Vacuum energy in the effective field theory of general relativity

Abstract

In the framework of an effective field theory of general relativity a model of scalar and vector bosons interacting with the metric field is considered. It is shown in the framework of a two-loop order calculation that for the cosmological constant term which is fixed by the condition of vanishing vacuum energy the graviton remains massless and there exists a self-consistent effective field theory of general relativity coupled to matter fields defined on a flat Minkowski background. This result is obtained under the assumption that the energy-momentum tensor of the gravitational field is given by the pseudotensor of Landau-Lifshitz's classic textbook. Implications for the cosmological constant problem are also briefly discussed.

Comments: 11 pages, 4 figures