Torsion Scalar and Symmetries of Torsion Tensor

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on the torsion scalar in Teleparallel theories and its relationship with the torsion tensor. It clarifies that the torsion tensor is not totally antisymmetric, despite common interest in such tensors. The conversation details the mathematical derivation of the torsion scalar, specifically through the manipulation of terms A and B, leading to the final expression for the product of the torsion scalar and tensor. Key identities and transformations are employed to simplify the expressions, ultimately confirming the properties of the torsion tensor.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Teleparallel theories in general relativity
  • Familiarity with torsion tensors and their properties
  • Knowledge of Wietzenböck connections
  • Proficiency in tensor calculus and manipulation
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the properties of Wietzenböck connections in detail
  • Explore the mathematical foundations of f(T) gravity theories
  • Investigate the implications of torsion in general relativity
  • Learn about the applications of torsion tensors in modern physics
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This discussion is beneficial for theoretical physicists, researchers in general relativity, and graduate students specializing in gravitational theories and tensor analysis.

nanuba
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I've started f(T) theory but I have a simple question like something that i couldn't see straightforwardly.
In Teleparallel theories one has the torsion scalar:

upload_2015-7-13_15-26-12.png

upload_2015-7-13_15-27-27.png

And if you take the product you should obtain
upload_2015-7-13_15-29-31.png

But there seems to be the terms like
upload_2015-7-13_15-31-56.png
upload_2015-7-13_15-32-16.png
upload_2015-7-13_15-32-48.png
.
How does this one vanish?
because we know that Torsion tensor is not symmetric in first two indices but antisymmetric in the last two indices.
 
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Often one is interested in torsion tensors that are totally antisymmetric. Is that the case here?
 
Oscillatory behavior
 
bcrowell said:
Often one is interested in torsion tensors that are totally antisymmetric. Is that the case here?
Nope. These are defined in terms of Wietzenböck konnections:
upload_2015-7-14_9-59-32.png
and are not totally antisymmetric.
 
nanuba said:
I've started f(T) theory but I have a simple question like something that i couldn't see straightforwardly.
In Teleparallel theories one has the torsion scalar:

View attachment 85890
View attachment 85891
And if you take the product you should obtain
View attachment 85892
But there seems to be the terms like
View attachment 85893View attachment 85894View attachment 85895.
How does this one vanish?
because we know that Torsion tensor is not symmetric in first two indices but antisymmetric in the last two indices.

Will you buy me strong black coffee if I do it for you? Okay, start by multiplying the two tensor
S^{\rho\mu\nu}T_{\rho\mu\nu} = A + B , \ \ \ \ \ (1)
where
A = \frac{1}{4} T^{\rho\mu\nu}T_{\rho\mu\nu} + \frac{1}{4} T^{\mu\rho\nu}T_{\rho\mu\nu} - \frac{1}{4} T^{\nu\rho\mu}T_{\rho\mu\nu} , \ \ \ \ (2) and B = -\frac{1}{2}T_{\alpha}{}^{\mu\alpha} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\mu\rho} + \frac{1}{2}T_{\alpha}{}^{\nu\alpha} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\rho\nu} , or
B = -\frac{1}{2}T_{\alpha}{}^{\mu\alpha} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\mu\rho} - \frac{1}{2}T_{\alpha}{}^{\mu\alpha} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\mu\rho} = - T_{\alpha}{}^{\mu\alpha} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\mu\rho} , which is the same as
B = T_{\alpha}{}^{\mu\alpha} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\rho\mu} = T^{\alpha\mu}{}_{\alpha} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\rho\mu} . \ \ \ \ \ (3) That is all for B. To work on A, we start with the identity
T^{\mu\nu}{}_{\rho} \left( T^{\rho}{}_{\nu\mu} + T^{\rho}{}_{\mu\nu} \right) = 0 . In the first term, if we make \rho \to \nu, \mu \to \rho and \nu \to \mu, we find
T^{\rho\mu}{}_{\nu} \ T^{\nu}{}_{\mu\rho} + T^{\mu\nu}{}_{\rho} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\mu\nu} = 0 . Let us rewrite this as
T^{\rho\mu\nu} \ T_{\nu\mu\rho} + T_{\mu\nu\rho} \ T^{\rho\mu\nu} = 0 . Using the antisymmetry in the second term, we get
T^{\rho\mu\nu} \ T_{\nu\mu\rho} = T^{\rho\mu\nu} \ T_{\mu\rho\nu} . Now, on the RHS we make \rho \leftrightarrow \mu and get
T^{\rho\mu\nu} \ T_{\nu\mu\rho} = T^{\mu\rho\nu} \ T_{\rho\mu\nu} . Add T^{\rho\mu\nu}T_{\nu\mu\rho} to both sides,
T^{\rho\mu\nu} \ T_{\nu\mu\rho} = \frac{1}{2}\left( T^{\mu\rho\nu} \ T_{\rho\mu\nu} + T^{\rho\mu\nu} \ T_{\nu\mu\rho} \right) . In the second term on the RHS, lower the indices on the first tensor and raise them on the second tensor
T^{\rho\mu\nu} \ T_{\nu\mu\rho} = \frac{1}{2}\left( T^{\mu\rho\nu} \ T_{\rho\mu\nu} + T_{\rho\mu\nu} \ T^{\nu\mu\rho} \right) . Using the antisymmetry and dividing by 2, we obtain
\frac{1}{4} T^{\mu\rho\nu} T_{\rho\mu\nu} - \frac{1}{4} T^{\nu\rho\mu} T_{\rho\mu\nu} = \frac{1}{2} T^{\rho\mu\nu}T_{\nu\mu\rho} = - \frac{1}{2} T^{\rho\mu\nu} T_{\nu\rho\mu}. And finally, we rewrite this identity in the form
\frac{1}{4} T^{\mu\rho\nu} T_{\rho\mu\nu} - \frac{1}{4} T^{\nu\rho\mu} T_{\rho\mu\nu} = - \frac{1}{2} T^{\rho\mu}{}_{\nu} \ T^{\nu}{}_{\rho\mu} . Now, substituting this identity in (2) leads to A = \frac{1}{4} T^{\rho\mu\nu} T_{\rho\mu\nu} - \frac{1}{2} T^{\rho\mu}{}_{\nu} \ T^{\nu}{}_{\rho\mu} . \ \ \ (4) Now, put (3) and (4) in (1), you get
S^{\rho\mu\nu}T_{\rho\mu\nu} = \frac{1}{4} T^{\rho\mu\nu} T_{\rho\mu\nu} - \frac{1}{2} T^{\rho\mu}{}_{\nu} \ T^{\nu}{}_{\rho\mu} + T^{\alpha\mu}{}_{\alpha} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\rho\mu} .
Okay, don’t forget my coffee.
Sam
 
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samalkhaiat said:
Will you buy me strong black coffee if I do it for you? Okay, start by multiplying the two tensor
S^{\rho\mu\nu}T_{\rho\mu\nu} = A + B , \ \ \ \ \ (1)
where
A = \frac{1}{4} T^{\rho\mu\nu}T_{\rho\mu\nu} + \frac{1}{4} T^{\mu\rho\nu}T_{\rho\mu\nu} - \frac{1}{4} T^{\nu\rho\mu}T_{\rho\mu\nu} , \ \ \ \ (2) and B = -\frac{1}{2}T_{\alpha}{}^{\mu\alpha} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\mu\rho} + \frac{1}{2}T_{\alpha}{}^{\nu\alpha} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\rho\nu} , or
B = -\frac{1}{2}T_{\alpha}{}^{\mu\alpha} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\mu\rho} - \frac{1}{2}T_{\alpha}{}^{\mu\alpha} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\mu\rho} = - T_{\alpha}{}^{\mu\alpha} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\mu\rho} , which is the same as
B = T_{\alpha}{}^{\mu\alpha} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\rho\mu} = T^{\alpha\mu}{}_{\alpha} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\rho\mu} . \ \ \ \ \ (3) That is all for B. To work on A, we start with the identity
T^{\mu\nu}{}_{\rho} \left( T^{\rho}{}_{\nu\mu} + T^{\rho}{}_{\mu\nu} \right) = 0 . In the first term, if we make \rho \to \nu, \mu \to \rho and \nu \to \mu, we find
T^{\rho\mu}{}_{\nu} \ T^{\nu}{}_{\mu\rho} + T^{\mu\nu}{}_{\rho} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\mu\nu} = 0 . Let us rewrite this as
T^{\rho\mu\nu} \ T_{\nu\mu\rho} + T_{\mu\nu\rho} \ T^{\rho\mu\nu} = 0 . Using the antisymmetry in the second term, we get
T^{\rho\mu\nu} \ T_{\nu\mu\rho} = T^{\rho\mu\nu} \ T_{\mu\rho\nu} . Now, on the RHS we make \rho \leftrightarrow \mu and get
T^{\rho\mu\nu} \ T_{\nu\mu\rho} = T^{\mu\rho\nu} \ T_{\rho\mu\nu} . Add T^{\rho\mu\nu}T_{\nu\mu\rho} to both sides,
T^{\rho\mu\nu} \ T_{\nu\mu\rho} = \frac{1}{2}\left( T^{\mu\rho\nu} \ T_{\rho\mu\nu} + T^{\rho\mu\nu} \ T_{\nu\mu\rho} \right) . In the second term on the RHS, lower the indices on the first tensor and raise them on the second tensor
T^{\rho\mu\nu} \ T_{\nu\mu\rho} = \frac{1}{2}\left( T^{\mu\rho\nu} \ T_{\rho\mu\nu} + T_{\rho\mu\nu} \ T^{\nu\mu\rho} \right) . Using the antisymmetry and dividing by 2, we obtain
\frac{1}{4} T^{\mu\rho\nu} T_{\rho\mu\nu} - \frac{1}{4} T^{\nu\rho\mu} T_{\rho\mu\nu} = \frac{1}{2} T^{\rho\mu\nu}T_{\nu\mu\rho} = - \frac{1}{2} T^{\rho\mu\nu} T_{\nu\rho\mu}. And finally, we rewrite this identity in the form
\frac{1}{4} T^{\mu\rho\nu} T_{\rho\mu\nu} - \frac{1}{4} T^{\nu\rho\mu} T_{\rho\mu\nu} = - \frac{1}{2} T^{\rho\mu}{}_{\nu} \ T^{\nu}{}_{\rho\mu} . Now, substituting this identity in (2) leads to A = \frac{1}{4} T^{\rho\mu\nu} T_{\rho\mu\nu} - \frac{1}{2} T^{\rho\mu}{}_{\nu} \ T^{\nu}{}_{\rho\mu} . \ \ \ (4) Now, put (3) and (4) in (1), you get
S^{\rho\mu\nu}T_{\rho\mu\nu} = \frac{1}{4} T^{\rho\mu\nu} T_{\rho\mu\nu} - \frac{1}{2} T^{\rho\mu}{}_{\nu} \ T^{\nu}{}_{\rho\mu} + T^{\alpha\mu}{}_{\alpha} \ T^{\rho}{}_{\rho\mu} .
Okay, don’t forget my coffee.
Sam

I owe you a black coffee :)
 

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