Generalised Scale Invariant Theories

Abstract

We present the most general actions of a single scalar field and two scalar fields coupled to gravity, consistent with second order field equations in four dimensions, possessing local scale invariance. We apply two different methods to arrive at our results. One method, Ricci gauging, was known to the literature and we find this to produce the same result for the case of one scalar field as a more efficient method presented here. However, we also find our more efficient method to be much more general when we consider two scalar fields. Locally scale invariant actions are also presented for theories with more than two scalar fields coupled to gravity and we explain how one could construct the most general actions for any number of scalar fields. Our generalised scale invariant actions have obvious applications to early universe cosmology, and include, for example, the Bezrukov-Shaposhnikov action as a subset.

6 pages, Accepted for publication in Physical Review D, references added

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