Quantum geometric maps and their properties

Abstract

Quantum geometric maps, which relate SU(2) spin networks and Lorentz covariant projected spin networks, are an important ingredient of spin foam models (and tensorial group field theories) for four-dimensional quantum gravity. We give a general definition of such maps, that encompasses all current spin foam models, and we investigate their properties at such general level. We then specialize the definition to see how the precise implementation of simplicity constraints affects features of the quantum geometric maps in specific models.