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On Gauge Invariant Theories of Gravitation
Author(s) -
Bleyer U.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
annalen der physik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.009
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1521-3889
pISSN - 0003-3804
DOI - 10.1002/andp.19824940602
Subject(s) - physics , introduction to gauge theory , mathematical physics , general covariance , gauge theory , gravitation , classical field theory , scalar theories of gravitation , superpotential , theoretical physics , gauge symmetry , invariant (physics) , parameterized post newtonian formalism , classical mechanics , supersymmetry
Theories of gravitation are called gauge invariant if the invariance of the gravitational field lagrangian with respect to gauge transformations of the gravitational field variables is independend of the invariance of this lagrangian with respect to the Einstein group of general coordinate transformations. They are bimetric theories because the coordinate covariance is ensured by constructing scalar densities relative to a globally flat background metric. Such a theory is represented by the PAUL‐FIERZ equations for massless spin 2 particles. But this theory is inconsistent if nongravitational matter is enclosed as a source. All attempts to overcome this inconsistancy preserving gauge invariance lead to Einstein's GRT. We review this problem and compare the situation with a theory proposed by LOGUNOV showing that he overcomes the inconsistency of linear Einstein's equations by replacing the field variables by a gauge invariant combination of new ones, which turns out to be the first order form of v. FREUD'S superpotential.