3,088 research outputs found
Novel nonlinear kinetic terms for gravitons
A set of novel derivative terms for spin-2 fields are proposed. They are the
wedge products of curvature two-forms and vielbeins. In this work, we
investigate the properties of novel two-derivative terms in the context of
bi-gravity. Based on a minisuperspace analysis, we identify a large class of
bi-gravity models where the Boulware-Deser ghost could be absent. We give a new
perspective that Weyl Gravity and New Massive Gravity belong to this class of
bi-gravity models involving novel derivative terms. In addition, we discuss the
UV cut-off scales, dynamical symmetric conditions and novel higher-derivative
terms.Comment: 19 pages, two columns, v3.1; a reference is adde
Canonical bifurcation in higher derivative, higher spin, theories
We present a non-perturbative canonical analysis of the D=3
quadratic-curvature, yet ghost-free, model to exemplify a novel, "constraint
bifurcation", effect. Consequences include a jump in excitation count: a
linearized level gauge variable is promoted to a dynamical one in the full
theory. We illustrate these results with their concrete perturbative
counterparts. They are of course mutually consistent, as are perturbative
findings in related models. A geometrical interpretation in terms of
propagating torsion reveals the model's relation to an (improved) version of
Einstein-Weyl gravity at the linearized level. Finally, we list some necessary
conditions for triggering the bifurcation phenomenon in general interacting
gauge systems.Comment: 10 pages, v2: typos corrected, v3: new title to reflect greatly
expanded version, to appear in special issue of J Phys A (eds, M Vasiliev & M
Gaberdiel
A note on higher-derivative actions for free higher-spin fields
Higher-derivative theories of free higher-spin fields are investigated
focusing on their symmetries. Generalizing familiar two-derivative constrained
formulations, we first construct less-constrained Einstein-like and
Maxwell-like higher-derivative actions. Then, we construct Weyl-like actions -
the actions admitting constrained Weyl symmetries - with different numbers of
derivatives. They are presented in a factorized form making use of
Einstein-like and Maxwell-like tensors. The last (highest-derivative) member of
the hierarchy of the Weyl-like actions coincides with the Fradkin-Tseytlin
conformal higher-spin action in four dimensions.Comment: Version to appear in JHEP, 22 page
Weyl relativity: A novel approach to Weyl's ideas
In this paper we revisit the motivation and construction of a unified theory
of gravity and electromagnetism, following Weyl's insights regarding the
appealing potential connection between the gauge invariance of electromagnetism
and the conformal invariance of the gravitational field. We highlight that
changing the local symmetry group of spacetime permits to construct a theory in
which these two symmetries are combined into a putative gauge symmetry but with
second-order field equations and non-trivial mass scales, unlike the original
higher-order construction by Weyl. We prove that the gravitational field
equations are equivalent to the (trace-free) Einstein field equations, ensuring
their compatibility with known tests of general relativity. As a corollary, the
effective cosmological constant is rendered radiatively stable due to Weyl
invariance. A novel phenomenological consequence characteristic of this
construction, potentially relevant for cosmological observations, is the
existence of an energy scale below which effects associated with the
non-integrability of spacetime distances, and an effective mass for the
electromagnetic field, appear simultaneously (as dual manifestations of the use
of Weyl connections). We explain how former criticisms against Weyl's ideas
lose most of their power in its present reincarnation, which we refer to as
Weyl relativity, as it represents a Weyl-invariant, unified description of both
the Einstein and Maxwell field equations.Comment: 34 pages, no figure
Higher derivative couplings and massive supergravity in three dimensions
We develop geometric superspace settings to construct arbitrary higher
derivative couplings (including R^n terms) in three-dimensional supergravity
theories with N=1,2,3 by realising them as conformal supergravity coupled to
certain compensators. For all known off-shell supergravity formulations, we
construct supersymmetric invariants with up to and including four derivatives.
As a warming-up exercise, we first give a new and completely geometric
derivation of such invariants in N=1 supergravity. Upon reduction to
components, they agree with those given in arXiv:0907.4658 and arXiv:1005.3952.
We then carry out a similar construction in the case of N=2 supergravity for
which there exist two minimal formulations that differ by the choice of
compensating multiplet: (i) a chiral scalar multipet; (ii) a vector multiplet.
For these formulations all four derivative invariants are constructed in
completely general and gauge independent form. For a general supergravity model
(in the N=1 and minimal N=2 cases) with curvature-squared and lower order
terms, we derive the superfield equations of motion, linearise them about
maximally supersymmetric backgrounds and obtain restrictions on the parameters
that lead to models for massive supergravity. We use the non-minimal
formulation for N = 2 supergravity (which corresponds to a complex linear
compensator) to construct a novel consistent theory of massive supergravity. In
the case of N = 3 supergravity, we employ the off-shell formulation with a
vector multiplet as compensator to construct for the first time various higher
derivative invariants. These invariants may be used to derive models for N = 3
massive supergravity. As a bi-product of our analysis, we also present
superfield equations for massive higher spin multiplets in (1,0), (1,1) and
(2,0) anti-de Sitter superspaces.Comment: 84 pages; V3: references added, minor modifications, published
versio
Extended Weyl Invariance in a Bimetric Model and Partial Masslessness
We revisit a particular ghost-free bimetric model which is related to both
partial masslessness (PM) and conformal gravity. Linearly, the model propagates
six instead of seven degrees of freedom not only around de Sitter but also
around flat spacetime. Nonlinearly, the equations of motion can be recast in
the form of expansions in powers of curvatures, and exhibit a remarkable amount
of structure. In this form, the equations are shown to be invariant under
scalar gauge transformations, at least up to six orders in derivatives, the
lowest order term being a Weyl scaling of the metrics. The terms at
two-derivative order reproduce the usual PM gauge transformations on de Sitter
backgrounds. At the four-derivative order, a potential obstruction that could
destroy the symmetry is shown to vanish. This in turn guarantees the gauge
invariance to at least six-orders in derivatives. This is equivalent to adding
up to 10-derivative corrections to conformal gravity. More generally, we
outline a procedure for constructing the gauge transformations order by order
as an expansion in derivatives and comment on the validity and limitations of
the procedure. We also discuss recent arguments against the existence of a PM
gauge symmetry in bimetric theory and show that, at least in their present
form, they are evaded by the model considered here. Finally, we argue that a
bimetric approach to PM theory is more promising than one based on the
existence of a fundamental PM field.Comment: Latex, 35 pages. Matches published versio
FRW and domain walls in higher spin gravity
We present exact solutions to Vasiliev's bosonic higher spin gravity
equations in four dimensions with positive and negative cosmological constant
that admit an interpretation in terms of domain walls, quasi-instantons and
Friedman-Robertson-Walker (FRW) backgrounds. Their isometry algebras are
infinite dimensional higher-spin extensions of spacetime isometries generated
by six Killing vectors. The solutions presented are obtained by using a method
of holomorphic factorization in noncommutative twistor space and gauge
functions. In interpreting the solutions in terms of Fronsdal-type fields in
spacetime, a field-dependent higher spin transformation is required, which is
implemented at leading order. To this order, the scalar field solves
Klein-Gordon equation with conformal mass in (anti) de Sitter space. We
interpret the FRW solution with de Sitter asymptotics in the context of
inflationary cosmology and we expect that the domain wall and FRW solutions are
associated with spontaneously broken scaling symmetries in their holographic
description. We observe that the factorization method provides a convenient
framework for setting up a perturbation theory around the exact solutions, and
we propose that the nonlinear completion of particle excitations over FRW and
domain wall solutions requires black hole-like states.Comment: 63 page
Gravity, Two Times, Tractors, Weyl Invariance and Six Dimensional Quantum Mechanics
Fefferman and Graham showed some time ago that four dimensional conformal
geometries could be analyzed in terms of six dimensional, ambient, Riemannian
geometries admitting a closed homothety. Recently it was shown how conformal
geometry provides a description of physics manifestly invariant under local
choices of unit systems. Strikingly, Einstein's equations are then equivalent
to the existence of a parallel scale tractor (a six component vector subject to
a certain first order covariant constancy condition at every point in four
dimensional spacetime). These results suggest a six dimensional description of
four dimensional physics, a viewpoint promulgated by the two times physics
program of Bars. The Fefferman--Graham construction relies on a triplet of
operators corresponding, respectively to a curved six dimensional light cone,
the dilation generator and the Laplacian. These form an sp(2) algebra which
Bars employs as a first class algebra of constraints in a six-dimensional gauge
theory. In this article four dimensional gravity is recast in terms of six
dimensional quantum mechanics by melding the two times and tractor approaches.
This "parent" formulation of gravity is built from an infinite set of six
dimensional fields. Successively integrating out these fields yields various
novel descriptions of gravity including a new four dimensional one built from a
scalar doublet, a tractor vector multiplet and a conformal class of metrics.Comment: 27 pages, LaTe
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