Large volume quantum correction in loop quantum cosmology: Graviton illusion?

TL;DR

This paper shows that the main quantum correction in loop quantum cosmology can be interpreted as a finite-volume gravitational Casimir energy, providing insights into the connection between non-perturbative and perturbative quantum gravity.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the leading quantum correction in large volume loop quantum cosmology is ambiguity-independent and can be viewed as a gravitational Casimir energy, linking non-perturbative and perturbative approaches.

Findings

Leading correction is ambiguity-independent

Correction resembles gravitational Casimir energy

Sub-leading corrections depend on ambiguity parameters

Abstract

The leading quantum correction to Einstein-Hilbert Hamiltonian coming from large volume vacuum isotropic loop quantum cosmology, is independent of quantization ambiguity parameters. It is shown here that this correction can be viewed as finite volume gravitational Casimir energy due to one-loop `graviton' contributions. In vacuum case sub-leading quantum corrections and in non-vacuum case even leading quantum correction depend on ambiguity parameters. It may be recalled that these are in fact analogous features of perturbative quantum gravity where it is well-known that pure gravity (on-shell) is one-loop finite whereas higher-loops contributions are not even renormalizable. These features of the quantum corrections coming from non-perturbative quantization, sheds a new light on a major open issue; how to communicate between non-perturbative and perturbative approaches of quantum gravity.