Higher derivative theories with constraints: Exorcising Ostrogradski's ghost

Tai Jun Chen; Matteo Fasiello; Eugene A. Lim; Andrew J. Tolley

doi:10.1088/1475-7516/2013/02/042

Higher derivative theories with constraints: Exorcising Ostrogradski's ghost

Tai Jun Chen^*, Matteo Fasiello, Eugene A. Lim, Andrew J. Tolley

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

119 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We prove that the linear instability in a non-degenerate higher derivative theory, the Ostrogradski instability, can only be removed by the addition of constraints if the original theory's phase space is reduced.

Original language	English
Article number	042
Journal	Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Volume	2013
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2013/02/042
Publication status	Published - Feb 2013
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

gravity
modified gravity
quantum field theory on curved space

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10.1088/1475-7516/2013/02/042

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title = "Higher derivative theories with constraints: Exorcising Ostrogradski's ghost",

abstract = "We prove that the linear instability in a non-degenerate higher derivative theory, the Ostrogradski instability, can only be removed by the addition of constraints if the original theory's phase space is reduced.",

keywords = "gravity, modified gravity, quantum field theory on curved space",

author = "Chen, {Tai Jun} and Matteo Fasiello and Lim, {Eugene A.} and Tolley, {Andrew J.}",

year = "2013",

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language = "English",

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AU - Chen, Tai Jun

AU - Fasiello, Matteo

AU - Lim, Eugene A.

AU - Tolley, Andrew J.

PY - 2013/2

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N2 - We prove that the linear instability in a non-degenerate higher derivative theory, the Ostrogradski instability, can only be removed by the addition of constraints if the original theory's phase space is reduced.

AB - We prove that the linear instability in a non-degenerate higher derivative theory, the Ostrogradski instability, can only be removed by the addition of constraints if the original theory's phase space is reduced.

KW - gravity

KW - modified gravity

KW - quantum field theory on curved space

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84874714724&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/1475-7516/2013/02/042

DO - 10.1088/1475-7516/2013/02/042

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84874714724

SN - 1475-7516

VL - 2013

JO - Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics

JF - Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics

IS - 2

M1 - 042

ER -

Higher derivative theories with constraints: Exorcising Ostrogradski's ghost

Abstract

Keywords

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