Analogue gravity from field theory normal modes? (Q2765204)

In this paper the authors discuss from a more general perspective Sakharov's idea of ``induced gravity'' together with the so-called ``analogue models'' of general relativity. By using a simple model, the authors show how a general spacetime metric generically results from linearizing a classical field theory around some non-trivial background configuration. In the situation considered in the paper the authors show how all kinematical aspects of general relativity can be simulated by their procedure. In order to also obtain a dynamical description of spacetime the authors study the corresponding one-loop effective action. Like in Sakharov's approach this yields a term that is proportional to the Einstein-Hilbert action. The authors then conclude that ``classical physics is responsible for generating an `effective geometry', quantum physics can be argued to include an `effective dynamics'''.