Quantum fields in teleparallel gravity: renormalization at one-loop

TL;DR

This paper investigates the quantization of matter fields in teleparallel gravity, revealing that while divergences arise, a modified, renormalizable version of the theory can be formulated without ghosts at one-loop order.

Contribution

It demonstrates that a parameterized version of teleparallel gravity can be renormalized at one-loop, addressing divergence issues without adding higher-order terms or ghosts.

Findings

Quantum divergences in teleparallel gravity cannot be absorbed by the original action.

Imposing local Lorentz invariance after quantization allows for a renormalizable modified theory.

The modified theory avoids ghosts and maintains consistency at one-loop.

Abstract

We consider the quantization of matter fields in a background described by the teleparallel equivalent to general relativity. The presence of local Lorentz and gauge symmetries gives rise to different coupling prescriptions, which we analyse separately. As expected, quantum matter fields produce divergences that cannot be absorbed by terms in the background action of teleparallel equivalent to general relativity. Nonetheless, the formulation of teleparallel gravity allows one to find out the source of the problem. By imposing local Lorentz invariance after quantization, we show that a modified teleparallel gravity, in which the coefficients in the action are replaced by free parameters, can be renormalized at one-loop order without introducing higher-order terms. This precludes the appearance of ghosts in the theory.