We develop a non-relativistic twistor theory, in which Newton--Cartan structures of Newtonian gravity correspond to complex three-manifolds with a four-parameter family of rational curves with normal bundle ${\mathcal O}\oplus{\mathcal O}(2)$. We show that the Newton--Cartan space-times are unstable under the general Kodaira deformation of the twistor complex structure. The Newton--Cartan connections can nevertheless be reconstructed from Merkulov's generalisation of the Kodaira map augmented by a choice of a holomorphic line bundle over the twistor space trivial on twistor lines. The Coriolis force may be incorporated by holomorphic vector bundles, which in general are non--trivial on twistor lines. The resulting geometries agree with non--relativistic limits of anti-self-dual gravitational instantons.
We describe the induced geometry on several classes of Kodaira moduli spaces of rational curves in twistor spaces. By constructing connections and frames on the moduli spaces we build and review twistor theories pertaining to relativistic and non-relativistic geometries. Focussing on the cases of three- and five-dimensional moduli spaces we establish novel twistor theories of Newton-Cartan spacetimes. We generalise a canonical class of connections on Kodaira moduli spaces to encompass torsion and prove that in three dimensions deformations of the twistor space's holomorphic structure induce Ne…
We establish several relationships between the non-relativistic conformal symmetries of Newton-Cartan geometry and the Schrödinger equation. In particular we discuss the algebra $\mathfrak{sch}(d)$ of vector fields conformally-preserving a flat Newton-Cartan spacetime, and we prove that its curved generalisation generates the symmetry group of the covariant Schrödinger equation coupled to a Newtonian potential and generalised Coriolis force. We provide intrinsic Newton-Cartan definitions of Killing tensors and conformal Schrödinger-Killing tensors, and we discuss their respective links to cons…
This paper is devoted to the analysis of (m,n)-string in stringy Newton-Cartan background. We start with the Hamiltonian constraint for (m,n)-string in general background and perform limiting procedure on metric and NSNS and Ramond-Ramond two form background that leads to stringy Newton-Cartan gravity. We also analyze conditions that these background fields have to obey in order to define consistent world-sheet (m,n)-theory. We also discuss D1-brane with dynamical electric field in stringy Newton-Cartan gravity.
We study Kaluza-Klein reduction in Newton-Cartan gravity. In particular we show that dimensional reduction and the nonrelativistic limit commute. The resulting theory contains Galilean electromagnetism and a nonrelativistic scalar. It provides the first example of back-reacted couplings of scalar and vector matter to Newton-Cartan gravity. This back-reaction is interesting as it sources the spatial Ricci curvature, providing an example where nonrelativistic gravity is more than just a Newtonian potential.
Newtonian gravity was formulated as a geometrodynamic theory as far back in 1930s by Elie Cartan in what is named aptly as Newton Cartan space time. Though there are several approaches of realizing the algebraic structure of the Newton Cartan geometry from a contraction of the relativistic results, a dynamical (field theoretic) realization of it is lacking. In this paper we present such a realization from the localisation of the Galilean Symmetry of nonrelativistic matter field theories.
We review how the large $c$ expansion of General Relativity leads to an effective theory in the form of Twistless Torsional Newton-Cartan gravity. We show how this is a strong field expansion around the static sector of General Relativity and illustrate this through two examples.
We define a procedure that, starting from a relativistic theory of supergravity, leads to a consistent, non-relativistic version thereof. As a first application we use this limiting procedure to show how the Newton-Cartan formulation of non-relativistic gravity can be obtained from general relativity. Then we apply it in a supersymmetric case and derive a novel, non-relativistic, off-shell formulation of three-dimensional Newton-Cartan supergravity.
We derive a torsionfull version of three-dimensional N=2 Newton-Cartan supergravity using a non-relativistic notion of the superconformal tensor calculus. The "superconformal" theory that we start with is Schrödinger supergravity which we obtain by gauging the Schrödinger superalgebra. We present two non-relativistic N=2 matter multiplets that can be used as compensators in the superconformal calculus. They lead to two different off-shell formulations which, in analogy with the relativistic case, we call "old minimal" and "new minimal" Newton-Cartan supergravity. We find similarities but also …
We revisit the manifestly covariant large $c$ expansion of General Relativity, $c$ being the speed of light. Assuming the relativistic connection has no pole in $c^{-2}$, this expansion is known to reproduce Newton-Cartan gravity and a covariant version of Post-Newtonian corrections to it. We show that relaxing this assumption leads to the inclusion of twistless torsion in the effective non-relativistic theory. We argue that the resulting TTNC theory is an effective description of a non-relativistic regime of General Relativity that extends Newtonian physics by including strong gravitational t…
Nonrelativistic string theory is described by a sigma model with a relativistic worldsheet and a nonrelativistic target spacetime geometry, that is called string Newton-Cartan geometry. In this paper we obtain string Newton-Cartan geometry as a limit of the Riemannian geometry of General Relativity with a fluxless two-form field. We then apply the same limit to relativistic string theory in curved background fields and show that it leads to nonrelativistic string theory in a string Newton-Cartan geometry coupled to a Kalb-Ramond and dilaton field background. Finally, we use our limiting proced…
We derive the trace and diffeomorphism anomalies of the Schrödinger field minimally coupled to the Newton-Cartan background using Fujikawa's path integral approach. This approach in particular enables us to calculate the one-loop contributions due to all the fields of the Newton-Cartan structure. We determine the coefficients and demonstrate that gravitational anomalies for this theory always arise in odd dimensions. Due to the gauge field contribution of the background we find that in $2+1$ dimensions the trace anomaly contains terms which have a form similar to that of the $1+1$ and $3+1$ di…
We construct a supersymmetric extension of three-dimensional Newton-Cartan gravity by gauging a super-Bargmann algebra. In order to obtain a non-trivial supersymmetric extension of the Bargmann algebra one needs at least two supersymmetries leading to a N=2 super-Bargmann algebra. Due to the fact that there is a universal Newtonian time, only one of the two supersymmetries can be gauged. The other supersymmetry is realized as a fermionic Stueckelberg symmetry and only survives as a global supersymmetry. We explicitly show how, in the frame of a Galilean observer, the system reduces to a supers…
We formulate p-brane Newton-Cartan background through the limiting procedure from relativistic Dirac-Born-Infeld action and Wess-Zumino term. We also determine action for unstable D(p+1)-brane in p-brane Newton-Cartan Background and study its properties.
Using the recently advanced Galilean gauge theory (GGT) we give a comprehensive construction of torsional Newton Cartan geometry. The coupling of a Galilean symmetric model with background NC geometry following GGT is illustrated by a free nonrelativistic scalar field theory. The issue of spatial diffeomorphisn \cite{SW, BMM3} is focussed from a new angle. The expression of the torsionful connection is worked out which is in complete parallel with the relativistic theory. Also smooth transition of the connection to its well known torsionless expression is demonstrated. A complete (implicit) ex…
We construct a "stringy" version of Newton-Cartan gravity in which the concept of a Galilean observer plays a central role. We present both the geodesic equations of motion for a fundamental string and the bulk equations of motion in terms of a gravitational potential which is a symmetric tensor with respect to the longitudinal directions of the string. The extension to include a non-zero cosmological constant is given. We stress the symmetries and (partial) gaugings underlying our construction. Our results provide a convenient starting point to investigate applications of the AdS/CFT correspo…
We analyze non-relativistic string in Newton-Cartan background that was found recently in [arXiv:1705.03535 [hep-th]]. We find its Hamiltonian formulation and study structure of constraints. We also discuss a relation between string in Newton-Cartan Background and T-duality along null reduction.
We present a detailed analysis of the construction of $z=2$ and $z\neq2$ scale invariant Hořava-Lifshitz gravity. The construction procedure is based on the realization of Hořava-Lifshitz gravity as the dynamical Newton-Cartan geometry as well as a non-relativistic tensor calculus in the presence of the scale symmetry. An important consequence of this method is that it provides us the necessary mechanism to distinguish the local scale invariance from the local Schrödinger invariance. Based on this result we discuss the $z=2$ scale invariant Hořava-Lifshitz gravity and the symmetry enhancement …
We construct an action for four-dimensional extended string Newton-Cartan gravity which is an extension of the string Newton-Cartan gravity that underlies nonrelativistic string theory. The action can be obtained as a nonrelativistic limit of the Einstein-Hilbert action in General Relativity augmented with a term that contains an auxiliary two-form and one-form gauge field that both have zero flux on-shell. The four-dimensional extended string Newton-Cartan gravity is based on a central extension of the algebra that underlies string Newton-Cartan gravity. The construction is similar to the ear…
In this short note we analyse T-duality properties of non-relativistic String in Torsional Newton-Cartan Background. We also determine condition that ensures that non-relativistic string maps to non-relativistic string under T-duality.
In this short note we perform canonical analysis of Schrodinger field and non-relativistic electrodynamics coupled to Newton-Cartan gravity. We identify physical degrees of freedom and analyze constraints structure of these theories.
Recently it has been established that torsional Newton-Cartan (TNC) geometry is the appropriate geometrical framework to which non-relativistic field theories couple. We show that when these geometries are made dynamical they give rise to Horava-Lifshitz (HL) gravity. Projectable HL gravity corresponds to dynamical Newton-Cartan (NC) geometry without torsion and non-projectable HL gravity corresponds to dynamical NC geometry with twistless torsion (hypersurface orthogonal foliation). We build a precise dictionary relating all fields (including the scalar khronon), their transformations and oth…
We construct non-relativistic string and p-brane actions in Newton-Cartan background using the limiting procedure from the relativistic string and p-brane action in general background. We also find their Hamiltonian formulations when however we restrict ourselves to the case of the vanishing gauge field.
This paper is devoted to the construction of the Hamiltonian for non-relativistic string in the Newton-Cartan background. We start with the Hamiltonian for relativistic string in general background. Then we perform limiting procedure on the metric that leads to Newton-Cartan background. We determine constraint structure for non-relativistic string and show that these constraints are the first class constraints. Then we determine corresponding Lagrangian and discuss its properties.
We provide a formal definition of p-brane Newton--Cartan (pNC) geometry and establish some foundational results. Our approach is the same followed in the literature for foundations of Newton--Cartan Gravity. Our results provide control of aspects of pNC geometry that are otherwise unclear when using the usual gauge language of non-relativistic theories of gravity. In particular, we obtain a set of necessary and sufficient conditions that a pNC structure must satisfy in order to admit torsion-free, compatible affine connections, and determine the space formed by the latter. Since pNC structures…
In this paper, based on a systematic formulation of Lax pairs, we show \textit{classical} integrability for nonrelativistic strings propagating over \textit{stringy} Newton-Cartan (NC) geometry. We further construct the corresponding \textit{monodromy} matrix which leads to an infinite tower of \textit{non-local} conserved charges over stringy NC background.
We compute the leading part of the trace anomaly for a free non-relativistic scalar in 2+1 dimensions coupled to a background Newton-Cartan metric. The anomaly is proportional to 1/m, where m is the mass of the scalar. We comment on the implications of a conjectured a-theorem for non-relativistic theories with boost invariance.
The non-relativistic covariant framework for fields is extended to investigate fields and fluids on scale covariant curved backgrounds. The scale covariant Newton-Cartan background is constructed using the localization of spacetime symmetries of non-relativistic fields in flat space. Following this, we provide a Weyl covariant formalism which can be used to study scale invariant fluids. By considering ideal fluids as an example, we describe its thermodynamic and hydrodynamic properties and explicitly demonstrate that it satisfies the local second law of thermodynamics. As a further application…
We derive the covariant Poisson's equation of (d+1)-dimensional Newton-Cartan gravity with (twistless) torsion by applying the `non-relativistic conformal method' introduced in arXiv:1512.06277. We apply this method on-shell to a Schrödinger field theory on the curved Newton-Hooke background. The covariance of the field equation in the presence of the non-relativistic cosmological constant, entails fixing all coefficients in the covariant Poisson's equation for (twistless) torsional Newton-Cartan gravity. We further derive Ehlers conditions and an equation associated to the torsion in this met…
This paper is devoted to the construction of unstable D-brane action in torsional Newton-Cartan background through T-duality along null direction. We determine corresponding equations of motion and analyze their solution that corresponds to lower dimensional non-relativistic D(p-1)-brane. We also find Hamiltonian for unstable Dp-brane and study tachyon vacuum solutions that can be interpreted as gas of non-relativistic strings.
We review the history of Newton-Cartan gravity with an emphasis on recent developments, including the covariant, off-shell large speed of light expansion of general relativity. Depending on the matter content, this expansion either leads to Newton-Cartan geometry with absolute time or to Newton-Cartan geometry with non-relativistic gravitational time dilation effects. The latter shows that non-relativistic gravity includes a strong field regime and goes beyond Newtonian gravity. We start by reviewing early developments in Newton-Cartan geometry, including the covariant description of Newtonian…
We show that by gauging the Schrödinger algebra with critical exponent $z$ and imposing suitable curvature constraints, that make diffeomorphisms equivalent to time and space translations, one obtains a geometric structure known as (twistless) torsional Newton-Cartan geometry (TTNC). This is a version of torsional Newton-Cartan geometry (TNC) in which the timelike vielbein $τ_μ$ must be hypersurface orthogonal. For $z=2$ this version of TTNC geometry is very closely related to the one appearing in holographic duals of $z=2$ Lifshitz space-times based on Einstein gravity coupled to massive vect…
We compare the gauging of the Bargmann algebra, for the case of arbitrary torsion, with the result that one obtains from a null-reduction of General Relativity. Whereas the two procedures lead to the same result for Newton-Cartan geometry with arbitrary torsion, the null-reduction of the Einstein equations necessarily leads to Newton-Cartan gravity with zero torsion. We show, for three space-time dimensions, how Newton-Cartan gravity with arbitrary torsion can be obtained by starting from a Schroedinger field theory with dynamical exponent z=2 for a complex compensating scalar and next couplin…
We construct the action of a non-relativistic spinning particle moving in a general torsionless Newton-Cartan background. The particle does not follow the geodesic equations, instead the motion is governed by the non-relativistic analog of Papapetrou equation. The spinning particle is described in terms of Grassmann variables. In the flat case the action is invariant under the non-relativistic analog of space-time vector supersymmetry.
We focus on the dynamical aspects of Newton-Hooke space-time ${\cal NH}_+$ mainly from the viewpoint of geometric contraction of the de Sitter spacetime. We first discuss the Newton-Hooke classical mechanics, especially the continuous medium mechanics, in this framework. Then, we establish a consistent theory of gravity on the Newton-Hooke space-time as a kind of Newton-Cartan-like theory, parallel to the Newton's gravity in the Galilei space-time. Finally, we give the Newton-Hooke invariant Schrödinger equation from the geometric contraction, where we can relate the conservative probability i…
We explore \emph{folded} spinning string configurations over torsional Newton Cartan (TNC) geometry with $ R\times S^2 $ topology within the semiclassical approximation. We consider the large $ c $ and/or nonrelativistic (NR) limit associated with the world-sheet d.o.f. and compute the one loop stringy corrections to the energy spectrum in the dual Spin Matrix Theory (SMT) theory in the limit of strong ($ \mathtt{g}\gg 1 $) coupling.
It is now well-known that Newton-Cartan theory is the correct geometrical setting for modelling the quantum Hall effect. In addition, in recent years edge modes for the Newton-Cartan quantum Hall effect have been derived. However, the existence of these edge modes has, as of yet, been derived using only orthodox methodologies involving the breaking of gauge-invariance; it would be preferable to derive the existence of such edge modes in a gauge-invariant manner. In this article, we employ recent work by Donnelly and Freidel in order to accomplish exactly this task. Our results agree with known…
We classify the trace anomaly for parity-invariant non-relativistic Schrödinger theories in 2+1 dimensions coupled to background Newton-Cartan gravity. The general anomaly structure looks very different from the one in the z=2 Lifshitz theories. The type A content of the anomaly is remarkably identical to that of the relativistic 3+1 dimensional case, suggesting the conjecture that an a-theorem should exist also in the Newton-Cartan context. Erratum: due to an overcounting of the number of linearly-independent terms in the basis, the type A anomaly disappears if Frobenius condition is imposed.…
This article provides us with a unifying classification of the conformal infinitesimal symmetries of non-relativistic Newton-Cartan spacetime. The Lie algebras of non-relativistic conformal transformations are introduced via the Galilei structure. They form a family of infinite-dimensional Lie algebras labeled by a rational "dynamical exponent", $z$. The Schrödinger-Virasoro algebra of Henkel et al. corresponds to $z=2$. Viewed as projective Newton-Cartan symmetries, they yield, for timelike geodesics, the usual Schrödinger Lie algebra, for which z=2. For lightlike geodesics, they yield, in tu…
We give a covariant construction of Lagrangians for spinor fields in generic Newton-Cartan backgrounds. A non-relativistic Dirac/Levy-Leblond operator and the associated fields are obtained from relativistic analogues by a limiting procedure. The relativistic symmetries induce the complete set of non-relativistic symmetries, including Milne boosts and local Galilean transformations. The resulting Levy-Leblond operator includes non-minimal couplings to the Newton-Cartan structure as well as to the gauge field, and with these couplings it transforms covariantly. Phenomenologically, this fixes th…
We construct a (locally) supersymmetric worldsheet action for a string in a non-relativistic Newton-Cartan background. We do this using a doubled string action, which describes the target space geometry in an $O(D,D)$ covariant manner using a doubled metric and doubled vielbeins. By adopting different parametrisations of these doubled background fields, we can describe both relativistic and non-relativistic geometries. We focus on the torsional Newton-Cartan geometry which can be obtained by null duality/reduction (such null duality is particularly simple for us to implement). The doubled acti…
We explore analytic integrability criteria for $ D1 $ branes probing 4D relativistic background with a null isometry direction. We use both the Kovacic's algorithm of classical (non)integrability as well as the standard formulation of Lax connections to show the analytic integrability of the associated dynamical configuration. We further use the notion of double null reduction and obtain the world-volume action corresponding to a torsional Newton-Cartan (TNC) $ D0 $ brane probing a 3D torsional Newton-Cartan geometry. Moreover, following Kovacic's method, we show the classical integrability of…
Weyl consistency conditions are a powerful tool to study the irreversibility properties of the renormalization group. We apply this formalism to non-relativistic theories in 2 spatial dimensions with boost invariance and dynamical exponent z=2. Different possibilities are explored, depending on the structure of the gravitational background used as a source for the energy-momentum tensor.
We apply the Noether procedure for gauging space-time symmetries to theories with Galilean symmetries, analyzing both massless and massive (Bargmann) realizations. It is shown that at the linearized level the Noether procedure gives rise to (linearized) torsional Newton-Cartan geometry. In the case of Bargmann theories the Newton-Cartan form $M_μ$ couples to the conserved mass current. We show that even in the case of theories with massless Galilean symmetries it is necessary to introduce the form $M_μ$ and that it couples to a topological current. Further, we show that the Noether procedure n…
In this paper, we perform a systematic analysis of tachyon condensation over string Newton-Cartan (NC) geometry by probing the background with non BPS $ Dp $ brane. We construct the \textit{finite} tachyon effective action for NC geometry and explore the dynamics associated with the tachyon kink on the world-volume of the non BPS $ Dp $ brane. We show that under certain specific assumptions, the spatial dependent tachyon condensation leads to an emerging BPS $ D(p-1) $ brane dynamics over NC background. We further compute the strees energy tensor and show the equivalence between two different …
We define a `non-relativistic conformal method', based on a Schrödinger algebra with critical exponent z = 2, as the non-relativistic version of the relativistic conformal method. An important ingredient of this method is the occurrence of a complex compensating scalar field that transforms under both scale and central charge transformations. We apply this non-relativistic method to derive the curved space Newton-Cartan gravity equations of motion with twistless torsion. Moreover, we reproduce z = 2 Hořava-Lifshitz gravity by classifying all possible Schrödinger invariant scalar field theories…
We show nonrelativistic (NR) giant magnon dispersion relations by probing the torsional Newton Cartan (TNC) geometry with (semi)classical nonrelativistic rigidly rotating strings. We construct NR sigma models over $ R \times S^2 $ and consider two specific limiting cases those are of particular interest. Both of these limiting conditions give rise to what we identify as the \emph{small} momentum limit of the giant magnon dispersion relation in the dual SMT at \emph{strong} coupling. We further generalize our results in the presence of background NS-NS fluxes. Our analysis reveals that unlike i…
We discuss the generalized Newton-Cartan geometries that can serve as gravitational background fields for particles and strings. In order to enable us to define affine connections that are invariant under all the symmetries of the structure group, we describe torsionful geometries with independent torsion tensors. A characteristic feature of the non-Lorentzian geometries we consider is that some of the torsion tensors are so-called `intrinsic torsion' tensors that cannot be absorbed in any of the spin connections. Setting some components of these intrinsic torsion tensors to zero leads to cons…
We obtain the Lifshitz UV completion in a specific model for z=2 Lifshitz geometries. We use a vielbein formalism which enables identification of all the sources as leading components of well-chosen bulk fields. We show that the geometry induced from the bulk onto the boundary is a novel extension of Newton-Cartan geometry with a specific torsion tensor. We explicitly compute all the vevs including the boundary stress-energy tensor and their Ward identities. After using local symmetries/Ward identities the system exhibits 6+6 sources and vevs. The FG expansion exhibits, however, an additional …
The "metric" structure of nonrelativistic spacetimes consists of a one-form (the absolute clock) whose kernel is endowed with a positive-definite metric. Contrarily to the relativistic case, the metric structure and the torsion do not determine a unique Galilean (i.e. compatible) connection. This subtlety is intimately related to the fact that the timelike part of the torsion is proportional to the exterior derivative of the absolute clock. When the latter is not closed, torsionfreeness and metric-compatibility are thus mutually exclusive. We will explore generalisations of Galilean connection…
We derive the Schrödinger-Newton equation as the non-relativistic limit of the Einstein-Dirac equations. Our analysis relaxes the assumption of spherical symmetry, made in earlier work in the literature, while deriving this limit. Since the spin of the Dirac field couples naturally to torsion, we generalize our analysis to the Einstein Cartan-Dirac (ECD) equations, again recovering the Schrödinger-Newton equation.
We present a theory of Galilean-invariant conventional and chiral $p_x \pm ip_y$ fermionic superfluids at zero temperature in two spatial dimensions in terms of a dual gauge theory. Our formulation is general coordinate invariant. The parity-violating effects are encoded in the Wen-Zee term that gives rise to the Hall viscosity and edge current. We show that the relativistic superfluid with the Euler current reduces to the chiral superfluid in the limit $c\to\infty$. Using Newton-Cartan geometry we construct the covariant formulation of the effective theory and calculate the energy current.
Recently, a non-relativistic off-shell formulation of three dimensional Newton-Cartan supergravity was proposed as the $c \rightarrow \infty$ limit of three dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ supergravity in arXiv:1505.02095. In the present paper we study supersymmetric backgrounds within this theory. Using integrability constraints for the non-relativistic Killing spinor equations, we explicitly construct all maximally supersymmetric solutions, which admit four supercharges. In addition to these solutions, there are $\frac{1}{2}$-BPS solutions with reduced supersymmetry. We give explicit examples of…
