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A new approach to spontaneously broken conformal symmetry

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Abstract

In this paper we present a new method for constructing theories of gravitation which exhibit spontaneously broken conformal symmetry. It does not require introducing nongeometric terms (i.e., auxiliary gauge fields or potential terms for the conformal field) into the Lagrangian. It is based on a theory which initially is locally both Lorentz invariant and Weyl gauge invariant inD dimensions. It is shown that, if the field Lagrangian contains terms quadratic in curvature in addition to the Ricci scalar, then the field equations allow both the dilation field and some connection components to have nonvanishing vacuum values. Both Lorentz and Weyl symmetries are thereby broken simultaneously.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Natural Science and Mathematics, Northeastern State University, 74464, Tahlequah, Oklahoma

    Terry Bradfield

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  1. Terry Bradfield
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Bradfield, T. A new approach to spontaneously broken conformal symmetry. Gen Relat Gravit 21, 665–675 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00759076

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