Generalized Chern-Pontryagin models

Abstract

We formulate a new class of modified gravity models, that is, generalized four-dimensional Chern-Pontryagin models, whose action is characterized by an arbitrary function of the Ricci scalar $R$ and the Chern-Pontryagin topological term ${}^{\ast }RR$, i.e., $f(R,{}^{\ast }RR)$. Within this framework, we derive the gravitational field equations and solve them for a particular model, $f(R,{}^{\ast }RR)=R+{\hat{I}}^2({}^{\ast }RR{)}^2$, considering two ansatzes: the slowly rotating metric and first-order perturbations of Gödel-type metrics. For the former, we find a first-order correction to the frame-dragging effect boosted by the parameter $L$, which characterizes the departures from general relativity results. For the latter, Gödel-type metrics hold unperturbed. We conclude this paper by displaying that generalized four-dimensional Chern-Pontryagin models admit a scalar-tensor representation, whose explicit form presents two scalar fields: $\hat{I}¦$, a dynamical degree of freedom, while the second, $\vartheta$, a non-dynamical degree of freedom. In particular, the scalar field $\vartheta$ emerges coupled with the Chern-Pontryagin topological term ${}^{\ast }RR$, i.e., $\vartheta {}^{\ast }RR$, which is nothing more than Chern-Simons term.

23 pages, version accepted to EPJ C