Related papers: Covariant scalar-tensor theories beyond second der…
We study a general Scalar-Tensor Theory with an arbitrary coupling funtion $\omega (\phi )$ but also an arbitrary dependence of the ``gravitational constant'' $G(\phi )$ in the cases in which either one of them, or both, do not admit an…
We consider a higher-derivative generalization of disformal transformations in $D$-dimensional spacetime and clarify the conditions under which they form a group with respect to the matrix product and the functional composition. These…
Most existing theories of dark energy and/or modified gravity, involving a scalar degree of freedom, can be conveniently described within the framework of the Effective Theory of Dark Energy, based on the unitary gauge where the scalar…
Ostrogradsky instability generally appears in nondegenerate higher-order derivative theories and this issue can be resolved by removing any existing degeneracy present in such theories. We consider an action involving terms that are at most…
We develop worldline formulations of covariant fracton gauge theories. These are a one-parameter family of gauge theories of a rank-two symmetric tensor field, invariant under a scalar gauge transformation involving a double derivative.…
In this paper I shall show how notions of Finsler geometry can be used to construct a new type of geometry using a scalar field, f, on the cotangent bundle of a differentiable manifold, M. This new geometry will be called Lorentzian…
We consider the theory of a symmetric tensor field in 4D, invariant under a subclass of infinitesimal diffeomorphism transformations, where the vector diff parameter is the 4-divergence of a scalar parameter. The resulting gauge symmetry…
We classify higher-order Maxwell-Einstein theories linear in the curvature tensor and quadratic in the derivatives of the electromagnetic field strength whose kinetic matrices are degenerate. This provides a generalisation of quadratic…
We introduce a new class of scalar-tensor theories that extend Horndeski, or "generalized galileon", models. Despite possessing equations of motion of higher order in derivatives, we show that the true propagating degrees of freedom obey…
We present an efficient method for finding the independent invariant tensors of a gauge theory. Our method uses a theorem relating invariant tensors and D-flat directions in field space. We apply our method to several examples-- SO(3) with…
A necessary condition for a generally covariant scalar-tensor theory to be ghostfree is that it contains no extra degrees of freedom in the unitary gauge, in which the Lagrangian corresponds to the spatially covariant gravity. Comparing…
The covariant description of massless particles of arbitrary spin typically employs symmetric tensors of rank $s$ and rests on a local symmetry carried by symmetric tensor parameters of rank $s-1$, suitably generalizing the $U(1)$…
Covariant (Lorentz invariant) fracton matter, minimally coupled and charged under a symmetric rank two gauge tensor, is considered. The gauge transformations correspond to linearized longitudinal diffeomorphisms. Consistent possible…
Cosmological perturbation theory relies on the decomposition of perturbations into so-called scalar, vector and tensor modes. This decomposition is non-local and depends on unknowable boundary conditions. The non-locality is particularly…
A general framework for effective theories propagating two tensor and one scalar degrees of freedom is investigated. Geometrically, it describes dynamical foliation of spacelike hypersurfaces coupled to a general background, in which the…
We study scalar field theories invariant under transverse diffeomorphisms in cosmological contexts. We show that in the geometric optics approximation, the corresponding particles move along geodesics and contribute with the same active…
We present a new class of nonsingular bounce cosmology free from instabilities, using a single scalar field coupled to gravity within the framework of the Degenerate Higher-Order Scalar-Tensor (DHOST) theories. In this type of scenarios,…
In a four-dimensional space I shall construct all of the conformally invariant, scalar-vector-tensor field theories that are consistent with conservation of charge, and flat space compatible. By the last assumption I mean that the…
We study the general class of gravitational field theories constructed on the basis of scale invariance (and therefore absence of any mass parameters) and invariance under transverse diffeomorphisms (TDiff), which are the 4-volume…
We construct the metric-affine analogue of the quadratic degenerate higher-order scalar-tensor (DHOST) theories. We begin with the metric-affine completion of the quadratic DHOST scalar-tensor action, which is linear in curvature and…