Volume-forms and minimal action principles in affine manifolds (Q1345100)

Let \((M, \nabla)\) be a manifold with a linear connection. A volume form \(v\) on \(M\) is called \textit{consistent} with the connection \(\nabla\) if for any vector field \(X\) \[ X \cdot v = (\nabla_i X^i) v, \] where dot means Lie derivative. The author gives necessary and sufficient conditions that a manifold \((M,\nabla)\) admits a volume form consistent with the connection. The condition says that some 1-form, constructed from the torsion tensor of \(\nabla\) and the covariant derivative of an auxiliary metric, is exact. The explicit formula for the volume form is given. Some applications of this result to the choice of action for the Einstein-Cartan theory of gravitation are briefly discussed.