O(N)-Universality Classes and the Mermin-Wagner Theorem

We study how universality classes of O(N)-symmetric models depend continuously on the dimension d and the number of field components N. We observe, from a renormalization group perspective, how the implications of the Mermin-Wagner-Hohenberg theorem set in as we gradually deform theory space towards d=2. For fractal dimension in the range 2<d<3 we observe, for any N bigger than or equal to 1, a finite family of multi-critical effective potentials of increasing order. Apart for the N=1 case, these disappear in d=2 consistently with the Mermin-Wagner-Hohenberg theorem. Finally, we study O(N=0)-universality classes and find an infinite family of these in two dimensions.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures; accepted for publication in PR

Quantum corrections in Galileon theories

We calculate the one-loop quantum corrections in the cubic Galileon theory, using cutoff regularization. We confirm the expected form of the one-loop effective action and that the couplings of the Galileon theory do not get renormalized. However, new terms, not included in the tree-level action, are induced by quantum corrections. We also consider the one-loop corrections in an effective brane theory, which belongs to the Horndeski or generalized Galileon class. We find that new terms are generated by quantum corrections, while the tree-level couplings are also renormalized. We conclude that the structure of the generalized Galileon theories is altered by quantum corrections more radically than that of the Galileon theory.Comment: 8 pages; v2 minor typos corrected, references added; v3 minor clarifications; v4 version published in PR

Marginally Deformed Starobinsky Gravity

We show that quantum-induced marginal deformations of the Starobinsky gravitational action of the form $R^{2(1 -\alpha)}$, with $R$ the Ricci scalar and $\alpha$ a positive parameter, smaller than one half, can account for the recent experimental observations by BICEP2 of primordial tensor modes. We also suggest natural microscopic (non) gravitational sources of these corrections and demonstrate that they lead generally to a nonzero and positive $\alpha$. Furthermore we argue, that within this framework, the tensor modes probe theories of grand unification with a large scalar field content.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, 2 column

The renormalization of fluctuating branes, the Galileon and asymptotic safety

We consider the renormalization of d-dimensional hypersurfaces (branes) embedded in flat (d+1)-dimensional space. We parametrize the truncated effective action in terms of geometric invariants built from the extrinsic and intrinsic curvatures. We study the renormalization-group running of the couplings and explore the fixed-point structure. We find evidence for an ultraviolet fixed point similar to the one underlying the asymptotic-safety scenario of gravity. We also examine whether the structure of the Galileon theory, which can be reproduced in the nonrelativistic limit, is preserved at the quantum level.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figure; v3: equation 4.2 and consequent equations correcte

Low energy Quantum Gravity from the Effective Average Action

Within the effective average action approach to quantum gravity, we recover the low energy effective action as derived in the effective field theory framework, by studying the flow of possibly non-local form factors that appear in the curvature expansion of the effective average action. We restrict to the one-loop flow where progress can be made with the aid of the non-local heat kernel expansion. We discuss the possible physical implications of the scale dependent low energy effective action through the analysis of the quantum corrections to the Newtonian potential.Comment: 24 pages, 1 figure; minor corrections, references adde

Multi-critical multi-field models: a CFT approach to the leading order

We present some general results for the multi-critical multi-field models in d>2 recently obtained using CFT and Schwinger-Dyson methods at perturbative level without assuming any symmetry. Results in the leading non trivial order are derived consistently for several conformal data in full agreement with functional perturbative RG methods. Mechanisms like emergent (possibly approximate) symmetries can be naturally investigated in this framework.Comment: 12 pages, 1 figure, Contribution to the Conference QFT2018, Quantum Fields From Fundamental Concepts to Phenomenological Questions, Mainz 26-28 September 201

Infrared fixed point in quantum Einstein gravity

We performed the renormalization group analysis of the quantum Einstein gravity in the deep infrared regime for different types of extensions of the model. It is shown that an attractive infrared point exists in the broken symmetric phase of the model. It is also shown that due to the Gaussian fixed point the IR critical exponent $\nu$ of the correlation length is 1/2. However, there exists a certain extension of the model which gives finite correlation length in the broken symmetric phase. It typically appears in case of models possessing a first order phase transitions as is demonstrated on the example of the scalar field theory with a Coleman-Weinberg potential.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, final version, to appear in JHE

Fractal space-times under the microscope: A Renormalization Group view on Monte Carlo data

The emergence of fractal features in the microscopic structure of space-time is a common theme in many approaches to quantum gravity. In this work we carry out a detailed renormalization group study of the spectral dimension $d_s$ and walk dimension $d_w$ associated with the effective space-times of asymptotically safe Quantum Einstein Gravity (QEG). We discover three scaling regimes where these generalized dimensions are approximately constant for an extended range of length scales: a classical regime where $d_s = d, d_w = 2$, a semi-classical regime where $d_s = 2d/(2+d), d_w = 2+d$, and the UV-fixed point regime where $d_s = d/2, d_w = 4$. On the length scales covered by three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations, the resulting spectral dimension is shown to be in very good agreement with the data. This comparison also provides a natural explanation for the apparent puzzle between the short distance behavior of the spectral dimension reported from Causal Dynamical Triangulations (CDT), Euclidean Dynamical Triangulations (EDT), and Asymptotic Safety.Comment: 26 pages, 6 figure

Large N Quantum Gravity

We obtain the effective action of four dimensional quantum gravity, induced by N massless matter fields, by integrating the RG flow of the relative effective average action. By considering the leading approximation in the large N limit, where one neglects the gravitational contributions with respect to the matter contributions, we show how different aspects of quantum gravity, as asymptotic safety, quantum corrections to the Newtonian potential and the conformal anomaly induced effective action, are all represented by different terms of the effective action when this is expanded in powers of the curvature.Comment: 19 pages, 1 figure, contribution published in "New Journal of Physics Focus Issue on Quantum Einstein Gravity

Averaging procedure in variable-G cosmologies

Previous work in the literature had built a formalism for spatially averaged equations for the scale factor, giving rise to an averaged Raychaudhuri equation and averaged Hamiltonian constraint, which involve a backreaction source term. The present paper extends these equations to include models with variable Newton parameter and variable cosmological term, motivated by the nonperturbative renormalization program for quantum gravity based upon the Einstein-Hilbert action. We focus on the Brans-Dicke form of the renormalization-group improved action functional. The coupling between backreaction and spatially averaged three-dimensional scalar curvature is found to survive, and a variable-G cosmic quintet is found to emerge. Interestingly, under suitable assumptions, an approximate solution can be found where the early universe tends to a FLRW model, while keeping track of the original inhomogeneities through three effective fluids. The resulting qualitative picture is that of a universe consisting of baryons only, while inhomogeneities average out to give rise to the full dark-side phenomenology.Comment: 20 pages. In the new version, all original calculations have been improved, and the presentation has been further improved as wel