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Regulator and gauge dependence of the Abelian gauge coupling in asymptotically safe quantum gravity

Maksym Riabokon1,*, Marc Schiffer2,†, and Fabian Wagner3,‡

  • 1Institut für Theoretische Teilchenphysik (TTP), Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
  • 2High Energy Physics Department, Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics, and Particle Physics, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
  • 3Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Philosophenweg 16, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany

  • *Contact author: maksym.riabokon@partner.kit.edu
  • †Contact author: marc.schiffer@ru.nl
  • ‡Contact author: f.wagner@thphys.uni-heidelberg.de
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Phys. Rev. D 112, 106003 – Published 7 November, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/gxm2-trn6

Abstract

Both General Relativity and the Standard Model of particle physics are not UV complete. General Relativity is perturbatively nonrenormalizable, while the Standard Model features Landau poles, where couplings are predicted to diverge at finite energies, e.g., in the Abelian gauge sector. Asymptotically safe quantum gravity may resolve both of these issues at the same time. In this paper, we assess the systematic uncertainties associated with this scenario, in particular with the gravitationally induced UV-completion of the Abelian gauge sector. Specifically, we study the dependence of this qualitative feature, namely the existence of a UV-complete gauge sector, on unphysical choices like the gauge, and the regulator function. Intriguingly, in some scenarios, we find simultaneous points of minimal sensitivity relative to both the regulator and gauge parameters, which allow for a UV completion. This provides further indications that the simultaneous UV-completion of quantum gravity and matter via an asymptotically safe fixed point is a robust physical feature, and that physical quantities, like scaling exponents, can become independent of unphysical choices.

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Phys. Rev. D 112, 106003– Published 7 November, 2025
  • Received 28 August 2025
  • Accepted 1 October 2025
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