Deducing Cosmological Observables from the S-matrix

We study one loop quantum gravitational corrections to the long range force induced by the exchange of a massless scalar between two massive scalars. The various diagrams contributing to the flat space S-matrix are evaluated in a general covariant gauge and we show that dependence on the gauge parameters cancels at a point considerably {\it before} forming the full S-matrix, which is unobservable in cosmology. It is possible to interpret our computation as a solution to the effective field equations --- which could be done even in cosmology --- but taking account of quantum gravitational corrections from the source and from the observer.Comment: 28 pages, 5 figures, uses LaTeX2

The Graviton Tail almost Completely Wags the Dog

One graviton loop corrections to the vacuum polarization on de Sitter show two interesting infrared effects: a secular enhancement of the photon electric field strength and a long range running of the Coulomb potential. We show that the first effect derives solely from the "tail" term of the graviton propagator, but that the second effect does not. Our result agrees with the earlier observation that the secular enhancement of massless fermion mode functions derives from solely from the tail term. We discuss the implications this has for the important project of generalizing to quantum gravity the Starobinsky technique for summing the series of leading infrared effects from inflationary quantum field theory.Comment: 17 pages, 1 figure, uses LaTeX2

The Graviton Propagator in de Donder Gauge on de Sitter Background

We construct the graviton propagator on de Sitter background in exact de Donder gauge. We prove that it must break de Sitter invariance, just like the propagator of the massless, minimally coupled scalar. Our explicit solutions for its two scalar structure functions preserve spatial homogeneity and isotropy so that the propagator can be used within the larger context of inflationary cosmology, however, it is simple to alter the residual symmetry. Because our gauge condition is de Sitter invariant (although no solution for the propagator can be) renormalization should be simpler using this propagator than one based on a noncovariant gauge. It remains to be seen how other computational steps compare.Comment: 39 pages, no figures, uses LaTeX2

Graviton Loop Corrections to Vacuum Polarization in de Sitter in a General Covariant Gauge

We evaluate the one-graviton loop contribution to the vacuum polarization on de Sitter background in a 1-parameter family of exact, de Sitter invariant gauges. Our result is computed using dimensional regularization and fully renormalized with BPHZ counterterms, which must include a noninvariant owing to the time-ordered interactions. Because the graviton propagator engenders a physical breaking of de Sitter invariance two structure functions are needed to express the result. In addition to its relevance for the gauge issue this is the first time a covariant gauge graviton propagator has been used to compute a noncoincident loop. A number of identities are derived which should facilitate further graviton loop computations.Comment: 61 pages, 1 figure, 11 tables, version 2 (63 pages) revised for publication in CQ

One loop graviton corrections to dynamical photons in de Sitter

We employ a recent, general gauge computation of the one loop graviton contribution to the vacuum polarization on de Sitter to solve for one loop corrections to the photon mode function. The vacuum polarization takes the form of a gauge independent, spin 2 contribution and a gauge dependent, spin 0 contribution. We show that the leading secular corrections derive entirely from the spin 2 contribution.Comment: 41 pages, no figures, uses LaTeX2

Single Graviton Loop Contribution to the Self-Mass of a Massless, Conformally Coupled Scalar on de Sitter Background

We use a simplified formalism to re-compute the single graviton loop contribution to the self-mass of a massless, conformally coupled scalar on de Sitter background which was originally made by Boran, Kahya and Park [1-3]. Our result resolves the problem with the flat space correspondence limit that was pointed out by Fr\"ob [4]. We discuss how this computation will be used in a long-term project to purge the linearized effective field equation of gauge dependence.Comment: 26 pages, 1 figure, uses LaTeX 2e. Version 2 revised slightly for publicatio

Leading Log Solution for Inflationary Yukawa

We generalize Starobinskii's stochastic technique to the theory of a massless, minimally coupled scalar interacting with a massless fermion in a locally de Sitter geometry. The scalar is an ``active'' field that can engender infrared logarithms. The fermion is a ``passive'' field that cannot cause infrared logarithms but which can carry them, and which can also induce new interactions between the active fields. The procedure for dealing with passive fields is to integrate them out, then stochastically simplify the resulting effective action following Starobinski\u{\i}. Because Yukawa theory is quadratic in the fermion this can be done explicitly using the classic solution of Candelas and Raine. We check the resulting stochastic formulation against an explicit two loop computation. We also derive a nonperturbative, leading log result for the stress tensor. Because the scalar effective potential induced by fermions is unbounded below, back-reaction from this model might dynamically cancel an arbitrarily large cosmological constant.Comment: 35 pages, LaTeX 2epsilon, 4 figures (using axodraw), version 2 has an updated reference lis