Path integral measure and cosmological constant

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Branchina, C., Branchina, V., Contino, F., Pernace, A.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Branchina, C.
Branchina, V.
Contino, F.
Pernace, A.
author_facet Branchina, C.
Branchina, V.
Contino, F.
Pernace, A.
contents Considering (euclidean) quantum gravity in the Einstein-Hilbert truncation, we calculate the one-loop effective action $Γ^{1l}_{\rm grav}$ using a spherical background. Usually, this calculation is performed resorting to proper-time regularization within the heat kernel expansion and gives rise to quartically and quadratically UV-sensitive contributions to the vacuum energy $ρ_{\rm vac}=\frac{Λ_{\rm cc}}{8πG}$, with $Λ_{\rm cc}$ and $G$ cosmological and Newton constant, respectively. We show that, if the measure in the path integral that defines $Γ^{1l}_{\rm grav}$ is correctly taken into account, and the physical UV cutoff $Λ_{\rm cut}$ properly introduced, $ρ_{\rm vac}$ presents only a (mild) logarithmic sensitivity to $Λ_{\rm cut}$. We also consider a free scalar field and a free Dirac field on a spherical gravitational background, and find that the same holds true even in the presence of matter. These results are found without resorting to any supersymmetric embedding of the theory, and shed new light on the cosmological constant problem.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2412_10194
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Path integral measure and cosmological constant
Branchina, C.
Branchina, V.
Contino, F.
Pernace, A.
High Energy Physics - Theory
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Considering (euclidean) quantum gravity in the Einstein-Hilbert truncation, we calculate the one-loop effective action $Γ^{1l}_{\rm grav}$ using a spherical background. Usually, this calculation is performed resorting to proper-time regularization within the heat kernel expansion and gives rise to quartically and quadratically UV-sensitive contributions to the vacuum energy $ρ_{\rm vac}=\frac{Λ_{\rm cc}}{8πG}$, with $Λ_{\rm cc}$ and $G$ cosmological and Newton constant, respectively. We show that, if the measure in the path integral that defines $Γ^{1l}_{\rm grav}$ is correctly taken into account, and the physical UV cutoff $Λ_{\rm cut}$ properly introduced, $ρ_{\rm vac}$ presents only a (mild) logarithmic sensitivity to $Λ_{\rm cut}$. We also consider a free scalar field and a free Dirac field on a spherical gravitational background, and find that the same holds true even in the presence of matter. These results are found without resorting to any supersymmetric embedding of the theory, and shed new light on the cosmological constant problem.
title Path integral measure and cosmological constant
topic High Energy Physics - Theory
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.10194