Quadratic gravity in first order formalism

Journal Article · Sun Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 2017 · Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2017/10/008· OSTI ID:22667659

Alvarez, Enrique; Anero, Jesus; Gonzalez-Martin, Sergio ^[1]

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1. Departamento de Física Teórica and Instituto de Física Teórica (IFT-UAM/CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid (Spain)

We consider the most general action for gravity which is quadratic in curvature. In this case first order and second order formalisms are not equivalent. This framework is a good candidate for a unitary and renormalizable theory of the gravitational field; in particular, there are no propagators falling down faster than 1/ p {sup 2}. The drawback is of course that the parameter space of the theory is too big, so that in many cases will be far away from a theory of gravity alone. In order to analyze this issue, the interaction between external sources was examined in some detail. We find that this interaction is conveyed mainly by propagation of the three-index connection field. At any rate the theory as it stands is in the conformal invariant phase; only when Weyl invariance is broken through the coupling to matter can an Einstein-Hilbert term (and its corresponding Planck mass scale) be generated by quantum corrections.

• OSTI ID: 22667659
• Journal Information: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 2017; ISSN 1475-7516
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
CORRECTIONS
COUPLING
GRAVITATIONAL FIELDS
INTERACTIONS
MASS
RENORMALIZATION
SIMULATION
SPACE