Weyl conformal geometry is the natural underlying geometry of gauge theories of Weyl group (of dilatations and Poincaré symmetry), such as Weyl quadratic gravity and its generalisation, Weyl-Dirac-Born-Infeld action (WDBI). These are local, Weyl-anomaly free (quantum) gauge theories of gravity. We describe Weyl gauge symmetry from a more familiar Riemannian view of Weyl gauge invariant dressed fields by the Wilson line of dilatations. Weyl geometry can then be seen as Riemannian geometry of non-local dressed metric ($g_{μν}^*$), at the "cost" of (gauge-induced) non-commutativity in the UV, due to Wilson line. Then Weyl quadratic gravity and WDBI actions of Weyl geometry, which are Weyl gauge invariant in $d$ dimensions, have the same expression in Riemannian geometry defined by $g^*_{μν}$. This is a non-local map and dual description of the two geometries and actions in the symmetric phase. Unlike for the metric, the equation of motion of Weyl gauge field ($ω_μ$) does not commute with the dressing of the metric. Quantum non-locality, in particular entanglement, and non-commutativity are (gauge-invariant) physical artefacts of "translating" (local) Weyl geometry and Weyl gauge covariance into our real-world Riemannian geometry of Weyl gauge invariant observables, and they are evidence of Weyl gauge symmetry. At lower energies, $ω_μ$ becomes massive, can decouple and Einstein-Hilbert action and commutativity are recovered. The case of a light $ω_μ$ is also discussed.
The finite form of the $N=2$ super-Weyl transformations in the chiral and twisted-chiral irreducible formulations of the two-dimensional $N=2$ superfield supergravity are found in $N=2$ superspace. The super-Weyl anomaly of the $N=2$ extended fermionic string theory is computed in terms of the $N=2$ superfields, by using a short time expansion of the $N=2$ chiral heat kernel. The super-Weyl invariant $N=2$ superconformal structure is introduced, and a new definition of the $N=2$ super-Riemannian surfaces is proposed.
Weyl conformal geometry may play a role in early cosmology where effective theory at short distances becomes conformal. Weyl conformal geometry also has a built-in geometric Stueckelberg mechanism: it is broken spontaneously to Riemannian geometry after a Weyl gauge transformation (of "gauge fixing") while Stueckelberg mechanism re-arranges the degrees of freedom, conserving their number ($n_{df}$). The Weyl gauge field ($ω_μ$) of local scale transformations acquires a mass after absorbing a compensator (dilaton), decouples, and Weyl connection becomes Riemannian. Mass generation has thus a dy…
The conformal structure of second order in $m$-dimensions together with the so-called (normal) conformal Cartan connection, is considered as a framework for gauge theories. The dressing field scheme presented in a previous work amounts to a decoupling of both the inversion and the Lorentz symmetries such that the residual gauge symmetry is the Weyl symmetry. On the one hand, it provides straightforwardly the Riemannian parametrization of the normal conformal Cartan connection and its curvature. On the other hand, it also provides the finite transformation laws under the Weyl rescaling of the v…
A new method for the construction of conformally invariant equations in an arbitrary four dimensional (pseudo-) Riemannian space is presented. This method uses the Weyl geometry as a tool and exploits the natural conformal invariance we can build in the framework of this geometry. Indeed, working in a Weyl space, using the Weyl covariant derivative and the intrinsic Weylian geometrical tensors, all conformally homogeneous operators will be conformally invariant, as will the equations they determine. A Weyl space is defined by two independent objects: the metric tensor $g_{μν}$ and the Weyl vec…
We present the general theory of relativity in the language of a non-Riemannian geometry, namely, Weyl geometry. We show that the new mathematical formalism may lead to different pictures of the same gravitational phenomena, by making use of the concept of Weyl frames. We show that, in this formalism, it is possible to construct a scalar-tensor gravitational theory that is invariant with respect to the so-called Weyl tranformations and reduces to general relativity in a particular frame, the Riemann frame. In this approach the Weyl geometry plays a fundamental role since it appears as the natu…
This paper presents three aspects by which the Weyl geometric generalization of Riemannian geometry, and of Einstein gravity, sheds light on actual questions of physics and its philosophical reflection. After introducing the theory's principles, it explains how Weyl geometric gravity relates to Jordan-Brans-Dicke theory. We then discuss the link between gravity and the electroweak sector of elementary particle physics, as it looks from the Weyl geometric perspective. Weyl's hypothesis of a preferred scale gauge, setting Weyl scalar curvature to a constant, gets new support from the interplay o…
We study the variational principle over an Hilbert-Einstein like action for an extended geometry taking into account torsion and non-metricity. By extending the semi-Riemannian geometry, we obtain an effective energy-momentum tensor which can be interpreted as physical sources. As an application we develop a new manner to obtain the gravitational wave equations on a Weyl-integrable manifold taking into account the non-metricity and non-trivial boundary conditions on the minimization of the action, which can be identified as possible sources for the cosmological constant and provides two differ…
The Weyl anomaly problem is treated within a purely geometrical context. Arguments are given that hint at a possible classical origin of the conformal anomaly in the Riemannian nature of the background geometry where the matter fields play out their dynamics. Some considerations allowing for a possible resolution of the Weyl anomaly problem are briefly outlined. Following the spirit of the standard model of the fundamental interactions, it is argued that the Weyl anomaly should be a consequence of the breaking of the gauge symmetry at some stage during the evolution of the universe.
On a (pseudo-) Riemannian manifold of dimension n > 2, the space of tensors which transform covariantly under Weyl rescalings of the metric is built. This construction is related to a Weyl-covariant operator D whose commutator [D,D] gives the conformally invariant Weyl tensor plus the Cotton tensor. So-called generalized connections and their transformation laws under diffeomorphisms and Weyl rescalings are also derived. These results are obtained by application of BRST techniques.
We revisit the issue that the Noether current associated with a local scale symmtery, or equivalently the Weyl symmetry, identically vanishes. Based on only the second Noether theorem for a local symmetry, we prove that the Noether current associated with the Weyl symmetry is in general vanishing in any Weyl invariant gravitational theories in four dimensional Riemannian geometry. We also clarify the reason: The Weyl transformation is non-dynamical in the sense that it does not contain the derivative term of the transformation parameter as opposed to the conventional gauge transformation. Fina…
We introduce an extension of the Standard Model and General Relativity built upon the principle of local conformal invariance, which represents a generalization of a previous work by Bars, Steinhardt and Turok. This is naturally realized by adopting as a geometric framework a particular class of non-Riemannian geometries, first studied by Weyl. The gravitational sector is enriched by a scalar and a vector field. The latter has a geometric origin and represents the novel feature of our approach. We argue that physical scales could emerge from a theory with no dimensionful parameters, as a resul…
We study a system of $n$ Abelian vector fields coupled to $\frac 12 n(n+1)$ complex scalars parametrising the Hermitian symmetric space $\mathsf{Sp}(2n, {\mathbb R})/ \mathsf{U}(n)$. This model is Weyl invariant and possesses the maximal non-compact duality group $\mathsf{Sp}(2n, {\mathbb R})$. Although both symmetries are anomalous in the quantum theory, they should be respected by the logarithmic divergent term (the ``induced action'') of the effective action obtained by integrating out the vector fields. We compute this induced action and demonstrate its Weyl and $\mathsf{Sp}(2n, {\mathbb R…
We derive a tensorial formula for a fourth-order conformally invariant differential operator on conformal 4-manifolds. This operator is applied to algebraic Weyl tensor densities of a certain conformal weight, and takes its values in algebraic Weyl tensor densities of another weight. For oriented manifolds, this operator reverses duality: For example in the Riemannian case, it takes self-dual to anti-self-dual tensors and vice versa. We also examine the place that this operator occupies in known results on the classification of conformally invariant operators, and we examine some related opera…
We consider the (gauged) Weyl gravity action, quadratic in the scalar curvature ($\tilde R$) and in the Weyl tensor ($\tilde C_{μνρσ}$) of the Weyl conformal geometry. In the absence of matter fields, this action has spontaneous breaking in which the Weyl gauge field $ω_μ$ becomes massive (mass $m_ω\sim$ Planck scale) after "eating" the dilaton in the $\tilde R^2$ term, in a Stueckelberg mechanism. As a result, one recovers the Einstein-Hilbert action with a positive cosmological constant and the Proca action for the massive Weyl gauge field $ω_μ$. Below $m_ω$ this field decouples and Weyl geo…
Spacetime with general linear vector distortion is introduced. Thus, the torsion and the nonmetricity of the affine connection are assumed to be proportional to a vector field (and not its derivatives). The resulting two-parameter family of non-Riemannian geometries generalises the conformal Weyl geometry and some other interesting special cases. Taking into account the leading order quadratic curvature correction to the Einstein-Hilbert action results uniquely in the one-parameter extension of the Starobinsky inflation known as the alpha-attractor. The most general quadratic curvature action …
We study inflation in Weyl gravity. The original Weyl quadratic gravity, based on Weyl conformal geometry, is a theory invariant under Weyl symmetry of (gauged) local scale transformations. In this theory Planck scale ($M$) emerges as the scale where this symmetry is broken spontaneously by a geometric Stueckelberg mechanism, to Einstein-Proca action for the Weyl "photon" (of mass near $M$). With this action as a "low energy" broken phase of Weyl gravity, century-old criticisms of the latter (due to non-metricity) are avoided. In this context, inflation with field values above $M$ is natural, …
We give a complete proof of the result stated in an earlier article, that the general Einstein metric with a symmetry, an anti-self-dual Weyl tensor and nonzero scalar curvature is determined by a solution of the $SU(\infty)$-Toda field equation. We consider the two canonical forms found for solutions to the same problem by Przanowski (J.Math.Phys. 32(1991) 1004-1010) and show that his Class A will reduce to the Toda equation with respect to a second complex structure, different from that in which the metric is first given.
Using a cohomological characterization of the consistent and the covariant Lorentz and gauge anomalies, derived from the complexification of the relevant algebras, we study in $d=2$ the definition of the Weyl determinant for a non-abelian theory with Riemannian background. We obtain two second order operators that produce, by means of $ζ$-function regularization, respectively the consistent and the covariant Lorentz and gauge anomalies, preserving diffeomorphism invariance. We compute exactly their functional determinants and the W-Z-W terms: the ``consistent'' determinant agrees with the non-…
