SU(2) POTENTIALS IN QUANTUM-GRAVITY

We present investigations of the potential between static charges from a simulation of quantum gravity coupled to an SU(2) gauge field on 6( 3) x 4 and 8(3) x 4 simplicial lattices. In the well-defined phase of the gravity sector where geometrical expectation values are stable, we study the correlations of Polyakov loops and extract the correspondin g potentials between a source and sink separated by a distance R. In t he confined phase, the potential has a linear form while in the deconf ined phase, a screened Coulombic behavior is found. Our results indica te that quantum gravitational effects do not destroy confinement due t o non-abelian gauge fields.