On constrained analysis and diffeomorphism invariance of generalised Proca theories

Abstract

In this paper we consider generalised Proca theories coupled to any background field and with time-time and time-space components of Hessian of the vector sector are zero, whereas the space-space part is non-degenerate. By using Faddeev-Jackiw analysis, we derive the conditions that these theories have to satisfy in order for the vector sector to have three propagating degrees of freedom. Most of these conditions are trivialised due to diffeomorphism invariance requirements. This leaves only a condition that a complicated combination of terms should not be trivially zero. This condition is therefore easy to be fulfilled. For completeness, we have also investigated on how diffeomorphism invariance helps in simplifying Faddeev-Jackiw brackets.