Discussion on massive gravitons and propagating torsion in arbitrary dimensions

Journal Article · Tue Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 2009 · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.80.124012· OSTI ID:21313604

Hernaski, C A; Vargas-Paredes, A A; Helayeel-Neto, J A ^[1]

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1. Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Fisicas, Rua Dr. Xavier Sigaud 150, Urca, Rio de Janeiro, CEP 22290-180 (Brazil)

In this paper, we reassess a particular R{sup 2}-type gravity action in D dimensions, recently studied by Nakasone and Oda, now taking torsion effects into account. Considering that the vielbein and the spin connection carry independent propagating degrees of freedom, we conclude that ghosts and tachyons are absent only if torsion is nonpropagating, and we also conclude that there is no room for massive gravitons. To include these excitations, we understand how to enlarge Nakasone-Oda's model by means of explicit torsion terms in the action and we discuss the unitarity of the enlarged model for arbitrary dimensions.

• OSTI ID: 21313604
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Vol. 80, Issue 12; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.80.124012; (c) 2009 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
DEGREES OF FREEDOM
EXCITATION
GRAVITATION
GRAVITONS
SIMULATION
SPIN
TACHYONS
TORSION
UNITARITY