Weyl-Invariant Higher Curvature Gravity Theories in n Dimensions

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 [(A)dS] and flat vacua. Weyl symmetry is spontaneously broken in (A)dS 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. Symmetry breaking scale fixes all the dimensionful parameters in the theory.

14 pages, references added, To appear in Phys. Rev. D

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Cited by in corpus (10)

• Plebanski-Demianski solutions in Quadratic gravity with conformally coupled scalar fields
• Born-Infeld Gravity with a Massless Graviton in Four Dimensions
• Weyl-gauging of Topologically Massive Gravity
• Proca theory of four-dimensional regularized Gauss-Bonnet gravity and black holes with primary hair
• Modified gravity from Weyl connection and the $f(R,\mathcal{A})$ extension
• Weyl-invariant Higher Curvature Gravity Theories in n Dimensions and Mass Generation by Symmetry Breaking
• Cosmological Weyl-Einsteinian-Cubic Gravity as a Gauge Theory of Gravity
• AdS${}_3$ black holes with primary Proca hair from a regularized Gauss-Bonnet coupling
• Regular AdS${}_3$ black holes from regularized Gauss-Bonnet coupling
• Topologically Massive Gravity: Anyon Scattering, Weyl-Gauging and Causality