Topologically Massive Higher Spin Gravity

TL;DR

This paper extends topologically massive gravity to include spin-3 fields, identifying a chiral point with unique features such as trace modes and potential instabilities, and discusses implications for higher spin holography.

Contribution

It introduces a higher spin generalization of TMG, finds a chiral point with novel trace mode behavior, and explores its holographic dual implications.

Findings

Identified a spin-3 chiral point coinciding with the spin-2 case.

Discovered trace modes with negative energy indicating instability.

Discussed potential higher spin LCFT duals.

Abstract

We look at the generalisation of topologically massive gravity (TMG) to higher spins, specifically spin-3. We find a special "chiral" point for the spin-three, analogous to the spin-two example, which actually coincides with the usual spin-two chiral point. But in contrast to usual TMG, there is the presence of a non-trivial trace and its logarithmic partner at the chiral point. The trace modes carry energy opposite in sign to the traceless modes. The logarithmic partner of the traceless mode carries negative energy indicating an instability at the chiral point. We make several comments on the asymptotic symmetry and its possible deformations at this chiral point and speculate on the higher spin generalisation of LCFT2 dual to the spin-3 massive gravity at the chiral point.