Connection independent formulation of general relativity

Understand

A connection-independent formulation of general relativity is presented, in which the dynamics does not depend on the choice of connection.

• The gravity action in this formulation includes one additional scalar term in addition to the Einstein-Hilbert action.
• No conditions on the connection are imposed.
• Nevertheless, this formulation yields the Einstein equations, without adding the Gibbons-Hawking-York term even when a manifold has a boundary.