Inequivalence of Coset Constructions for Spacetime Symmetries: Coupling with Gravity

Abstract

We study how the coupling with gravity of theories with non-linearly realized space-time symmetries is modified when one changes the parametrization of the coset. As an example, we focus on the so-called Galileon duality: a reparametrization which maps a Galilean invariant action into another one which enjoys the same symmetry. Starting with a standard coupling with gravity, with a parametric separation between the Planck scale and the typical scale of the coset, one ends up with a theory without such a separation. In particular an infinite set of higher-dimension operators are relevant when the superluminality of the Galileon is measurable in the effective theory. This addresses an apparent paradox since superluminality arises in the dual theory even when absent in the original one.