Limit cycles and quantum gravity

Abstract

We study renormalization group equations of quantum gravity in four dimensions. We find an ultraviolet fixed point in accordance with the asymptotic safety conjecture, and infrared fixed points corresponding to general relativity with positive, vanishing or negative cosmological constant. In a minisuperspace approximation, we additionally find a renormalization group limit cycle shielding the ultraviolet from the infrared fixed points. We discuss implications of this pattern for asymptotically safe gravity in the continuum and on the lattice.