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Title: Bimetric truncations for quantum Einstein gravity and asymptotic safety

Abstract

In the average action approach to the quantization of gravity the fundamental requirement of 'background independence' is met by actually introducing a background metric but leaving it completely arbitrary. The associated Wilsonian renormalization group defines a coarse graining flow on a theory space of functionals which, besides the dynamical metric, depend explicitly on the background metric. All solutions to the truncated flow equations known to date have a trivial background field dependence only, namely via the classical gauge fixing term. In this paper, we analyze a number of conceptual issues related to the bimetric character of the gravitational average action and explore a first nontrivial bimetric truncation in the simplified setting of conformally reduced gravity. Possible implications for the Asymptotic Safety program and the cosmological constant problem are discussed in detail.

Authors:
 [1];  [1]
  1. Institute of Physics, University of Mainz, Staudingerweg 7, D-55099 Mainz (Germany)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21336116
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Annals of Physics (New York)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 325; Journal Issue: 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.aop.2009.11.009; PII: S0003-4916(09)00227-9; Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0003-4916
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS; ASYMPTOTIC SOLUTIONS; COSMOLOGICAL CONSTANT; EQUATIONS; FUNCTIONALS; GRAVITATION; METRICS; QUANTIZATION; QUANTUM GRAVITY; RENORMALIZATION; SAFETY

Citation Formats

Manrique, Elisa, and Reuter, Martin. Bimetric truncations for quantum Einstein gravity and asymptotic safety. United States: N. p., 2010. Web. doi:10.1016/j.aop.2009.11.009.
Manrique, Elisa, & Reuter, Martin. Bimetric truncations for quantum Einstein gravity and asymptotic safety. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aop.2009.11.009
Manrique, Elisa, and Reuter, Martin. 2010. "Bimetric truncations for quantum Einstein gravity and asymptotic safety". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aop.2009.11.009.
@article{osti_21336116,
title = {Bimetric truncations for quantum Einstein gravity and asymptotic safety},
author = {Manrique, Elisa and Reuter, Martin},
abstractNote = {In the average action approach to the quantization of gravity the fundamental requirement of 'background independence' is met by actually introducing a background metric but leaving it completely arbitrary. The associated Wilsonian renormalization group defines a coarse graining flow on a theory space of functionals which, besides the dynamical metric, depend explicitly on the background metric. All solutions to the truncated flow equations known to date have a trivial background field dependence only, namely via the classical gauge fixing term. In this paper, we analyze a number of conceptual issues related to the bimetric character of the gravitational average action and explore a first nontrivial bimetric truncation in the simplified setting of conformally reduced gravity. Possible implications for the Asymptotic Safety program and the cosmological constant problem are discussed in detail.},
doi = {10.1016/j.aop.2009.11.009},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21336116}, journal = {Annals of Physics (New York)},
issn = {0003-4916},
number = 4,
volume = 325,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010},
month = {Thu Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010}
}