Leslaw Rachwal

Super-renormalizable and finite gravitational theories

Abstract We hereby introduce and extensively study a class of non-polynomial higher derivative theories of gravity that realize a ultraviolet (UV) completion of Einstein general relativity. These theories are unitary (ghost free) and at most only one-loop divergences survive. The outcome is a class of theories super-renormalizable in even dimension and finite in odd dimension. Moreover, we explicitly prove in D = 4 that there exists an extension of the theory that is completely finite and all the beta functions vanish even at one-loop. These results can be easily extended in extra dimensions and it is likely that the higher dimensional theory can be made finite, too. Therefore we have the possibility for “finite quantum gravity” in any dimension.

Universally finite gravitational and gauge theories

It is well known that standard gauge theories are renormalizable in D = 4 while Einstein gravity is renormalizable in D = 2. This is where the research in the field of two derivatives theories is currently standing. We hereby present a class of weakly non-local higher derivative gravitational and gauge theories universally consistent at quantum level in any spacetime dimension. These theories are unitary (ghost-free) and perturbatively renormalizable. Moreover, we can always find a simple extension of these theories that is super-renormalizable or finite at quantum level in even and odd spacetime dimensions. Finally, we propose a super-renormalizable or finite theory for gravity coupled to matter laying the groundwork for a “finite standard model of particle physics” and/or a grand unified theory of all fundamental interactions.

Occurrence of exact

A bstractThe R + R2, shortly named “R2” (“Starobinsky”) inflationary model, represents a fully consistent example of a one-parameter inflationary scenario. This model has a “graceful exit” from inflation and provides a mechanism for subsequent creation and final thermalization of the standard matter. Moreover, it produces a very good fit of the observed spectrum of primordial perturbations. In the present paper we show explicitly that the R2 inflationary spacetime is an exact solution of a range of weakly non-local (quasi-polynomial) gravitational theories, which provide an ultraviolet completion of the R2 theory. These theories are ghost-free, super-renormalizable or finite at quantum level, and perturbatively unitary. Their spectrum consists of the graviton and the scalaron that is responsible for driving the inflation. Notably, any further extension of the spectrum leads to propagating ghost degrees of freedom. We are aimed at presenting a detailed construction of such theories in the so called Weyl basis. Further, we give a special account to the cosmological implications of this theory by considering perturbations during inflation. The highlight of the non-local model is the prediction of a modified, in comparison to a local R2 model, value for the ratio of tensor and scalar power spectra r, depending on the parameters of the theory. The relevant parameters are under control to be successfully confronted with existing observational data. Furthermore, the modified r can surely meet future observational constraints.

R^2

A bstractWe hereby study exact solutions in a wide range of local higher-derivative and weakly nonlocal gravitational theories. In particular, we give a list of exact classical solutions for two classes of gravitational theories both weakly nonlocal, unitary, and super-renormalizable (or finite) at quantum level. We prove that maximally symmetric spacetimes are exact solutions in both classes, while in dimension higher than four we can also have Anti-de Sitter solutions in the presence of positive cosmological constant. It is explicitly shown under which conditions flat and Ricci-flat spacetimes are exact solutions of the equation of motion (EOM) for the first class of theories not involving the Weyl tensor in the action. We find that the well-known physical spacetimes like Schwarzschild, Kerr, (Anti-) de Sitter serve as solutions for standard matter content, when the EOM does not contain the Riemann tensor alone (operators made out of only the Riemann tensor.) We pedagogically show how to obtain these exact solutions. Furthermore, for the second class of gravity theories, with terms in the Lagrangian written using Weyl tensors, the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) spacetimes are also exact solutions (exactly in the same way like in Einstein theory), when the matter content is given by conformal matter (radiation). We also comment on rather inevitable presence and universality of singularities and possible resolution of them in finite and conformally invariant theories. “Delocalization” is proposed as a way to solve the black hole singularity problem in the first class. In order to solve the problem of cosmological singularities in the second class, it seems crucial to have a conformally invariant or asymptotically free quantum gravitational theory.

inflation in non-local UV-complete gravity

We hereby review a class of quantum gravitational theories based on weakly nonlocal analytic classical actions. The most general action is characterized by two nonpolynomial entire functions (form-factors) in terms quadratic in curvature. The form-factors avert the presence of poltergeists, that plague any local higher derivative theory of gravity and improve the high-energy behavior of loop amplitudes. For pedagogical purposes, it is proved that the theory is super-renormalizable in any dimension, i.e. only one-loop divergences survive, and is asymptotically free. Furthermore, due to dimensional reasons, in odd dimensions, there are no counterterms for pure gravity and the theory turns out to be finite. Moreover, we show that it is always possible to choose the additional terms in the action (higher in curvature) in such a way to make the full theory UV-finite and therefore, scale-invariant in quantum realm, also in even dimension.

Exact solutions and spacetime singularities in nonlocal gravity

A bstractWe explicitly compute the tree-level on-shell four-graviton amplitudes in four, five and six dimensions for local and weakly nonlocal gravitational theories that are quadratic in both, the Ricci and scalar curvature with form factors of the d’Alembertian operator inserted between. More specifically we are interested in renormalizable, super-renormalizable or finite theories. The scattering amplitudes for these theories turn out to be the same as the ones of Einstein gravity regardless of the explicit form of the form factors. As a special case the four-graviton scattering amplitudes in Weyl conformal gravity are identically zero. Using a field redefinition, we prove that the outcome is correct for any number of external gravitons (on-shell n−point functions) and in any dimension for a large class of theories. However, when an operator quadratic in the Riemann tensor is added in any dimension (with the exception of the Gauss-Bonnet term in four dimensions) the result is completely altered, and the scattering amplitudes depend on all the form factors introduced in the action.

Nonlocal quantum gravity: A review

We study the formation and the evaporation of a spherically symmetric black hole in conformal gravity. From the collapse of a spherically symmetric thin shell of radiation, we find a singularity-free non-rotating black hole. This black hole has the same Hawking temperature as a Schwarzschild black hole with the same mass, and it completely evaporates either in a finite or in an infinite time, depending on the ensemble. We consider the analysis both in the canonical and in the micro-canonical statistical ensembles. Last, we discuss the corresponding Penrose diagram of this physical process.

Scattering amplitudes in super-renormalizable gravity

We compute the area term contribution to black holes’ entanglement entropy (using the conical technique) for a class of local or weakly non-local super-renormalizable gravitational theories coupled to matter. For the first time, we explicitly prove that all the beta functions in the proposed theory, except for the cosmological constant, are identically zero in cut-off regularization scheme and not only in dimensional regularization scheme. In particular, we show that there is no divergence quadratic in cut-off and hence there is no contribution to the beta function of the Newton constant. As a consequence of this result, we argue that in these theories of gravity conical entropy is a sensible definition of physical entropy, in particular, it is positive-definite and gauge independent. On top of this the conical entropy, being expressed only in terms of the classical Newton constant, turns out to be finite and naturally coincides with Bekenstein-Hawking entropy. Finally, we propose a theory in which the renormalization of the Newton constant is entirely due to the Standard Model matter, arguing that such a contribution does not give the usual interpretational problems of conical entropy discussed in the literature.

Black hole evaporation in conformal gravity

The “exact” or “functional” renormalization group equation describes the renormalization group flow of the effective average action