Loop quantum gravity as an effective theory

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Abstract

As a canonical and generally covariant gauge theory, loop quantum gravity requires special techniques to derive effective actions or equations. If the proper constructions are taken into account, the theory, in spite of considerable ambiguities at the dynamical level, allows for a meaningful phenomenology to be developed, by which it becomes falsifiable. The tradiational problems plaguing canonical quantum-gravity theories, such as the anomaly issue or the problem of time, can be overcome or are irrelevant at the effective level, resulting in consistent means of physical evaluations. This contribution presents aspects of canonical equations and related notions of (deformed) space-time structures and discusses implications in loop quantum gravity, such as signature change at high density from holonomy corrections, and falsifiability thanks to inverse-triad corrections.

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Background Independent Quantum Gravity: A Status Report

, (2004)

The goal of this article is to present an introduction to loop quantum gravity -a background independent, non-perturbative approach to the problem of unification of general relativity and quantum physics, based on a quantum theory of geometry. Our presentation is pedagogical. Thus, in addition to providing a bird's eye view of the present status of the subject, the article should also serve as a vehicle to enter the field and explore it in detail. To aid non-experts, very little is assumed beyond elements of general relativity, gauge theories and quantum field theory. While the article is essentially self-contained, the emphasis is on communicating the underlying ideas and the significance of results rather than on presenting systematic derivations and detailed proofs. (These can be found in the listed references.) The subject can be approached in different ways. We have chosen one which is deeply rooted in well established physics and also has sufficient mathematical precision to ensure that there are no hidden infinities. In order to keep the article to a reasonable size, and to avoid overwhelming non-experts, we have had to leave out several interesting topics, results and viewpoints; this is meant to be an introduction to the subject rather than an exhaustive review of it.

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

John F. Donoghue (1994)

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/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.