Goldstone gravity from spontaneous Lorentz violation

Event type
Event date
Venue
GAP room
Speaker
Robertus Potting (U. Algarve)

Abstract: In general relativity, masslessness of gravitons can be traced to symmetry under diffeomorphisms. However, another elegant possibility exists: masslessness can instead arise from spontaneous violation of local Lorentz invariance. We construct the corresponding theory of gravity. It reproduces the Einstein-Hilbert action of general relativity at low energies and temperatures. We discuss its merits and implications.