No Ghost State in the Brane World

Abstract

We discuss the role of the trace part of metric fluctuations $h_{MN}$ in the Randall-Sundrum scenario of gravity. Without the matter, this field ($h=\eta^{MN}h_{MN}$) is a gauge-dependent term, and thus it can be gauged away. But, including the uniform source $\tilde{T}_{MN}$, this field satisfies the linearized equation $\Box_4 h =16\pi G_5 T^{\mu}_{\mu}$. This may correspond to the scalar $\xi^5$ in the bending of the brane due to the localized source. Considering the case of longitudinal perturbations ($h_{5\mu} =h_{55}=0$), one finds the source relation $\tilde{T}^{\mu}_{\mu}=2\tilde{T}_{55}$, which leads to the ghost states in the massive modes. In addition, if one requires $T_{44}=2(T_{22}+T_{33})$, it is found that in the limit of $m^2_h \to 0$ we have the massless spin-2 propagation without the ghost state. This exactly corresponds to the same situation as in the intermediate scales of Gregory-Rubakov-Sibiryakov (GRS) model.