Generalized Poincare algebras and Lovelock-Cartan gravity theory

Abstract

We show that the Lagrangian for Lovelock-Cartan gravity theory can be re-formulated as an action which leads to General Relativity in a certain limit. In odd dimensions the Lagrangian leads to a Chern-Simons theory invariant under the generalized Poincar\'{e} algebra $\mathfrak{B}_{2n+1},$ while in even dimensions the Lagrangian leads to a Born-Infeld theory invariant under a subalgebra of the $\mathfrak{B}_{2n+1}$ algebra. It is also shown that torsion may occur explicitly in the Lagrangian leading to new torsional Lagrangians, which are related to the Chern-Pontryagin character for the $B_{2n+1}$ group.