arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M. Fontanini.
In previous works, questioning the mathematical nature of the connection in the translations gauge theory formulation of Teleparallel Equivalent to General Relativity (TEGR) Theory led us to propose a new formulation using a Cartan connection. In this review, we summarize the presentation of that proposal and discuss it from a gauge theoretic perspective.
We present a consistent and complete description of the coupling to matter in the Teleparallel Equivalent to General Relativity (TEGR) theory built from a Cartan connection, as we proposed in previous works. A first theorem allows us to obtain parallel transport from the Cartan connection into a proper Ehresmann connection, while a second ensures to link the TEGR-Cartan connection to the Ehresmann one-form that contains the Levi-Civita connection. This yields a coupling to matter in agreement with observations and the Equivalence Principle. As the fundamental fields proceed from the Cartan connection, if one insists on interpreting TEGR as a gauge theory of translations, such translation gauge field can be extracted from the consistent theory presented. However, this would entail a fundamental change in the structures known for gauge theory and a split between gauge field and connection is imperative. The willingness to take such a step is left to the reader.
The Teleparallel Equivalent to General Relativity (TEGR) is often presented as a gauge theory of translations, i.e., that uses \emph{only} the translation group $T_4 = (\setR^4, +)$ as its gauge group. In a previous work we argued against this \emph{translation-only} formalism on the basis of its mathematical shortcomings. We then provided an alternative proposal using a Cartan connection. Recently, a reply by some of the authors defending TEGR as a \emph{translation-only} gauge theory discussed our objections. Here, we first clarify our arguments, and give new proofs of some statements, to answer to these discussions, maintaining our first claim. We then amend one of the argument that originally led us to propose the Cartan connection in this context. This broadens the \emph{a priori} possible choices for a TEGR connection.