Bryan Kelleher 2004 Class. Quantum Grav. 21 483 doi:10.1088/0264-9381/21/2/012
Bryan Kelleher
Show affiliationsThe configuration space of general relativity is superspace—the space of all Riemannian 3-metrics modulo diffeomorphisms. However, it has been argued that the configuration space for gravity should be conformal superspace—the space of all Riemannian 3-metrics modulo diffeomorphisms and conformal transformations. Recently a manifestly three-dimensional theory was constructed with conformal superspace as the configuration space. Here a fully four-dimensional action is constructed so as to be invariant under conformal transformations of the 4-metric using general relativity as a guide. This action is then decomposed to a (3 + 1)-dimensional form and from this to its Jacobi form. The surprising thing is that the new theory turns out to be precisely the original three-dimensional theory. The physical data are identified and used to find the physical representation of the theory. In this representation the theory is extremely similar to general relativity. The clarity of the four-dimensional picture should prove very useful for comparing the theory with those aspects of general relativity which are usually treated in the four-dimensional framework.
04.20.Gz Spacetime topology, causal structure, spinor structure
02.40.Ky Riemannian geometries
04.20.Fy Canonical formalism, Lagrangians, and variational principles
83C05 Einstein's equations (general structure, canonical formalism, Cauchy problems)
57S05 Topological properties of groups of homeomorphisms or diffeomorphisms
Issue 2 (21 January 2004)
Received 21 July 2003, in final form 22 October 2003
Published 5 December 2003
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