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arxiv: 1007.0435 · v3 · pith:BT423FQOnew · submitted 2010-07-02 · ✦ hep-th

How higher-spin gravity surpasses the spin two barrier: no-go theorems versus yes-go examples

classification ✦ hep-th
keywords higher-spingravitymasslessno-gotheoremsverticesyes-goadvantages
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Aiming at non-experts, we explain the key mechanisms of higher-spin extensions of ordinary gravity. We first overview various no-go theorems for low-energy scattering of massless particles in flat spacetime. In doing so we dress a dictionary between the S-matrix and the Lagrangian approaches, exhibiting their relative advantages and weaknesses, after which we high-light potential loop-holes for non-trivial massless dynamics. We then review positive yes-go results for non-abelian cubic higher-derivative vertices in constantly curved backgrounds. Finally we outline how higher-spin symmetry can be reconciled with the equivalence principle in the presence of a cosmological constant leading to the Fradkin--Vasiliev vertices and Vasiliev's higher-spin gravity with its double perturbative expansion (in terms of numbers of fields and derivatives).

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