Hartree Approximation to the One Loop Quantum Gravitational Correction to the Graviton Mode Function on de Sitter

Abstract

We use the Hartree approximation to the Einstein equation on de Sitter background to solve for the one loop correction to the graviton mode function. This should give a reasonable approximation to how the ensemble of inflationary gravitons affects a single external graviton. At late times we find that the one loop correction to the plane wave mode function $u(\eta,k)$ goes like $G H^2 \ln(a)/a^2$, where $a$ is the inflationary scale factor. One consequence is that the one loop corrections to the "electric" components of the linearized Weyl tensor grow compared to the tree order result.