Scaling solution for field-dependent gauge couplings in quantum gravity

Abstract: Quantum gravity can determine the dependence of gauge couplings in a scalar field, which is related to possible fifth forces and time varying fundamental "constants". This prediction is based on the scaling solution of functional flow equations. For momenta below the field-dependent Planck mass the quantum scale invariant standard model emerges as an effective low energy theory. For a small non-zero value of the infrared cutoff scale the time-variation of couplings or apparent violations of the equivalence principle turn out to be negligibly small for the present cosmological epoch, unless some further quantum scale symmetry violation beyond the standard model comes into play. More sizable effects of quantum scale symmetry violation are expected during nucleosynthesis or before. Scaling solutions relate field dependence and dependence on the renormalization scale. We find asymptotically free gauge couplings for the standard model coupled to gravity, while for grand unified models the gauge couplings are asymptotically safe with non-zero values at the ultraviolet fixed point. The scaling solution of asymptotically safe metric quantum gravity yields restrictions for model building, as limiting the number of scalars in grand unified theories.