Resummation and Higher Order Renormalization in 4D Quantum Gravity

TL;DR

This paper develops a method for higher order renormalization in 4D quantum gravity using dimensional regularization, enabling automatic resummation and analyzing a coupled QED-gravity model with exact conformal mode treatment.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to higher order renormalization in 4D quantum gravity that avoids certain assumptions and includes a coupled QED model with exact conformal mode analysis.

Findings

Renormalizability verified up to $O(e_r^6)$ and $O(t_r^2)$

Higher-order gravitational corrections to QED beta function are negative

Model resembles exactly solvable 2D quantum gravity at high energies

Abstract

Higher order renormalization in 4D quantum gravity is carried out using dimensional regularization with great care concerning the conformal-mode dependence. In this regularization, resummation can be automatically carried out without making an assumption like that of David, Distler and Kawai. In this paper we consider a model of 4D quantum gravity coupled to QED. Resummation inevitably implies a four-derivative quantum gravity. The renormalizability is directly checked up to $O(e_r^6)$ and $O(t_r^2)$, where $e_r$ and $t_r$ are the running coupling constants of QED and the traceless gravitational mode. There is no other running coupling constant in our model. The conformal mode is treated exactly, which means it is unrenormalized. It is found that Hathrell's results are included in our results. As a by-product, it is found that a higher-order gravitational correction to the beta function of QED is negative. An advantage of our model is that in the very high-energy regime, it closely resembles exactly solvable 2D quantum gravity. Thus, we can study physical states of 4D quantum gravity in this regime in parallel to those of 2D quantum gravity, which can be described with diffeomorphism invariant composite fields.