The algebra of observables in Gaußian normal spacetime coordinates

Abstract

We discuss the canonical structure of a spacetime version of the radial gauge, i.e. Gaußian normal spacetime coordinates. While it was found for the spatial version of the radial gauge that a "local" algebra of observables can be constructed, it turns out that this is not possible for the spacetime version. The technical reason for this observation is that the new gauge condition needed to upgrade the spatial to a spacetime radial gauge does not Poisson-commute with the previous gauge conditions. It follows that the involved Dirac bracket is inherently non-local in the sense that no complete set of observables can be found which is constructed locally and at the same time has local Dirac brackets. A locally constructed observable here is defined as a finite polynomial of the canonical variables at a given physical point specified by the Gaußian normal spacetime coordinates.

16 pages; discussion of the cosmological constant added; matches published version