The Coupling of Shape Dynamics to Matter

Understand

Shape Dynamics (SD) is a theory dynamically equivalent to vacuum General Relativity (GR), which has a different set of symmetries.

• It trades refoliation invariance, present in GR, for local 3-dimensional conformal invariance.
• This contribution to the Loops 11 conference addresses one of the more urgent questions regarding the equivalence: is it possible to incorporate normal matter in the new framework? The answer is yes, in certain regimes.
• We present general criteria for coupling and apply it to a few examples.The outcome presents bounds and conditions on scalar densities (such as the Higgs potential and the cosmological constant) not present in GR.