Effective Lagrangian from Higher Curvature Terms: Absence of vDVZ Discontinuity in AdS Space

We argue that the van Dam-Veltman-Zakharov discontinuity arising in the $M^2 \to 0$ limit of the massive graviton through an explicit Pauli-Fierz mass term could be absent in anti de Sitter space. This is possible if the graviton can acquire mass spontaneously from the higher curvature terms or/and the massless limit $M^2\to 0$ is attained faster than the cosmological constant $\Lambda \to 0$. We discuss the effects of higher-curvature couplings and of an explicit cosmological term ($\Lambda$) on stability of such continuity and of massive excitations.Comment: 23 pages, Latex, the version to appear in Class. Quant. Gra

Constraints on non-minimally coupled curved space electrodynamics from astrophysical observations

We study interactions of electro-magnetic fields with the curvature tensor of the form $\lambda R_{\mu \nu \alpha \beta}F^{\mu \nu}F^{\alpha \beta}$. Such coupling terms though are invariant under general coordinate transformation and CPT, however violate the Einstein equivalence principle. These couplings do not cause any energy dependent dispersion of photons but they exhibit birefringence. We put constraints on the coupling constant $\lambda$ using results from solar system radar ranging experiments and millisecond-pulsar observations. We find that the most stringent constraint comes from pulsar observations and is given by $\lambda < 10^{11} cm^2$ obtained from the timing of binary pulsar PSR B1534+12.Comment: 9 pages latex, accepted in CQ

Solutions of Podolsky's Electrodynamics Equation in the First-Order Formalism

The Podolsky generalized electrodynamics with higher derivatives is formulated in the first-order formalism. The first-order relativistic wave equation in the 20-dimensional matrix form is derived. We prove that the matrices of the equation obey the Petiau-Duffin-Kemmer algebra. The Hermitianizing matrix and Lagrangian in the first-order formalism are given. The projection operators extracting solutions of field equations for states with definite energy-momentum and spin projections are obtained, and we find the density matrix for the massive state. The $13\times 13$-matrix Schrodinger form of the equation is derived, and the Hamiltonian is obtained. Projection operators extracting the physical eigenvalues of the Hamiltonian are found.Comment: 17 pages, minor corrections, published versio

Hamilton Operator and the Semiclassical Limit for Scalar Particles in an Electromagnetic Field

We successively apply the generalized Case-Foldy-Feshbach-Villars (CFFV) and the Foldy-Wouthuysen (FW) transformation to derive the Hamiltonian for relativistic scalar particles in an electromagnetic field. In contrast to the original transformation, the generalized CFFV transformation contains an arbitrary parameter and can be performed for massless particles, which allows solving the problem of massless particles in an electromagnetic field. We show that the form of the Hamiltonian in the FW representation is independent of the arbitrarily chosen parameter. Compared with the classical Hamiltonian for point particles, this Hamiltonian contains quantum terms characterizing the quadrupole coupling of moving particles to the electric field and the electric and mixed polarizabilities. We obtain the quantum mechanical and semiclassical equations of motion of massive and massless particles in an electromagnetic field.Comment: 17 page

A Superspace Formulation of The BV Action for Higher Derivative Theories

We first analyze the anti-BRST and double BRST structures of a certain higher derivative theory that has been known to possess BRST symmetry associated with its higher derivative structure. We discuss the invariance of this theory under shift symmetry in the Batalin Vilkovisky (BV) formalism. We show that the action for this theory can be written in a manifestly extended BRST invariant manner in superspace formalism using one Grassmann coordinate. It can also be written in a manifestly extended BRST invariant manner and on-shell manifestly extended anti-BRST invariant manner in superspace formalism using two Grassmann coordinates.Comment: accepted for publication in EPJ

Godel brane

We consider the brane-world generalisation of the Godel universe and analyse its dynamical interaction with the bulk. The exact homogeneity of the standard Godel spacetime no longer holds, unless the bulk is also static. We show how the anisotropy of the Godel-type brane is dictated by that of the bulk and find that the converse is also true. This determines the precise evolution of the nonlocal anisotropic stresses, without any phenomenological assumptions, and leads to a self-consistent closed set of equations for the evolution of the Godel brane. We also examine the causality of the Godel brane and show that the presence of the bulk cannot prevent the appearance of closed timelike curves.Comment: Revised version, to match paper published in Phys. Rev.

New solutions in 3D gravity

We study gravitational theory in 1+2 spacetime dimensions which is determined by the Lagrangian constructed as a sum of the Einstein-Hilbert term plus the two (translational and rotational) gravitational Chern-Simons terms. When the corresponding coupling constants vanish, we are left with the purely Einstein theory of gravity. We obtain new exact solutions for the gravitational field equations with the nontrivial material sources. Special attention is paid to plane-fronted gravitational waves (in case of the Maxwell field source) and to the circularly symmetric as well as the anisotropic cosmological solutions which arise for the ideal fluid matter source.Comment: Revtex, 21 pages, no figure

Energy-momentum and angular momentum of Goedel universes

We discuss the Einstein energy-momentum complex and the Bergmann-Thomson angular momentum complex in general relativity and calculate them for space-time homogeneous Goedel universes. The calculations are performed for a dust acausal model and for a scalar-field causal model. It is shown that the Einstein pseudotensor is traceless, not symmetric, the gravitational energy is "density" is negative and the gravitational Poynting vector vanishes. Significantly, the total (gravitational and matter) energy "density" fro the acausal model is zero while for the casual model it is negative.The Bergmann-Thomson angular momentum complex does not vanish for both G\"odel models.Comment: an amended version, 24 pages, accepted to PR

Regular black holes in quadratic gravity

The first-order correction of the perturbative solution of the coupled equations of the quadratic gravity and nonlinear electrodynamics is constructed, with the zeroth-order solution coinciding with the ones given by Ay\'on-Beato and Garc{\'\i}a and by Bronnikov. It is shown that a simple generalization of the Bronnikov's electromagnetic Lagrangian leads to the solution expressible in terms of the polylogarithm functions. The solution is parametrized by two integration constants and depends on two free parameters. By the boundary conditions the integration constants are related to the charge and total mass of the system as seen by a distant observer, whereas the free parameters are adjusted to make the resultant line element regular at the center. It is argued that various curvature invariants are also regular there that strongly suggests the regularity of the spacetime. Despite the complexity of the problem the obtained solution can be studied analytically. The location of the event horizon of the black hole, its asymptotics and temperature are calculated. Special emphasis is put on the extremal configuration

Charged black holes in quadratic gravity

Iterative solutions to fourth-order gravity describing static and electrically charged black holes are constructed. Obtained solutions are parametrized by two integration constants which are related to the electric charge and the exact location of the event horizon. Special emphasis is put on the extremal black holes. It is explicitly demonstrated that in the extremal limit, the exact location of the (degenerate) event horizon is given by \rp = |e|. Similarly to the classical Reissner-Nordstr\"om solution, the near-horizon geometry of the charged black holes in quadratic gravity, when expanded into the whole manifold, is simply that of Bertotti and Robinson. Similar considerations have been carried out for the boundary conditions of second type which employ the electric charge and the mass of the system as seen by a distant observer. The relations between results obtained within the framework of each method are briefly discussed