Massive spin-2 particles in curved spaces

Author(s)

Hemily Gomes Marciano Fortes

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Guaratinguetá. 2018-04-19.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Engenharia. Guaratinguetá
• Defense date: 2018-03-23
• Advisor: Denis Dalmazi

Abstract

Massive spin-2 particles are usually described by the well-known Fierz-Pauli theory via a symmetric rank-2 tensor hµν = hνµ. Recently there has been an increase of interest in theories describing this kind of particle, especially because they can contribute to explain the accelerated expansion of the universe, since if the graviton has a small mass, the gravitational force would decrease at large distances, producing such accelerattion. In recent works other possibilities, besides the Fierz-Pauli model, which describe massive spin-2 particles starting from a non-symmetric rank-2 tensor eµν 6= eνµ have been found, the so-called L(a1) models. Since every particle has to interact with the gravitation, we have studied the coupling of the new models with a background gravitational field. Therefore, from the manipulation of the equations of motion, we seek for the necessary constraints in order to achieve the correct counting of degrees of freedom. We also have done a preliminary study of the massless version of the L(a1) models in the curved space from the analysis of the gauge symmetries of the theory. We also have identified the partially symmetric models present in L(a1). (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/25368-0 - Massive spin-2 particles in curved backgrounds
• Grantee: Hemily Gomes Marciano Fortes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate