English

Critical scaling in quantum gravity from the renormalisation group

High Energy Physics - Theory 2015-11-17 v2 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology

Abstract

The scaling behaviour of euclidean quantum gravity at an asymptotically safe critical point is studied by means of the exact renormalisation group. Gauge independence is ensured via a specific parameterisation of metric fluctuations introduced in a recent paper. Within a non-perturbative approximation the beta function for Newton's constant takes a simple form to all orders in \hbar. A UV fixed point is found to exist for d7d\leq 7 spacetime dimensions at which the critical scaling can be assessed. The critical exponent for the Newton's constant ν\nu is found to be regulator independent close to two dimensions. Applying Litim's optimisation criteria we find ν1/3\nu \approx 1/3 in four spacetime dimensions. This value is in agreement with lattice studies supporting the existence of a second order phase transition between strongly and weakly coupled phases.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1503.06233,
  title  = {Critical scaling in quantum gravity from the renormalisation group},
  author = {Kevin Falls},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1503.06233},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

1 figure. Version 2: Some remarks added and typos fixed

R2 v1 2026-06-22T08:58:28.697Z