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Josep M. Pons

Publications and source records attributed to Josep M. Pons.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Observers with constant proper acceleration, constant proper jerk, and beyond

We discuss in Minkowski spacetime the differences between the concepts of constant proper $n$-acceleration and of vanishing $(n+1)$-acceleration. By $n$-acceleration we essentially mean the higher order time derivatives of the position vector of the trajectory of a point particle, adapted to Minkowski spacetime or eventually to curved spacetime. The $2$-acceleration is known as the Jerk, the $3$-acceleration as the Snap, etc. As for the concept of {\sl proper} $n$-acceleration we give a specific definition involving the instantaneous comoving frame of the observer and we discuss, in such framework, the difficulties in finding a characterization of this notion as a Lorentz invariant statement. We show how the Frenet-Serret formalism helps to address the problem. In particular we find that our definition of an observer with constant proper acceleration corresponds to the vanishing of the third curvature invariant $κ_3$ (thus the motion is three dimensional in Minkowski spacetime) together with the constancy of the first and second curvature invariants and the restriction $κ_2 < κ_1$, the particular case $κ_2=0$ being the one commonly referred to in the literature. We generalize these concepts to curved spacetime, in which the notion of trajectory in a plane is replaced by the vanishing of the second curvature invariant $κ_2$. Under this condition, the concept of constant proper $n$-acceleration coincides with that of the vanising of the $(n+1)$-acceleration and is characterized by the fact that the first curvature invariant $κ_1$ is a $(n-1)$-degree polynomial of proper time. We illustrate some of our results with examples in Minkowski, de Sitter and Schwarzschild spacetimes.

gr-qc

Noether symmetries for fields and branes in backgrounds with Killing vectors

We show that Belinfante construction of an improved energy-momentum tensor can be carried over to curved backgrounds, in analogy to the case of flat spacetime. The results hold irrespective of the background being dynamical or a fixed, non-backreacting one. It turns out that the analogous would-be canonical energy-momentum tensor is not covariantly conserved in general, but its Belinfante "improvement" is. We relate this last tensor with the Hilbert tensor obtained by functionally derivating the Lagrangian with respect to the metric. When the background in non-dynamical, we discuss some issues concerning the Noether conserved currents associated with its Killing symmetries and the role played by the Belinfante tensor. Next we study extended objects ($p$-branes) either in a dynamic or in a fixed background, and obtain the Noether identities associated both with target spacetime and world volume diffeomorphisms. We show that in field theory as well as with extended objects, the Killing symmetries of the background become ordinary rigid Noether symmetries of the theory in this fixed background. With the example of Maxwell theory in Minkowski spacetime we show in an appendix the role of the Belinfante tensor in the construction of these symmetries.

gr-qc

Generalized Gödel universes in higher dimensions and pure Lovelock gravity

Gödel universe is a homogeneous rotating dust with negative $Λ$ which is a direct product of three dimensional pure rotation metric with a line. We would generalize it to higher dimensions for Einstein and pure Lovelock gravity with only one $N$th order term. For higher dimensional generalization, we have to include more rotations in the metric, and hence we shall begin with the corresponding pure rotation odd $(d=2n+1)$-dimensional metric involving $n$ rotations, which eventually can be extended by a direct product with a line or a space of constant curvature for yielding higher dimensional Gödel universe. The considerations of $n$ rotations and also of constant curvature spaces is a new line of generalization and is being considered for the first time.

gr-qc

Static pure Lovelock black hole solutions with horizon topology ${\bf S^{(n)} \times S^{(n)}}$

It is well known that vacuum equation of arbitrary Lovelock order for static spacetime ultimately reduces to a single algebraic equation, we show that the same continues to hold true for pure Lovelock gravity of arbitrary order $N$ for topology ${\bf S^{(n)} \times S^{(n)}}$. We thus obtain pure Lovelock static black hole solutions with two-sphere topology for any order $N$, and in particular we study in full detail the third and fourth order Lovelock black holes. It is remarkable that thermodynamical stability of black hole discerns between odd and even $N$, and consequently between negative and positive $Λ$ and it favours the former while rejecting the latter.

gr-qc

On static black holes solutions in Einstein and Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity with topology ${\bf SO(n) \times SO(n)}$

We study static black hole solutions in Einstein and Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity with product two-spheres topology, ${\bf SO(n) \times SO(n)}$, in higher dimensions. There is an unusual new feature of Gauss-Bonnet black hole that the avoidance of non-central naked singularity prescribes a mass range for black hole in terms of $Λ>0$. For Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet black hole a limited window of negative values for $Λ$ is also permitted. This topology encompasses black string and brane as well as a generalized Nariai metric. We also give new solutions with product two-spheres of constant curvatures.

gr-qc

Probing pure Lovelock gravity by Nariai and Bertotti-Robinson solutions

The product spacetimes of constant curvature describe in Einstein gravity, which is linear in Riemann curvature, Nariai metric which is a solution of $Λ$-vacuum when curvatures are equal, $k_1=k_2$, while it is Bertotti-Robinson metric describing uniform electric field when curvatures are equal and opposite, $k_1=-k_2$. We probe pure Lovelock gravity by these simple product spacetimes and prove that the same characterization of these solutions is indeed true in general for pure Lovelock gravitational equation of order $N$ in $d=2N+2$ dimension. We also consider these solutions for the conventional setting of Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity.

gr-qc

On the static Lovelock black holes

We consider static spherically symmetric Lovelock black holes and generalize the dimensionally continued black holes in such a way that they asymptotically for large r go over to the d-dimensional Schwarzschild black hole in dS/AdS spacetime. This means that the master algebraic polynomial is not degenerate but instead its derivative is degenerate. This family of solutions contains an interesting class of pure Lovelock black holes which are the Nth order Lovelock Λ-vacuum solu- tions having the remarkable property that their thermodynamical parameters have the universal character in terms of the event horizon radius. This is in fact a characterizing property of pure Lovelock theories. We also demonstrate the universality of the asymptotic Einstein limit for the Lovelock black holes in general.

gr-qc

Non-linear Realizations, Goldstone bosons of broken Lorentz rotations and effective actions for p-branes

We consider the non-linear realizations of the Poincare group for p-branes with local subgroup SO(1,p)*SO(D-(p+1)). The Nambu-Goto p-brane action is constructed using the Maurer Cartan forms of the unbroken translations. We perform a throughout phase space analysis of the action and show that it leads to the canonical action of a p-brane. We also construct some higher order derivative terms of the effective p-brane action using the MC forms of the broken Lorentz transformations.

hep-th

On the equivalence of the Einstein-Hilbert and the Einstein-Palatini formulations of general relativity for an arbitrary connection

In the framework of the Einstein-Palatini formalism, even though the projective transformation connecting the arbitrary connection with the Levi Civita connection has been floating in the literature for a long time and perhaps the result was implicitly known in the affine gravity community, yet as far as we know Julia and Silva were the first to realise its gauge character. We rederive this result by using the Rosenfeld-Dirac-Bergmann approach to constrained Hamiltonian systems and do a comprehensive self contained analysis establishing the equivalence of the Einstein-Palatini and the metric formulations without having to impose the gauge choice that the connection is symmetric. We also make contact with the the Einstein-Cartan theory when the matter Lagrangian has fermions.

gr-qc

Thermodynamical universality of the Lovelock black holes

The necessary and sufficient condition for the thermodynamical universality of the static spherically symmetric Lovelock black hole is that it is the pure Lovelock Λ-vacuum solution. By universality we mean the thermodynamical parameters: temperature and entropy always bear the same relationship to the horizon radius irrespective of the Lovelock order and the spacetime dimension. For instance, the entropy always goes in terms of the horizon radius as rh and r^2 respectively for h odd and even dimensions. This universality uniquely identifies the pure Lovelock black hole with Λ.

gr-qc

Remarks on the consistency of minimal deviations from General Relativity

We study the consequences of the modification of the phase space structure of General Relativity imposed by breaking the full diffeomorphism invariance but retaining the time foliation preserving diffeomorphisms. We examine the different sectors in phase space that satisfy the new structure of constraints. For some sectors we find an infinite tower of constraints. In spite of that, we also show that these sectors allow for solutions, among them some well known families of black hole and cosmologies which fulfill all the constraints. We raise some physical concerns on the consequences of an absolute Galilean time, on the thermodynamical pathologies of such models and on their unusual vacuum structure.

gr-qc

Substituting fields within the action: consistency issues and some applications

In field theory, as well as in mechanics, the substitution of some fields in terms of other fields at the level of the action raises an issue of consistency with respect to the equations of motion. We discuss this issue and give an expression which neatly displays the difference between doing the substitution at the level of the Lagrangian or at the level of the equations of motion. Both operations do not commute in general. A very relevant exception is the case of auxiliary variables, which are discussed in detail together with some of their relevant applications. We discuss the conditions for the preservation of symmetries - Noether as well as non-Noether - under the reduction of degrees of freedom provided by the mechanism of substitution. We also examine how the gauge fixing procedures fit in our framework and give simple examples on the issue of consistency in this case.

hep-th

Noether symmetries, energy-momentum tensors and conformal invariance in classical field theory

In the framework of classical field theory, we first review the Noether theory of symmetries, with simple rederivations of its essential results, with special emphasis given to the Noether identities for gauge theories. Will this baggage on board, we next discuss in detail, for Poincaré invariant theories in flat spacetime, the differences between the Belinfante energy-momentum tensor and a family of Hilbert energy-momentum tensors. All these tensors coincide on shell but they split their duties in the following sense: Belinfante's tensor is the one to use in order to obtain the generators of Poincaré symmetries and it is a basic ingredient of the generators of other eventual spacetime symmetries which may happen to exist. Instead, Hilbert tensors are the means to test whether a theory contains other spacetime symmetries beyond Poincaré. We discuss at length the case of scale and conformal symmetry, of which we give some examples. We show, for Poincaré invariant Lagrangians, that the realization of scale invariance selects a unique Hilbert tensor which allows for an easy test as to whether conformal invariance is also realized. Finally we make some basic remarks on metric generally covariant theories and classical field theory in a fixed curved bakground.

hep-th

Dimensional reduction, truncations, constraints and the issue of consistency

A brief overview of dimensional reductions for diffeomorphism invariant theories is given. The distinction between the physical idea of compactification and the mathematical problem of a consistent truncation is discussed, and the typical ingredients of the latter --reduction of spacetime dimensions and the introduction of constraints-- are examined. The consistency in the case of of group manifold reductions, when the structure constants satisfy the unimodularity condition, is shown in a clear way together with the associated reduction of the gauge group. The problem of consistent truncations on coset spaces is also discussed and we comment on examples of some remarkable consistent truncations that have been found in this context.

hep-th

Fluctuations around classical solutions for gauge theories in Lagrangian and Hamiltonian approach

We analyze the dynamics of gauge theories and constrained systems in general under small perturbations around a classical solution (background) in both Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms. We prove that a fluctuations theory, described by a quadratic Lagrangian, has the same constraint structure and number of physical degrees of freedom as the original non-perturbed theory, assuming the non-degenerate solution has been chosen. We show that the number of Noether gauge symmetries is the same in both theories, but that the gauge algebra in the fluctuations theory becomes Abelianized. We also show that the fluctuations theory inherits all functionally independent rigid symmetries from the original theory, and that these symmetries are generated by linear or quadratic generators according to whether the original symmetry is preserved by the background, or is broken by it. We illustrate these results with the examples.

hep-th

On Dirac's incomplete analysis of gauge transformations

Dirac's approach to gauge symmetries is discussed. We follow closely the steps that led him from his conjecture concerning the generators of gauge transformations {\it at a given time} --to be contrasted with the common view of gauge transformations as maps from solutions of the equations of motion into other solutions-- to his decision to artificially modify the dynamics, substituting the extended Hamiltonian (including all first-class constraints) for the total Hamiltonian (including only the primary first-class constraints). We show in detail that Dirac's analysis was incomplete and, in completing it, we prove that the fulfilment of Dirac's conjecture --in the "non-pathological" cases-- does not imply any need to modify the dynamics. We give a couple of simple but significant examples.

physics.hist-ph

Truncations driven by constraints: consistency and conditions for correct upliftings

We discuss the mechanism of truncations driven by the imposition of constraints. We show how the consistency of such truncations is controlled, and give general theorems that establish conditions for the correct uplifting of solutions. We show in some particular examples how one can get correct upliftings from 7d supergravities to 10d type IIB supergravity, even in cases when the truncation is not initially consistent by its own.

hep-th