Waves on Noncommutative Spacetime and Gamma-ray Bursts

Quantum group Fourier transform methods are applied to the study of processes on noncommutative Minkowski spacetime [x, t] = ıλx. A natural wave equation is derived and the associated phenomena of in vacuo dispersion are discussed. Assuming the deformation scale λ is of the order of the Planck length one finds that the dispersion effects are large enough to be tested in experimental investigations of astrophysical phenomena such as gamma-ray bursts. We also outline a new approach to the construction of field theories on the noncommutative spacetime, with the noncommutativity equivalent under Fourier transform to non-Abelianness of the ‘addition law’ for momentum in Feynman diagrams. We argue that CPT violation effects of the type testable using the sensitive neutral-kaon system are to be expected in such a theory.