Conformally Flat Spacetimes and Weyl Frames

We discuss the concepts of Weyl and Riemann frames in the context of metric theories of gravity and state the fact that they are completely equivalent as far as geodesic motion is concerned. We apply this result to conformally flat spacetimes and show that a new picture arises when a Riemannian spacetime is taken by means of geometrical gauge transformations into a Minkowskian flat spacetime. We find out that in the Weyl frame gravity is described by a scalar field. We give some examples of how conformally flat spacetime configurations look when viewed from the standpoint of a Weyl frame. We show that in the non-relativistic and weak field regime the Weyl scalar field may be identified with the Newtonian gravitational potential. We suggest an equation for the scalar field by varying the Einstein-Hilbert action restricted to the class of conformally-flat spacetimes. We revisit Einstein and Fokker’s interpretation of Nordstr?m scalar gravity theory and draw an analogy between this approach and the Weyl gauge formalism. We briefly take a look at two-dimensional gravity as viewed in the Weyl frame and address the question of quantizing a conformally flat spacetime by going to the Weyl frame.     

Dimensional reduction via a novel Higgs mechanism

Many theories of quantum gravity live in higher dimensions, and their reduction to four dimensions via mechanisms such as Kaluza–Klein compactification or brane world models have associated problems. We propose a novel mechanism of dimensional reduction via spontaneous symmetry breaking of a higher dimensional local Lorentz group to one in lower dimensions. Working in the gauge theory formulation of gravity, we couple a Higgs field to spin connections, include a potential for the field, and show that for a suitable choice of Higgs vacuum, the local Lorentz symmetry of the action gets spontaneously reduced to one in a lower dimension. Thus effectively the dimension of spacetime gets reduced by one. This provides a viable mechanism for the dimensional reduction, and may have applications in theories of quantum gravity.     

Gauge/string duality in confining theories

This is the content of a set of lectures given at the “XIII Jorge André Swieca Summer School on Particles and Fields”, Campos do Jordão, Brazil in January 2005. They intend to be a basic introduction to the topic of gauge/gravity duality in confining theories. We start by reviewing some key aspects of the low energy physics of non‐Abelian gauge theories. Then, we present the basics of the AdS/CFT correspondence and its extension both to gauge theories in different spacetime dimensions with sixteen supercharges and to more realistic situations with less supersymmetry. We discuss the different options of interest: placing D–branes at singularities and wrapping D–branes in calibrated cycles of special holonomy manifolds. We finally present an outline of a number of non‐perturbative phenomena in non‐Abelian gauge theories as seen from supergravity.     

Gauge theories on the $\kappa$-Minkowski spacetime

This study of gauge field theories on -deformed Minkowski spacetime extends previous work on field theories on this example of a non-commutative spacetime. We construct deformed gauge theories for arbitrary compact Lie groups using the concept of enveloping algebra-valued gauge transformations and the Seiberg-Witten formalism. Derivative-valued gauge fields lead to field strength tensors as the sum of curvature- and torsion-like terms. We construct the Lagrangians explicitly to first order in the deformation parameter. This is the first example of a gauge theory that possesses a deformed Lorentz covariance.Received: 17 December 2003, Revised: 6 May 2004, Published online: 23 June 2004     

Null Cones and Einstein's Equations in Minkowski Spacetime

If Einstein's equations are to describe a field theory of gravity in Minkowski spacetime, then causality requires that the effective curved metric must respect the flat background metric's null cone. The kinematical problem is solved using a generalized eigenvector formalism based on the Segré classification of symmetric rank 2 tensors with respect to a Lorentzian metric. Securing the correct relationship between the two null cones dynamically plausibly is achieved using the naive gauge freedom. New variables tied to the generalized eigenvector formalism reduce the configuration space to the causality-respecting part. In this smaller space, gauge transformations do not form a group, but only a groupoid. The flat metric removes the difficulty of defining equal-time commutation relations in quantum gravity and guarantees global hyperbolicity.     

Minimal coupling of electromagnetic field in Riemann-Cartan spacetime for perfect fluids

We minimally couple the electromagnetic field to gravity in Riemann-Cartan spacetime in the self-consistent formalism for perfect fluids by treating the internal energy of matter as a function of the electromagnetic field. The overall Lagrangian of the gravitational field, perfect fluid, and the electromagnetic field is constrained to be gauge invariant under gauge transformations of the vector potential. The theory preserves both charge conservation and particle number conservation, and gives the usual form of the free field equations.     

Higher Spins from Nambu–Chern–Simons Theory

We propose a new theory of higher spin gravity in three spacetime dimensions. This is defined by what we will call a Nambu–Chern–Simons (NCS) action; this is to a Nambu 3-algebra as an ordinary Chern–Simons (CS) action is to a Lie (2-)algebra. The novelty is that the gauge group of this theory is simple; this stands in contrast to previously understood interacting 3D higher spin theories in the frame-like formalism. We also consider the N = 8 supersymmetric NCS-matter model (BLG theory), where the NCS action originated: Its fully supersymmetric M2 brane configurations are interpreted as Hopf fibrations, the homotopy type of the (infinite) gauge group is calculated and its instantons are classified.     

Interacting Singletons

There is a chance that singleton fields, that in the context of strings and membranes have been regarded as topological gauge fields that can interact only at the boundary of anti-De Sitter space, at spatial infinity, may have a more physical manifestation as constituents of massless fields in spacetime. The composite character of massless fields is expressed by field-current identities that relate ordinary massless field operators to singleton currents and stress-energy tensors. Naive versions of such identities do not make sense, but when the singletons are described in terms of dipole structures, then such constructions are at least formally possible. The new proposal includes and generalizes an early composite version of QED, and includes quantum gravity, super gravity and models of QCD. Unitarity of such theories is conjectural.     

Enlarged Geometries of Gauge Bundles

The geometrical picture of gauge theories must be enlarged when a gauge potentialceases to behave like a connection, as it does in electroweak interactions. Whenthe gauge group has dimension four, the vector space isomorphism betweenspacetime and the gauge algebra is realized by a tetrad-like field. The objectmeasuring the deviation from a strict bundle structure has the formal behaviorof a spacetime connection, of which the deformed gauge field strength is thetorsion. A generalized derivative emerges in terms of which the two Bianchiidentities are formally recovered. Effects of gravitational type turn up. Thedynamical equations obtained correspond to a broken gauge model on acurved spacetime.     

Energy Distribution for a Power Model of the Plane Symmetric Spacetime in f (R) Gravity

The study of the energy localization in f(R)theories of gravity has attracted much interest in recent years.In this paper,the vacuum solutions of the modified field equations for a power model of plane symmetric metric are studied in metric f(R)gravity with the assumption of constant Ricci scalar.Next,we determine the energy-momentum complexes in f(R)theories of gravity for this spacetime for some important models.We also show that these models satisfy the stability and constant curvature conditions.     

Geometry of manifolds with area metric: Multi-metric backgrounds

We construct the differential geometry of smooth manifolds equipped with an algebraic curvature map acting as an area measure. Area metric geometry provides a spacetime structure suitable for the discussion of gauge theories and strings, and is considerably more general than Lorentzian geometry. Our construction of geometrically relevant objects, such as an area metric compatible connection and derived tensors, makes essential use of a decomposition theorem due to Gilkey, whereby we generate the area metric from a finite collection of metrics. Employing curvature invariants for multi-metric backgrounds we devise a class of gravity theories with inherently stringy character, and discuss gauge matter actions.     

A Note on the Faddeev–Popov Determinant and Chern–Simmons Perturbation Theory

A refined expression for the Faddeev–Popov determinant is derived for gauge theories quantised around a reducible classical solution. We apply this result to Chern–Simons perturbation theory on compact spacetime 3-manifolds with quantisation around an arbitrary flat gauge field isolated up to gauge transformations, pointing out that previous results on the finiteness and formal metric-independence of perturbative expansions of the partition function continue to hold.     

Energy Distribution for a Power Model of the Plane Symmetric Spacetime in f(R) Gravity

The study of the energy localization in f(R) theories of gravity has attracted much interest in recent years. In this paper, the vacuum solutions of the modified field equations for a power model of plane symmetric metric are studied in metric f(R) gravity with the assumption of constant Ricci scalar. Next, we determine the energy-momentum complexes in f(R) theories of gravity for this spacetime for some important models. We also show that these models satisfy the stability and constant curvature conditions.     

The Weak Gravity Conjecture and emergence from an ultraviolet cutoff

We study ultraviolet cutoffs associated with the Weak Gravity Conjecture (WGC) and Sublattice Weak Gravity Conjecture (sLWGC). There is a magnetic WGC cutoff at the energy scale \(e G_N^{-1/2}\) with an associated sLWGC tower of charged particles. A more fundamental cutoff is the scale at which gravity becomes strong and field theory breaks down entirely. By clarifying the nature of the sLWGC for nonabelian gauge groups we derive a parametric upper bound on this strong gravity scale for arbitrary gauge theories. Intriguingly, we show that in theories approximately saturating the sLWGC, the scales at which loop corrections from the tower of charged particles to the gauge boson and graviton propagators become important are parametrically identical. This suggests a picture in which gauge fields emerge from the quantum gravity scale by integrating out a tower of charged matter fields. We derive a converse statement: if a gauge theory becomes strongly coupled at or below the quantum gravity scale, the WGC follows. We sketch some phenomenological consequences of the UV cutoffs we derive.     

The Mathematical Role of Time and Space-Time in Classical Physics

We use Padoa's principle of independence of primitive symbols in axiomatic systems in order to discuss the mathematical role of time and spacetime in some classical physical theories. We show that time is eliminable in Newtonian mechanics and that spacetime is also dispensable in Hamiltonian mechanics, Maxwell's electromagnetic theory, the Dirac electron, classical gauge fields, and general relativity.     

Bianchi type I cosmology in generalized Saez–Ballester theory via Noether gauge symmetry

In this paper, we investigate the generalized Saez–Ballester scalar–tensor theory of gravity via Noether gauge symmetry (NGS) in the background of Bianchi type I cosmological spacetime. We start with the Lagrangian of our model and calculate its gauge symmetries and corresponding invariant quantities. We obtain the potential function for the scalar field in the exponential form. For all the symmetries obtained, we determine the gauge functions corresponding to each gauge symmetry which include constant and dynamic gauge. We discuss cosmological implications of our model and show that it is compatible with the observational data.     

Topology of the gauge condition and new confinement phases in non-abelian gauge theories

The gauge-fixing constraint in a gauge field theory is crucial for understanding both short-distance and long-distance behavior of non-abelian gauge field theories. We define what we call “non-propagating” gauge conditions such as the unitary gauge and “approximately non-propagating” or renormalizable gauge conditions, and study their topological properties. By first fixing the non-abelian part of the gauge ambiguity we find that SU(N) gauge theories can be written in the form of abelian gauge theories with N ? 1 fold multiplicity enriched with magnetic monopoles with certain magnetic charge combinations. Their electric chargesare governed by the instanton angle θ.If θ is continuously varied from 0 to 2π and a confinement mode is assumed for some θ, then at least one phase-transition must occur. We speculate on the possibility of new phases: e.g., “oblique confinement,” where $\text{θ ? π}$, and explain some peculiar features of this mode. In principle there may be infinitely many such modes, all separated by phase transition boundaries.     

Quantum gravity model with fundamental spinor fields

We discuss the possibility that gravitational potentials (metric, coframe and connection) may emerge as composite fields from more fundamental spinor constituents. We use the formalism of Poincaré gauge gravity as an appropriate theoretical scheme for the rigorous development of such an approach. We postulate the constitutive relations of an elastic Cosserat type continuum that models spacetime. These generalized Hooke and MacCullagh type laws consistently take into account the translational and Lorentz rotational deformations, respectively. The resulting theory extends the recently proposed Diakonov model. An intriguing feature of our theory is that in the lowest approximation it reproduces Heisenberg’s nonlinear spinor model.     

Time-delay in potential scattering theory

We show that a gauge field uniquely determines its potential if and only if its holonomy group coincides with the gauge group on every open set in spacetime, provided that the field is not degenerate as a 2-form over spacetime. In other words, there is no potential ambiguity whenever such a field is irreducible everywhere in spacetime. We then show that the ambiguous potentials for those gauge fields are partitioned into gauge-equivalence classes (modulo certain homotopy classes) as a consequence of the nontrivial connectivity of spacetime. These homotopy classes depend on the gauge group, on the holonomy group and on this last group's centralizer in the gauge group.To the Memory of Jorge André SwiecaResearch supported by C.N.Pq. and M.E.C. (Brazil)