Quantum gravitational contributions to quantum electrodynamics

Oct, 2010
19 pages
Published in:
  • Nature 468 (2010) 56-59
e-Print:

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Abstract: (arXiv)
Quantum electrodynamics describes the interactions of electrons and photons. Electric charge (the gauge coupling constant) is energy dependent, and there is a previous claim that charge is affected by gravity (described by general relativity) with the implication that the charge is reduced at high energies. But that claim has been very controversial with the situation inconclusive. Here I report an analysis (free from earlier controversies) demonstrating that that quantum gravity corrections to quantum electrodynamics have a quadratic energy dependence that result in the reduction of the electric charge at high energies, a result known as asymptotic freedom.
  • charge: electric
  • quantum gravity: correction
  • coupling constant: gauge
  • charge: energy dependence
  • quantum electrodynamics
  • asymptotic freedom
  • effective action
  • heat kernel
  • renormalization group