Gravitational interaction to one loop in effective quantum gravity

TL;DR

This paper calculates the dominant quantum gravity corrections to the scattering of heavy scalar particles at one loop in an effective field theory framework, applicable at energies well below the Planck scale.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed calculation of non-analytic one-loop quantum gravity effects on scalar scattering within an effective theory approach.

Findings

Quantum gravity corrections are finite and dominant at long distances.

Results are independent of renormalization scheme.

Comparison with existing literature confirms the validity of the approach.

Abstract

We carry out the first step of a program conceived, in order to build a realistic model, having the particle spectrum of the standard model and renormalized masses, interaction terms and couplings, etc. which include the class of quantum gravity corrections, obtained by handling gravity as an effective theory. This provides an adequate picture at low energies, i.e. much less than the scale of strong gravity (the Planck mass). Hence our results are valid, irrespectively of any proposal for the full quantum gravity as a fundamental theory. We consider only non-analytic contributions to the one-loop scattering matrix elements, which provide the dominant quantum effect at long distance. These contributions are finite and independent from the finite value of the renormalization counter terms of the effective lagrangian. We calculate the interaction of two heavy scalar particles, i.e. close to rest, due to the effective quantum gravity to the one loop order and compare with similar results in the literature.