English

Bimetric Gravity from Ghost-free Massive Gravity

High Energy Physics - Theory 2015-05-30 v2

Abstract

Generically, non-linear bimetric theories of gravity suffer from the same Boulware-Deser ghost instability as non-linear theories of massive gravity. However, recently proposed theories of massive gravity have been shown to be ghost-free. These theories are formulated with respect to a flat, non-dynamical reference metric. In this work we show that it is possible to give dynamics to the reference metric in such a way that the consistency of the theory is maintained. The result is a non-linear bimetric theory of a massless spin-2 field interacting with a massive spin-2 field that is free of the Boulware-Deser ghost. To our knowledge, this is the first construction of such a ghost-free bimetric theory.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1109.3515,
  title  = {Bimetric Gravity from Ghost-free Massive Gravity},
  author = {S. F. Hassan and Rachel A. Rosen},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1109.3515},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

results extended, version accepted for publication

R2 v1 2026-06-21T19:05:42.078Z