Quantum-gravity-induced matter self-interactions in the asymptotic-safety scenario

TL;DR

This paper explores how quantum gravity fluctuations induce matter self-interactions in scalar theories within the asymptotic safety framework, potentially affecting observable phenomena like non-Gaussianities in the CMB.

Contribution

It demonstrates that quantum gravity induces matter self-interactions and identifies an interacting fixed point in the UV regime of asymptotically safe gravity.

Findings

Quantum gravity fluctuations induce matter self-interactions.

Existence of a non-trivial UV fixed point with non-zero couplings.

Potential observable effects in scalar-field driven inflation.

Abstract

We investigate the high-energy properties of matter theories coupled to quantum gravity. Specifically, we show that quantum gravity fluctuations generically induce matter self-interactions in a scalar theory. Our calculations apply within asymptotically safe quantum gravity, where our results indicate that the UV is dominated by an interacting fixed point, with non-vanishing gravitational as well as matter couplings. In particular, momentum-dependent scalar self-interactions are non-zero and induce a non-vanishing momentum-independent scalar potential. Furthermore we point out that terms of this type can have observable consequences in the context of scalar-field driven inflation, where they can induce potentially observable non-Gaussianities in the CMB.