Quantum gravity in a general background gauge

TL;DR

This paper derives the one-loop quantum corrections to gravity in a general background gauge, including the Newtonian potential and high-temperature effects, advancing understanding of quantum gravity phenomena.

Contribution

It provides a general background gauge derivation of the counter-term Lagrangian and computes quantum corrections to the gravitational potential and high-temperature effects.

Findings

Complete one-loop quantum correction to Newtonian potential in specific gauges

Leading quantum correction from vacuum polarization calculated

High-temperature $ ext{ln}(T)$ contributions identified

Abstract

We deduce, in a general background gauge, the counter-term Lagrangian for pure quantum gravity to one-loop order. As an application, we evaluate the leading quantum correction to the classical gravitational potential, generated by the vacuum polarization. We find that, in specific background gauges, this yields the complete result for the one-loop quantum corrections to the Newtonian potential. This approach is also applied to calculate the $\ln(T)$ contributions in quantum gravity at high-temperature.