Gravity and Yang-Mills theory

Abstract

Three of the four forces of Nature are described by quantum Yang-Mills theories with remarkable precision. The fourth force, gravity, is described classically by the Einstein-Hilbert theory. There appears to be an inherent incompatibility between quantum mechanics and the Einstein-Hilbert theory which prevents us from developing a consistent quantum theory of gravity. The Einstein-Hilbert theory is therefore believed to differ greatly from Yang-Mills theory (which does have a sensible quantum mechanical description). It is therefore very surprising that these two theories actually share close perturbative ties. This article focuses on these ties between Yang-Mills theory and the Einstein-Hilbert theory. We discuss the origin of these ties and their implications for a quantum theory of gravity.

6 pages, based on contribution to GRF 2010, to appear in a special edition of IJMPD

References in corpus (3)

• Perturbative Quantum Gravity and its Relation to Gauge Theory
• KLT relations from the Einstein-Hilbert Lagrangian
• The quintic interaction vertex in light-cone gravity

Cited by in corpus (10)

• String theory: a perspective over the last 25 years
• Spinor helicity structures in higher spin theories
• Yang-Mills theories and quadratic forms
• Factorization of cubic vertices involving three different higher spin fields
• Gravitation and quadratic forms
• Light-cone gravity in AdS${}_4$
• Cubic interaction vertices in higher spin theories
• Higher spins, quadratic forms and amplitudes
• Light-cone gravity in dS${}_4$
• The structure of interaction vertices in pure gravity in the light-cone gauge