Transmutation of nonlocal scale in infinite derivative field theories

I review the field-theoretic renomalization group approach to quantum gravity, built around the existence of a non-trivial ultraviolet fixed point in four dimensions. I discuss the implications of such a fixed point, found in three largely unrelated non-perturbative approaches, and how it relates to the vacuum state of quantum gravity, and specifically to the running of $G$. One distinctive feature of the new fixed point is the emergence of a second genuinely non-perturbative...

This is a further explanation of a new and simple renormalization approach recently proposed by the author (hep-th/9708104, Ref. [1], that is somewhat sketchy) for any ordinary QFT (whether renormalizable or not) in any spacetime dimension. We discussed the physical motivations of the new approach and its efficiency when compared to the existent renormalization approaches. Some other important issues related are briefly touched.

In this paper we study perturbatively an extension of the Stelle higher derivative gravity involving an infinite number of derivative terms. We know that the usual quadratic action is renormalizable but is not unitary because of the presence of a ghost in the theory (pole with negative residue in the propagator). The new theory is instead ghost-free since an entire function (or form factor) is introduced in the model without involving new poles in the propagator. The local hi...

Asymptotically nonlocal field theories represent a sequence of higher-derivative theories whose limit point is a ghost-free, infinite-derivative theory. Here, we extend previous work on pure scalar and Abelian gauge theories to asymptotically nonlocal non-Abelian theories. In particular, we confirm that there is a limit in which the Lee-Wick spectrum can be decoupled, but where the hierarchy problem is resolved via an emergent nonlocal scale that regulates loop diagrams and t...

we show there exists a mathematically consistent framework in which the Renormalization Program can be understood in a natural manner. The framework does not require any violations of mathematical rigor usually associated with the Renormalization program. We use the framework of the non-local field theories [these carry a finite mass scale (\Lambda)]and set up a finite perturbative program. We show how this program leads to the perturbation series of the usual renormalization...

Unrenormalizable theories contain infinitely many free parameters. Considering these theories in terms of the Wilsonian renormalization group (RG), we suggest a method for removing this large ambiguity. Our basic assumption is the existence of the maximal ultraviolet cutoff in a cutoff theory, and we require that the theory be so fine-tuned as to reach the maximal cutoff. The theory so obtained behaves as a local continuum theory to the shortest distance. In concrete examples...

A new attempt is demonstrated that QFTs can be UV finite if they are viewed as the low energy effective theories of a fundamental underlying theory (complete and well-defined in all respects) according to the modern standard point of view. This approach is much simpler in principle and in technology comparing to any known renormalization program. Some subtle and difficult issues can be easily resolved. The importance of the procedure for defining the ambiguities is fully appr...

I construct a quantum field theory model with discrete scale invariance at tree level. The model has some unusual mathematical properties (such as the appearance of $q$-hypergeometric series) and may possibly have some interesting physical properties as well. In this note, I explore some possible physics that could be regarded as a violation of standard effective field theory ideas.

We investigate the non-perturbative degrees of freedom in the class of non-local Higgs theories that have been proposed as an ultraviolet completion 4-D Quantum Field Theory (QFT) generalizing the kinetic energy operators to an infinite series of higher derivatives inspired by string field theory. At the perturbative level, the degrees of freedom of non-local Higgs are the same of the local theory. We prove that, at the non-perturbative level, the physical spectrum of the Hig...

We investigate 4-dim gauge theories and gravitational theories with nonpolynomial actions containing an infinite series in covariant derivatives of the fields representing the expansion of a transcendental entire function. A class of entire functions is explicitly constructed such that: (i) the theory is perturbatively superrenormalizable; (ii) no (gauge-invariant) unphysical poles are introduced in the propagators. The nonpolynomial nature is essential; it is not possible to...