On the Renormalization in Conformal Quantum Gravity

Abstract

One-loop divergences in classically conformal theory in curved spacetime is a nontrivial issue if the theory under consideration possesses gauge invariance. In this case, quantization involves introducing the gauge-fixing term and the action of ghosts, both of which are not conformal. The formal proof of the conformal invariant renormalizability in this situation, including interacting theories, has been given in the paper from 1984 by one of the present authors. Owing to BRST symmetry, the contributions of the gauge-fixing and ghost sectors to the conformal variation of the effective action cancel each other. This cancellation does not hold in the finite part of the one-loop and higher-loops effective action, that results in the anomaly. In this paper, we extend the early results on conformal matter fields in external gravitational field and apply them to conformal quantum gravity, including the case of conformal gravity coupled to other conformal matter fields. The gauge-fixing in the Weyl-squared gravity is more complicated, nevertheless, the proof of the one-loop conformal invariant renormalization using BRST symmetry is possible. As a preliminary to conformal quantum gravity, we also present a detailed general proof of conformal invariant one-loop divergences in the corresponding semiclassical theory.