Covariant loop quantum gravity, low-energy perturbation theory, and Einstein gravity with high-curvature UV corrections

Abstract

A low-energy perturbation theory is developed from the nonperturbative framework of covariant loop quantum gravity (LQG) by employing the background-field method. The resulting perturbation theory is a two-parameter expansion in the semiclassical and low-energy regime. The two expansion parameters are the large spin and small curvature. The leading-order effective action coincides with the Regge action, which well approximates the Einstein-Hilbert action in the regime. The subleading corrections organized by the two expansion parameters give the modifications of the Regge action in the quantum and high-energy regime from LQG. The perturbation theory developed here shows for the first time that covariant LQG produces the high-curvature corrections to Einstein-Regge gravity. This result means that LQG is not a naive quantization of Einstein gravity; rather, it provides the UV modification. The result of the paper may be viewed as the first step toward understanding the UV completeness of LQG.