Litcius/Paper detail

Lorentzian Quantum Gravity and the Graviton Spectral Function

Jannik Fehre, Daniel F. Litim, Jan M. Pawlowski, Manuel Reichert

2023Physical Review Letters69 citationsDOIOpen Access PDF

Abstract

We present the first direct and nonperturbative computation of the graviton spectral function in quantum gravity. This is achieved with the help of a novel Lorentzian renormalization group approach, combined with a spectral representation of correlation functions. We find a positive graviton spectral function, showing a massless one-graviton peak and a multigraviton continuum with an asymptotically safe scaling for large spectral values. We also study the impact of a cosmological constant. Further steps to investigate scattering processes and unitarity in asymptotically safe quantum gravity are indicated.

Topics & Concepts

GravitonPhysicsQuantum gravityUnitarityMassless particleGravitationQuantumCorrelation function (quantum field theory)RenormalizationScalingAsymptotic safety in quantum gravityQuantum mechanicsTheoretical physicsMathematical physicsQuantum electrodynamicsDielectricGeometryMathematicsBlack Holes and Theoretical PhysicsNoncommutative and Quantum Gravity TheoriesCosmology and Gravitation Theories