Related papers: The trace-free Einstein tensor is not variational …
We study scalar-tensor theories respecting the projective invariance in the metric-affine formalism. The metric-affine formalism is a formulation of gravitational theories such that the metric and the connection are independent variables in…
We consider a class of Lorentz-violating theories of gravity involving a timelike unit vector field (the aether) coupled to a metric, two examples being Einstein-aether theory and Ho\v{r}ava gravity. The action always includes the Ricci…
A general formula is calculated for the connection of a central metric w.r.t.\ a noncommutative spacetime of Lie-algebraic type. This is done by using the framework of linear connections on central bi-modules. The general formula is further…
In the present paper, we revisit gravitational theories which are invariant under TDiffs -- transverse (volume preserving) diffeomorphisms and global scale transformations. It is known that these theories can be rewritten in an equivalent…
Local Lorentz invariance violation can be realized by introducing extra tensor fields in the action that couple to matter. If the Lorentz violation is rotationally invariant in some frame, then it is characterized by an ``aether'', i.e. a…
In a geometrical approach to gravity the metric and the (gravitational) connection can be independent and one deals with metric-affine theories. We construct the most general action of metric-affine effective field theories, including a…
The $f(R,T)$ gravity field equations depend generically on both the Ricci scalar $R$ and trace of the energy-momentum tensor $T$. Within the assumption of perfect fluids, the theory carries an arbitrariness regarding the choice of the…
It is well known that the Einstein-Hilbert action in two dimensions is topological and yields an identically vanishing Einstein tensor. Consequently one is faced with difficulties when formulating a non-trivial gravity model. We present a…
We report the existence of a ghost- and tachyon-free sector in metric-affine theories of gravity, that is invariant under diffeomorphism and a particular abelian symmetry. In contrast with many studied cases in the literature, the…
Divergence-free symmetric tensors seem ubiquitous in Mathematical Physics. We show that this structure occurs in models that are described by the so-called "second" variational principle, where the argument of the Lagrangian is a closed…
We study f(R,T) theories of gravity, where T is the trace of the energy-momentum tensor T_{\mu\nu}, with independent metric and affine connection (metric-affine theories). We find that the resulting field equations share a close resemblance…
We formulate a symmetry principle on the basis of the duality of electric and magnetic fields and apply it to dispersion forces. Within the context of macroscopic quantum electrodynamics, we rigorously establish duality invariance for the…
In this work we propose a new gravitational setup formulated in terms of two interacting vierbein fields. The theory is the fully diffeomorphism and local Lorentz invariant extension of a previous construction which involved a fixed…
A manifestly diffeomorphism invariant extension of Einstein gravity is constructed, which includes singular metrics, and whose ADM formulation is Ashtekar's gravity. The latter is shown to be locally equivalent to the covariant theory. It…
A new variational approach for general relativity and modified theories of gravity is presented. In addition to the metric tensor, two independent affine connections enter the action as dynamical variables. In the matter action the…
To fully clarify the invariance of the classical Liouville field theory under the Virasoro algebra, we first elucidate in detail the concept of classical anomaly, discuss the occurrence of two symmetry algebras associated to this problem,…
Our conventional system of physical units is based on local or microscopic {\it dimensional} quantities which are {\it defined}, for convenience or otherwise aesthetic reasons, to be spacetime-independent. A more general choice of units may…
In this work, it is shown that based on the linear analysis, as long as a theory of gravity is diffeomorphism invariant and possesses the tensor degrees of freedom propagating at a constant, isotropic speed without dispersion, its…
We explore the possibility that part of what we call dark matter may be the mark of a preferred frame, revealing a breakdown of diffeomorphism invariance. In the non-relativistic limit this appears as a deviant matter source capable of…
We reflect on the possibility of having a matter action that is invariant only under transverse diffeomorphisms. This possibility is particularly interesting for the dark sector, where no restrictions arise based on the weak equivalence…