Effective Action in Quantum Gravity

Part one of this book describes the principles of quantum field theory, and the significance of and theory behind effective action. Part two deals with quantum field theory in curved space-time and the effective action. These two parts provide the tools for understanding the rest of the book, which is devoted to selected problems of quantum gravity where the effective action plays a major role. This book assumes only a basic understanding of quantum field theory and general relativity. It will be of great interest to postgraduate students and researchers in theoretical high energy physics and gravitational theory.

In part one of Effective Action in Quantum Gravity, the book describes the principles of quantum field theory and the significance of and theory behind effective action. Part two deals with quantum field theory in curved space-time and the effective action. These two parts provide the tools for understanding the rest of the book, which is devoted to selected problems of quantum gravity where the effective action plays a major role. The book assumes only a basic understanding of quantum field theory and general relativity and will be of interest to postgraduate students and researchers in theoretical high-energy physics and gravitational theory.

Elements of quantum field theory: The basic models of quantum field theoryEffective action in quantum field theoryQuantum field theory in curved space-time and effective action: The renormalization and renormalization group equations in curved space-timeThe renormalization group method in curved space-time with torsionRenormalization group equations and effective actionUnique effective action in quantum field theoryEffective action of composite fields in curved space-timeSelected problems of quantum gravity: Higher derivatives quantum gravityAsymptotically free models of grand unificationEffective action in multidimensional quantum gravityQuantum properties of torus compactified membraneReferencesIndex