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This research aims to constrain the energy scale of quantum gravity using spectral lag data from gamma-ray bursts.

April 1, 2026Open Access

Constraining the Quantum Gravity Energy Scale via Gamma-Ray Burst Spectral Lag Data

Key Points

This research aims to constrain the energy scale of quantum gravity using spectral lag data from gamma-ray bursts.
Analyzed spectral lag data from 360 measurements across 90 gamma-ray bursts (GRBs).
Utilized Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling technique for data analysis.
Assumed a common intrinsic time delay function for the GRBs.
Determined a maximum energy scale of quantum gravity at EQG=8.96×10^14 GeV.
Data remained compatible with Lorentz invariance at EQG=∞ within 2.8σ.
Achieved 95% confidence that EQG is at least 6.67×10^14 GeV.

Abstract

Lorentz invariance violation (LIV) can alter the group velocity of photons by modifying their dispersion relation, manifesting as differences in the arrival times of photons with different energies. This effect can accumulate over long propagation distances, making gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) a key tool for probing Lorentz invariance violation. By analyzing spectral lag data from 360 measurements across 90 GRBs using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling, and under the assumption that all GRBs share a common intrinsic time delay function, we report a maximum a posteriori value of the energy scale of quantum gravity at linear order EQG=8.96×1014 GeV, though the data are also compatible with Lorentz invariance (EQG=∞) to within 2.8σ. Furthermore, we are 95% confident that EQG≥6.67×1014 GeV.

Constraining the Quantum Gravity Energy Scale via Gamma-Ray Burst Spectral Lag Data

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Abstract

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