Six Dimensional Topological Gravity and the Cosmological Constant Problem

Abstract

We formulate a topological theory in six dimensions with gauge group SO(3,3) which reduces to gravity on a four dimensional defect if suitable boundary conditions are chosen. In such a framework we implement the reflection automorphism of SO(3,3) as a $\mathbb{Z}2$ symmetry which forbids the appearance of a gravitational cosmological constant. Some temptative speculations are presented also for the possible inclusion of the matter contribution at a full quantum level.

11 pages, Latex, one figure; one reference added; final version to appear in PLB

References in corpus (1)

• A Large Mass Hierarchy from a Small Extra Dimension

Cited by in corpus (9)

• Invariance under complex transformations, and its relevance to the cosmological constant problem
• The Universe as a topological defect
• Signature reversal invariance
• A symmetry for vanishing cosmological constant: Another realization
• A way to get rid of cosmological constant and zero point energy problems of quantum fields through metric reversal symmetry
• A symmetry for vanishing cosmological constant
• Symmetries and observables in topological gravity
• Analytical Solution for Bosonic Fields in the FRW Multiply Warped Braneworld
• Topological Gravity on $(D,N)-$Shift Superspace Formulation