Related papers: Connection independent formulation of general rela…
We construct differential geometry (connection, curvature, etc.) based on generalized derivations of an algebra ${\cal A}$. Such a derivation, introduced by Bresar in 1991, is given by a linear mapping $u: {\cal A} \rightarrow {\cal A}$…
The Gibbons-Hawking-York (GHY) boundary term makes the Dirichlet problem for gravity well defined, but no such general term seems to be known for Neumann boundary conditions. In this paper, we view Neumann {\em not} as fixing the normal…
We study in some detail the "extended Kerr-Schild" formulation of general relativity, which decomposes the gauge-independent degrees of freedom of a generic metric into two arbitrary functions and the choice of a flat background tetrad. We…
Hamilton-Jacobi theory for general relativity provides an elegant covariant formulation of the gravitational field. A general `coordinate-free' method of integrating the functional Hamilton-Jacobi equation for gravity and matter is…
In non-gravitational quantum field theory, the entanglement entropy across a surface depends on the short-distance regularization. Quantum gravity should not require such regularization, and it's been conjectured that the entanglement…
Trace-free Einstein gravity is a prominent alternative to general relativity, which has two versions: one in which the energy-momentum conservation is assumed a priori and another in which it is not. In the first version, the cosmological…
Einstein gravity minimally coupled to a scalar field with a two-parameter Higgs-like self-interaction in three spacetime dimensions is recast in terms of a Chern-Simons form for the algebra $g^{+}\oplus g^{-}$ where, depending on the sign…
The role of space-time torsion in general relativity is reviewed in accordance with some recent results on the subject. It is shown that, according to the connection compatibility condition, the usual Riemannian volume element is not…
Teleparallel gravity and its popular generalization $f(T)$ gravity can be formulated as fully invariant (under both coordinate transformations and local Lorentz transformations) theories of gravity. Several misconceptions about teleparallel…
We consider the most general action for gravity which is quadratic in curvature. In this case first order and second order formalisms are not equivalent. This framework is a good candidate for a unitary and renormalizable theory of the…
In this work a simple toy model for a free interface between bulk phases in space and time is presented, derived from the balance equations for extensive thermodynamic variables of Meinhold-Heerlein. In this case the free interface…
The general relativity theory is redefined equivalently in almost Kahler variables: symplectic form and canonical symplectic connection (distorted from the Levi-Civita connection by a tensor constructed only from metric coefficients and…
We report a new class of $SO(3,\mathbb{C})$ and diffeomorphism invariant formulations for general relativity with either a vanishing or a nonvanishing cosmological constant, which depends functionally on a $SO(3,\mathbb{C})$ gauge…
It is shown that the well-known triviality of the Einstein field equations in two dimensions is not a sufficient condition for the Einstein-Hilbert action to be a total divergence, if the general covariance is to be preserved, that is, a…
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…
The existence of a ghost free theory of massive gravity begs for an interpretation as a Higgs phase of General Relativity. We revisit the study of massive gravity as a Higgs phase. Absent a compelling microphysical model of spontaneous…
The universal character of the gravitational interaction provided by the equivalence principle motivates a geometrical description of gravity. The standard formulation of General Relativity \`a la Einstein attributes gravity to the…
A "quantum-first" approach to gravity is described, where rather than quantizing general relativity, one seeks to formulate the physics of gravity within a quantum-mechanical framework with suitably general postulates. Important guides are…
We show that the well-known problem of frame dependence and violation of local Lorentz invariance in the usual formulation of $f(T)$ gravity is a consequence of neglecting the role of spin connection. We re-formulate $f(T)$ gravity…
We discuss new models of an `affine' theory of gravity in multidimensional space-times with symmetric connections. We use and develop ideas of Weyl, Eddington, and Einstein, in particular, Einstein's proposal to specify the space - time…