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Non-Pauli-Fierz massive gravitons.
Gia Dvali1, Oriol Pujolàs, Michele Redi
1CERN, Theory Division, Geneva 23, Switzerland.
Physical Review Letters
|November 13, 2008
Summary
We found consistent theories of massive gravitons that deviate from standard models. These theories avoid problematic scalar ghosts, crucial for higher-dimensional models like Dvali-Gabadadze-Porrati.
Area of Science:
- Theoretical physics
- Gravitational physics
- Particle physics
Background:
- Lorentz invariant theories of massive gravitons are standardly assumed to follow Pauli-Fierz structure.
- Deviations from this structure are often associated with problematic theoretical artifacts like scalar ghosts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the existence and consistency of Lorentz invariant theories of massive gravitons where the mass term violates the standard Pauli-Fierz structure.
- To determine if such theories can avoid the presence of scalar ghosts.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of general Lorentz invariant theories of massive gravitons.
- Examination of the conditions under which graviton mass terms deviate from Pauli-Fierz structure.
- Investigation of resonance scenarios for massive gravitons.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated the existence of consistent theories of massive gravitons where the mass term violates Pauli-Fierz structure.
- Showed that for theories with gravitons as resonances, deviations from Pauli-Fierz structure do not necessarily lead to scalar ghosts if these deviations are small at high energies.
- Identified these non-standard mass terms as requirements for consistent higher-dimensional realizations of the Dvali-Gabadadze-Porrati model.
Conclusions:
- The standard lore regarding graviton mass terms is not universally applicable.
- Consistent theories of massive gravitons with non-Pauli-Fierz mass terms are possible and have implications for specific cosmological models.
- These findings open new avenues for exploring massive gravity theories and their phenomenological consequences.
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