Abstract

In this article we elaborate on a recently proposed interpretation of deformed special relativity (DSR) as an effective measurement theory in the presence of non-negligible (albeit small) quantum gravitational fluctuations. We provide several heuristic arguments to explain how such a new theory can emerge and discuss the possible observational consequences of this framework. Given that our discussion considers leading order corrections to the standard dispersion relations, our results apply to a very wide class of possible modifications of special relativity. © 2006 The American Physical Society.