Related papers: Six Dimensional Topological Gravity and the Cosmol…
We study four-dimensional gravity theories that are rendered renormalisable by the inclusion of curvature-squared terms to the usual Einstein action with cosmological constant. By choosing the parameters appropriately, the massive scalar…
Quantum theory, general relativity, the standard model of particle physics, and the $\Lambda$CDM model of cosmology have all been spectacularly successful within their respective regimes of applicability, but many central problems remain…
We study non-perturbative quantization of 3d gravity with positive cosmological constant (de Sitter space being the prototype vacuum solution, whose Euclideanization of course gives the three sphere) on the background topology of lens…
A finite and unitary nonlocal formulation of quantum gravity is applied to the cosmological constant problem. The entire functions in momentum space at the graviton-standard model particle loop vertices generate an exponential suppression…
We present a new class of near-horizon geometries which solve Einstein's vacuum equations, including a negative cosmological constant, in all even dimensions greater than four. Spatial sections of the horizon are inhomogeneous S^2-bundles…
A perfect fluid, spatially flat cosmology in a $f(T)$ model, derived from a recently proposed general Born-Infeld type theory of gravity is studied. Four dimensional cosmological solutions are obtained assuming the equation of state…
In this paper we extend some previous results for a new proposal for gravity and place them into overall context. The basic fields of this proposal provide an off-shell realization of symmetry with respect to SO(3,C) gauge transformations…
Witten has presented an argument for the vanishing of the cosmological constant in 2+1 dimensions. This argument is crucially tied to the specific properties of (2+1)-dimensional gravity. We argue that this reasoning can be deconstructed to…
The resolution of the problem of cosmological singularity in the framework of gauge theories of gravitation is discussed. Generalized cosmological Friedmann equations for homogeneous isotropic models filled by interacting scalar fields and…
A topological theory for euclidean gravity in eight dimensions is built by enforcing octonionic self-duality conditions on the spin connection. The eight-dimensional manifold must be of a special type, with G_2 or Spin(7) holonomy. The…
We analyze the constraints of general coordinate invariance for quantum theories possessing conformal symmetry in four dimensions. The character of these constraints simplifies enormously on the Einstein universe $R \times S^3$. The…
We review the various aspects of the 3D Einstein gravity theory with a negative cosmological constant and its boundary description. We also explore its connections to CFTs, modular symmetry, and holography. It is worth noting that this…
We construct new seven-dimensional gravity by adding two topological terms to the Einstein-Hilbert action. For certain choice of the coupling constants, these terms may be related to the R^4 correction to the 3-form field equation of…
It is well-known that General Relativity with positive cosmological constant can be formulated as a gauge theory with a broken SO(1,4) symmetry. This symmetry is broken by the presence of an internal space-like vector $V^A$, $A=0,...,4$,…
We introduce a notion of topological M-theory and argue that it provides a unification of form theories of gravity in various dimensions. Its classical solutions involve G_2 holonomy metrics on 7-manifolds, obtained from a topological…
In this thesis we analyze a very simple model of two dimensional quantum gravity based on causal dynamical triangulations (CDT). We present an exactly solvable model which indicates that it is possible to incorporate spatial topology…
We present metric solutions in six and higher dimensions with a bulk cosmological constant, where gravity is localized on a 3-brane. The corrections to four-dimensional gravity from the bulk continuum modes are power-law suppressed.…
The torsion is shown to be vitally important in the explanation of the evolution of the universe in a large class of gravitational theories containing quadratic terms of curvature and torsion. The cosmological solutions with homogeneous and…
Gravitation is described in the context of a dilatonic theory that is conformally related to general relativity. All dimensionless ratios of fundamental dimensional quantities, e.g. particle masses and the Planck mass, as well as the…
We show the existence of global gauge anomalies in six dimensions for gauge groups SU(2),SU(3) and G_2 coupled to matter, characterized by an element of Z_{12},Z_6 and Z_3 respectively. Consideration of this anomaly rules out some of the…