Scale-invariant gauge theories of gravity: theoretical foundations

DOI10.1063/1.4963143zbMATH Open1350.83003OpenAlexW2115003947MaRDI QIDQ2825554FDOQ2825554

Authors: A. N. Lasenby, M. P. Hobson 

Publication date: 13 October 2016

Published in: Journal of Mathematical Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: We consider the construction of gauge theories of gravity, focussing in particular on the extension of local Poincar'e invariance to include invariance under local changes of scale. We work exclusively in terms of finite transformations, which allow for a more transparent interpretation of such theories in terms of gauge fields in Minkowski spacetime. Our approach therefore differs from the usual geometrical description of locally scale-invariant Poincar'e gauge theory (PGT) and Weyl gauge theory (WGT) in terms of Riemann--Cartan and Weyl--Cartan spacetimes, respectively. In particular, we reconsider the interpretation of the Einstein gauge and also the equations of motion of matter fields and test particles in these theories. Inspired by the observation that the PGT and WGT matter actions for the Dirac field and electromagnetic field have more general invariance properties than those imposed by construction, we go on to present a novel alternative to WGT by considering an `extended' form for the transformation law of the rotational gauge field under local dilations, which includes its `normal' transformation law in WGT as a special case. The resulting `extended' Weyl gauge theory (eWGT) has a number of interesting features that we describe in detail. In particular, we present a new scale-invariant gauge theory of gravity that accommodates ordinary matter and is defined by the most general parity-invariant eWGT Lagrangian that is at most quadratic in the eWGT field strengths, and we derive its field equations. We also consider the construction of PGTs that are invariant under local dilations assuming either the `normal' or `extended' transformation law for the rotational gauge field, but show that they are special cases of WGT and eWGT, respectively.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1510.06699

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zbMATH Keywords

electromagnetic fieldMinkowski spacetimeRiemann-Cartanscale-invariant gauge theories of gravityWeyl gauge theoryWeyl-Cartan spacetimesPoincaré gauge theorylocal Poincaré invariance

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Equations of motion in general relativity and gravitational theory (83C10) Applications of differential geometry to physics (53Z05) Exterior differential systems (Cartan theory) (58A15) Yang-Mills and other gauge theories in mechanics of particles and systems (70S15) Electromagnetic theory (general) (78A25) Special relativity (83A05) Einstein's equations (general structure, canonical formalism, Cauchy problems) (83C05) Relativistic gravitational theories other than Einstein's, including asymmetric field theories (83D05)

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Cited In (18)

• The origin of Weyl gauging in metric-affine theories
• Geometric algebra, gravity and gravitational waves
• Real spinors and real Dirac equation
• Gravity, scale invariance and the hierarchy problem
• Geometric algebra as a unifying language for physics and engineering and its use in the study of gravity
• Weyl's gauge invariance: conformal geometry, spinors, supersymmetry, and interactions
• Static energetics in gravity
• Conservation law for massive scale-invariant photons in Weyl-invariant gravity
• A note on Weyl gauge symmetry in gravity
• Scale-invariant gravity: spacetime recovered
• Early universe in quantum gravity
• GAUGE THEORIES OF GRAVITY AND MASS GENERATION
• Scale-invariant gravity: geometrodynamics
• Gauge theory for extended elementary objects
• On local dilatation invariance
• On Weyl's gauge field.
• On Gauge Invariant Theories of Gravitation
• Title not available (Why is that?)

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