Consistent Gravitationally-Coupled Spin-2 Field Theory

Abstract

Inspired by the translational gauge structure of teleparallel gravity, the theory for a fundamental massless spin-2 field is constructed. Accordingly, instead of being represented by a symmetric second-rank tensor, the fundamental spin-2 field is assumed to be represented by a spacetime (world) vector field assuming values in the Lie algebra of the translation group. The flat-space theory naturally emerges in the Fierz formalism and is found to be equivalent to the usual metric-based theory. However, the gravitationally coupled theory, with gravitation itself described by teleparallel gravity, is shown not to present the consistency problems of the spin-2 theory constructed on the basis of general relativity.

16 pages, no figures. V2: Presentation changes, including addition of a new sub-section, aiming at clarifying the text; version accepted for publication in Class. Quantum Grav.

References in corpus (3)

• A note on spin two fields in curved backgrounds
• Higher spin $m\ne 0$ excitations on curved backgrounds and cosmological supergravity
• Hodge Dual for Soldered Bundles

Cited by in corpus (8)

• f(T) Gravity and local Lorentz invariance
• Teleparallel Equivalent of Lovelock Gravity
• Teleparallelism: A New Insight Into Gravity
• Teleparallel Equivalent of Lovelock Gravity, Generalizations and Cosmological Applications
• On the spacetime connecting two aeons in conformal cyclic cosmology
• Three-Dimensional Hairy Black Holes in Teleparallel Gravity
• Conformal and gauge invariant spin-2 field equations
• Spin-2 fields and helicity