Abstract
Chern-Simons theory with certain gauge groups is known to be equivalent to a first-order formulation of three-dimensional Einstein gravity with a cosmological constant, where both are purely topological. Here, we extend this correspondence to theories with dynamical degrees of freedom. As an example, we show that three-dimensional Yang-Mills theory with gauge group SLð2;RÞ is equivalent to the first-order formulation of three-dimensional Einstein gravity with no cosmological constant coupled to a background stress-energy tensor density (which breaks the diffeomorphism symmetry). The local degree of freedom of three-dimensional Yang-Mills theory corresponds to degenerate “gravitational waves” in which the metric is degenerate and the spin connection is no longer completely determined by the metric. Turning on a cosmological constant produces the third-way (for Λ < 0) or the imaginary third-way (for Λ > 0) gauge theories with a background stress-energy tensor density.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 025005 |
Pages (from-to) | 1-7 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Physical Review D |
Volume | 111 |
Early online date | 6 Jan 2025 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 6 Jan 2025 |