On the Classical Limit of the Balanced State Sum

Abstract

The purpose of this note is to make several advances in the interpretation of the balanced state sum model by Barrett and Crane in gr-qc/9709028 as a quantum theory of gravity. First, we outline a shortcoming of the definition of the model in pointed out to us by Barrett and Baez in private communication, and explain how to correct it. Second, we show that the classical limit of our state sum reproduces the Einstein-Hilbert lagrangian whenever the term in the state sum to which it is applied has a geometrical interpretation. Next we outline a program to demonstrate that the classical limit of the state sum is in fact dominated by terms with geometrical meaning. This uses in an essential way the alteration we have made to the model in order to fix the shortcoming discussed in the first section. Finally, we make a brief discussion of the Minkowski signature version of the model.