scale sensitivity to quantum...

The reference laboratory bounds on superluminality of the electron are obtained from the absence of in-vacuo Cherenkov processes and the determinations of synchrotron radiated power for LEP electrons. It is usually assumed that these analyses establish the validity of a standard special-relativistic description of the electron with accuracy of at l...

We offer a preliminary exploration of the two sides of the challenge provided by the recent OPERA data on superluminal neutrinos. On one side we stress that some aspects of this result are puzzling even from the perspective of the wild quantum-gravity literature, where arguments in favor of the possibility of superluminal propagation have been pres...