Beyond generalized Proca theories

2016/05/31 by Lavinia Heisenberg, Ryotaro Kase, Shinji Tsujikawa · 1 citation
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Classical mechanics #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Exact solutions in general relativity #Geometry #Hamiltonian (control theory) #Isotropy #Mathematical physics #Mathematics #Mechanics #Perfect fluid #Physics #Quantum mechanics #Scalar (mathematics) #Scalar field #Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics #Tensor (intrinsic definition) #Tensor field #Theoretical physics #Vector field #astro-ph.CO #gr-qc #hep-th

paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2016.07.052

published as Phys.Lett. B760 (2016) 617-626 · 12 pages, journal version

openalex publication_date 2016/07/22 · arxiv created 2016/08/15 · arxiv updated 2016/08/16 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

We consider higher-order derivative interactions beyond second-order generalized Proca theories that propagate only the three desired polarizations of a massive vector field besides the two tensor polarizations from gravity. These new interactions follow the similar construction criteria to those arising in the extension of scalar-tensor Horndeski theories to Gleyzes-Langlois-Piazza-Vernizzi (GLPV) theories. On the isotropic cosmological background, we show the existence of a constraint with a vanishing Hamiltonian that removes the would-be Ostrogradski ghost. We study the behavior of linear perturbations on top of the isotropic cosmological background in the presence of a matter perfect fluid and find the same number of propagating degrees of freedom as in generalized Proca theories (two tensor polarizations, two transverse vector modes, and two scalar modes). Moreover, we obtain the conditions for the avoidance of ghosts and Laplacian instabilities of tensor, vector, and scalar perturbations. We observe key differences in the scalar sound speed, which is mixed with the matter sound speed outside the domain of generalized Proca theories.

Citations

• Counting the degrees of freedom of generalized Galileons
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• k-Inflation
• Covariant Galileon

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• Effective field theory of coupled dark energy and dark matter