On the Problem of Detecting Quantum-Gravity Based Photon Dispersion in Gamma-ray Bursts

Gamma-ray bursts at cosmological distances offer a time-varying signal that can be used to search for energy-dependent photon dispersion effects. We show that short bursts with narrow pulse structures at high energies will offer the least ambiguous tests for energy-dependent dispersion effects. We discuss an array of quantitative methods to search for such effects in time-tagged photon data. Utilizing observed gamma-ray burst profiles extrapolated to GeV energies, as may expected to be observed by GLAST, we also demonstrate the extent to which these methods can be used as an empirical exploration of quantum gravity formalisms.