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"Shadowy" modes in Higher-Order Scalar-Tensor theories

4 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.

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abstract

We consider Higher-Order Scalar-Tensor theories which appear degenerate when restricted to the unitary gauge but are not degenerate in an arbitrary gauge. We dub them U-degenerate theories. We provide a full classification of theories that are either DHOST or U-degenerate and that are quadratic in second derivatives of the scalar field, and discuss its extension to cubic and higher order theories. Working with a simple example of U-degenerate theory, we find that, for configurations in which the scalar field gradient is time-like, the apparent extra mode in such a theory can be understood as a generalized instantaneous, or "shadowy" mode, which does not propagate. Appropriate boundary conditions, required by the elliptic nature of part of the equations of motion, lead to the elimination of the apparent instability associated with this extra mode.

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2026 2 2025 2

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Covariant scalar-tensor theories beyond second derivatives

hep-th · 2026-04-10 · conditional · novelty 8.0

A new covariant foliation-based construction of scalar-tensor theories up to four derivatives of the scalar field that extends DHOST and U-DHOST without unitary gauge and propagates three degrees of freedom.

Stochastic scalar-tensor inflation and beyond

gr-qc · 2026-06-05 · unverdicted · novelty 7.0

Extends the stochastic inflation formalism to a wide class of scalar-tensor theories by mapping EFT of dark energy coefficients to stochastic equations of motion.

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