Short Distance Freedom of Quantum Gravity

TL;DR

This paper explores a perturbatively renormalizable and unitary model of quantum gravity in 3+1 dimensions, analyzing how the gravitational constant behaves at short distances and its implications for quantum gravity theories.

Contribution

It demonstrates that fourth order derivative gravity can be both renormalizable and unitary, and computes the running gravitational constant including graviton effects.

Findings

Gravitational Newton's constant vanishes at short distances.

The theory remains unitary within a limited coupling range.

The model provides insights into quantum gravity behavior at small scales.

Abstract

Fourth order derivative gravity in 3+1-dimensions is perturbatively renormalizable and is shown to describe a unitary theory of gravitons in a limited coupling parameter space. The running gravitational constant which includes graviton contribution is computed. Generically, gravitational Newton's constant vanishes at short distances in this perturbatively renormalizable and unitary theory.