Weyl-invariant higher curvature gravity theories in n dimensions

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Tanhayi M. R., Dengiz S., TEKİN B.

PHYSICAL REVIEW D, vol.85, no.6, 2012 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 85 Issue: 6
  • Publication Date: 2012
  • Doi Number: 10.1103/physrevd.85.064016
  • Journal Name: PHYSICAL REVIEW D
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

We study the particle spectrum and the unitarity of the generic n-dimensional Weyl-invariant quadratic curvature gravity theories around their (anti-)de Sitter and flat vacua. Weyl symmetry is spontaneously broken in (anti-)de Sitter and radiatively broken at the loop level in flat space. Save the three-dimensional theory (which is the Weyl-invariant extension of the new massive gravity), the graviton remains massless and the unitarity requires that the only viable Weyl-invariant quadratic theory is the Weyl-invariant extension of the Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory. The Weyl gauge field, on the other hand, becomes massive. The symmetry breaking scale fixes all the dimensionful parameters in the theory.