BRST Symmetry Violation and Fundamental Limitations of Asymptotic Safety in Quantum Gravity

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Chishtie, Farrukh A.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866912822627139584
author Chishtie, Farrukh A.
author_facet Chishtie, Farrukh A.
contents The asymptotic safety program assumes that quantum gravity becomes renormalizable through ultraviolet fixed points in metric-based couplings. We demonstrate that this approach {encounters fundamental symmetry violations} across multiple independent criteria, all traceable to a single fundamental cause: the breakdown of general covariance and BRST symmetries above the gravitational cutoff scale. Rigorous canonical quantization proves that general covariance cannot be maintained quantum mechanically in dimensions greater than two, while recent path integral calculations reveal persistent gauge parameter dependence in quantum gravitational corrections, signaling BRST symmetry violation. These dual proofs establish that the metric tensor ceases to exist as a valid quantum degree of freedom above $Λ_{\text{grav}}$$\sim$$10^{18}$ GeV, rendering the search for ultraviolet fixed points in metric-based theories {problematic from a foundational physical perspective}. We provide comprehensive analysis demonstrating that asymptotic safety exhibits persistent gauge parameter dependence where fixed-point properties vary with arbitrary gauge choices, non-convergent truncation schemes extending to the 35th order showing no approach to stable values, experimental {tensions} with electroweak precision tests by orders of magnitude, matter content requirements incompatible with the Standard Model, absence of concrete graviton predictions due to gauge and truncation dependence, unitarity {challenges} through ghost instabilities and propagator negativity, and fundamental Wick rotation obstructions preventing reliable connection between Euclidean calculations and physical Lorentzian spacetime. We contrast this with the Unified Standard Model with Emergent Gravity framework that systematically avoids all asymptotic safety pathologies.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_08886
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle BRST Symmetry Violation and Fundamental Limitations of Asymptotic Safety in Quantum Gravity
Chishtie, Farrukh A.
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Theory
The asymptotic safety program assumes that quantum gravity becomes renormalizable through ultraviolet fixed points in metric-based couplings. We demonstrate that this approach {encounters fundamental symmetry violations} across multiple independent criteria, all traceable to a single fundamental cause: the breakdown of general covariance and BRST symmetries above the gravitational cutoff scale. Rigorous canonical quantization proves that general covariance cannot be maintained quantum mechanically in dimensions greater than two, while recent path integral calculations reveal persistent gauge parameter dependence in quantum gravitational corrections, signaling BRST symmetry violation. These dual proofs establish that the metric tensor ceases to exist as a valid quantum degree of freedom above $Λ_{\text{grav}}$$\sim$$10^{18}$ GeV, rendering the search for ultraviolet fixed points in metric-based theories {problematic from a foundational physical perspective}. We provide comprehensive analysis demonstrating that asymptotic safety exhibits persistent gauge parameter dependence where fixed-point properties vary with arbitrary gauge choices, non-convergent truncation schemes extending to the 35th order showing no approach to stable values, experimental {tensions} with electroweak precision tests by orders of magnitude, matter content requirements incompatible with the Standard Model, absence of concrete graviton predictions due to gauge and truncation dependence, unitarity {challenges} through ghost instabilities and propagator negativity, and fundamental Wick rotation obstructions preventing reliable connection between Euclidean calculations and physical Lorentzian spacetime. We contrast this with the Unified Standard Model with Emergent Gravity framework that systematically avoids all asymptotic safety pathologies.
title BRST Symmetry Violation and Fundamental Limitations of Asymptotic Safety in Quantum Gravity
topic General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Theory
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.08886