Constraints on extra-dimensional theories from virtual-graviton exchange

We study the effective interactions induced by loops of extra-dimensional gravitons and show the special role of a specific dimension-6 four-fermion operator, product of two flavour-universal axial currents. By introducing an ultraviolet cut-off, we compare the present constraints on low-scale quantum gravity from various processes involving real-graviton emission and virtual-graviton exchange. The LEP2 limits on dimension-6 four-fermion interactions give one of the strongest constraint on the theory, in particular excluding the case of strongly-interacting gravity at the weak scale. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved