Abstract. We clarify a point concerning the ultraviolet behaviour of the quantum field theory of gravity, under the assumption of the existence of an ultraviolet fixed point. We explain why Newton's constant should scale like the inverse of the square of the cutoff, even though it is technically inessential. As a consequence of this behaviour, the existence of an UV fixed point would seem to imply that gravity has a built-in UV cutoff when described in Planck units, but not necessarily in other units.

PACS numbers: 04.60.−m, 11.10.Hi

Print publication: Issue 22 (21 November 2004)
Received 12 May 2004, in final form 21 September 2004
Published 20 October 2004