Motion of Test Particles in Spacetimes with Torsion and Nonmetricity

Abstract

We derive the equations of motion of a test particle with intrinsic hypermomentum in spacetimes with both torsion $S$ and nonmetricity $Q$ (along with curvature $R$). Accordingly, $S$ and $Q$ can be measured by tracing out the trajectory followed by a hypermomentum-charged test particle in such a non-Riemannian background. The test particle is approximated by means of a Dirac $\delta$-function. Thus we find a tangible way to observe and measure the effects of torsion and nonmetricity. Our results are consistent with earlier ones derived by Obukhov and Puetzfeld (2014) by means of a different method. We apply our insight and evaluate how far-reaching the so-called `geometrical trinity of gravity' really is.