Rethinking the Effective Field Theory formulation of Gravity

TL;DR

This paper critically examines the effective field theory approach to gravity, emphasizing the importance of higher-derivative corrections and cautioning against oversimplification through local field redefinitions.

Contribution

It provides a structural analysis of higher-derivative corrections in gravity and reassesses the use of local field redefinitions in effective field theory formulations.

Findings

Higher-derivative terms influence static, spherically symmetric geometries.

Local field redefinitions can shift physical effects beyond the approximation.

The paper highlights the importance of careful treatment of corrections in gravitational EFT.

Abstract

General relativity is highly successful in explaining a wide range of gravitational phenomena including the gravitational waves emitted by binary systems and the shadows cast by supermassive black holes. From a modern perspective the theory is not fundamental though, but constitutes the lowest order term in an effective field theory description of the gravitational force. As a consequence, the gravitational dynamics should receive corrections by higher-derivative terms. This essay discusses structural aspects associated with these corrections and summarizes their imprint on static, spherically symmetric geometries. Along these lines, we critically reassess the common practice of using local field redefinitions in order to simplify the dynamics at the danger of shifting physics effects into sectors which are beyond the approximation under consideration.