General relativity as an effective field theory: The leading quantum corrections

Journal Article · Thu Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Physical Review, D (Particles Fields); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.50.3874· OSTI ID:6972599

Donoghue, J F ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002 (United States)

I describe the treatment of gravity as a quantum effective field theory. This allows a natural separation of the (known) low energy quantum effects from the (unknown) high energy contributions. Within this framework, gravity is a well-behaved quantum field theory at ordinary energies. In studying the class of quantum corrections at low energy, the dominant effects at large distance can be isolated, as these are due to the propagation of the massless particles ( including gravitons) of the theory and are manifested in the nonlocal and/or nonanalytic contributions to vertex functions and propagators. These leading quantum corrections are parameter-free and represent necessary consequences of quantum gravity. The methodology is illustrated by a calculation of the leading quantum corrections to the gravitational interaction of two heavy masses.

• OSTI ID: 6972599
• Journal Information: Physical Review, D (Particles Fields); (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review, D (Particles Fields); (United States) Vol. 50:6; ISSN PRVDAQ; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661310 -- Relativity & Gravitation-- (1992-)
662110* -- General Theory of Particles & Fields-- Theory of Fields & Strings-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
BASIC INTERACTIONS
CORRECTIONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FIELD THEORIES
FUNCTIONS
GENERAL RELATIVITY THEORY
GRAVITATIONAL INTERACTIONS
GRAVITATIONAL RADIATION
GRAVITONS
INTERACTIONS
MASSLESS PARTICLES
POSTULATED PARTICLES
PROPAGATOR
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
QUANTUM GRAVITY
RADIATIONS
VERTEX FUNCTIONS