Related papers: Surface terms, Asymptotics and Thermodynamics of t…
We consider the issue of attaining a consistent Hamiltonian formulation, after a 3+1 splitting, of a well defined action principle for asymptotically flat gravity. More precisely, our starting point is the gravitational first order Holst…
We derive the gravitational Hamiltonian starting from the Gauss-Bonnet action, keeping track of all surface terms. This is done using the language of orthonormal frames and forms to keep things as tidy as possible. The surface terms in the…
We consider 4-dimensional space-times which are asymptotically flat at spatial infinity and show that, in the first order framework, action principle for general relativity is well-defined \emph{without the need of infinite counter terms.}…
We give a general derivation of the gravitational hamiltonian starting from the Einstein-Hilbert action, keeping track of all surface terms. The surface term that arises in the hamiltonian can be taken as the definition of the `total…
We investigate the asymptotic symmetries of General Relativity at spatial infinity within the first-order formalism described by the Holst action. Employing the covariant phase space method, we propose a set of relaxed boundary conditions…
We study a gravitational action which is a linear combination of the Hilbert-Palatini term and a term quadratic in torsion and possessing local Poincare invariance. Although this action yields the same equations of motion as General…
We study a generalization of the Holst action where we admit nonmetricity and torsion in manifolds with timelike boundaries (both in the metric and tetrad formalism). We prove that its space of solutions is equal to the one of the Palatini…
We obtain the correct hamiltonian which describes the dynamics of classes of asymptotic open Friedmann-Lema\^{\i}tre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) spacetimes, which includes Tolman geometries. We calculate the surface term that has to be added to…
A generalization of General Relativity is studied. The standard Einstein-Hilbert action is considered in the Palatini formalism, where the connection and the metric are independent variables, and the connection is not symmetric. As a result…
A new local, covariant ``counter-term'' is used to construct a variational principle for asymptotically flat spacetimes in any spacetime dimension $ d \ge 4$. The new counter-term makes direct contact with more familiar background…
We consider $d>4$-dimensional space-times which are asymptotically flat at spatial infinity and show that, in the first order framework, the action principle is well-defined \emph{without the need of infinite counter terms.} It naturally…
Einstein-Hilbert action and its natural generalizations to higher dimensions (like the Lanczos-Lovelock action) have certain peculiar features. All of them can be separated into a bulk and a surface term, with a specific ("holographic")…
We consider the motion of a particle on a surface which is a small perturbation of the standard sphere. One may qualitatively describe the motion by means of a precessing great circle of the sphere. The observation is employed to derive a…
Certain peculiar features of Einstein-Hilbert (EH) action provide clues towards a holographic approach to gravity which is independent of the detailed microstructure of spacetime. These features of the EH action include: (a) the existence…
The Einstein-Hilbert action has a bulk term and a surface term (which arises from integrating a four divergence). I show that one can obtain Einstein's equations from the surface term alone. This leads to: (i) a novel, completely self…
We show that the on-shell path integral for asymptotically flat Euclidean spacetimes can be given in the first-order formulation of general relativity, without assuming the boundary to be isometrically embedded in Euclidean space and…
The Hamiltonian thermodynamics formalism is applied to the general $d$-dimensional Reissner-Nordstr\"om-anti-de Sitter black hole with spherical, planar, and hyperbolic horizon topology. After writing its action and performing a Legendre…
We consider the Palatini formalism of gravity with cosmological constant $\Lambda$ coupled to a scalar field $\phi$ in $n$-dimensions. The $n$-dimensional Einstein equations with $\Lambda$ can be derived by the variation of the coupled…
The Palatini formalism is developed for gravitational theories in flat geometries. We focus on two particularly interesting scenarios. First, we fix the connection to be metric compatible, but we follow a completely covariant approach by…
We study the Hamiltonian formulation of the general first order action of general relativity compatible with local Lorentz invariance and background independence. The most general simplectic structure (compatible with diffeomorphism…