EMT,Pseudo-EMT and all that Improvement and Superpotentials

TL;DR

This paper explores the role of higher derivatives, improvement, and superpotentials in Einstein-Hilbert gravity with matter, arguing that higher derivatives do not compromise the model's physical content.

Contribution

It clarifies the construction and significance of higher derivatives, improvements, and superpotentials in gravitational theories with matter fields.

Findings

Higher derivatives are compatible with the physical content of the model.

Improvement and superpotential concepts elucidate tensorlike quantities in gravity.

Higher orders in perturbation theory do not alter the fundamental physics.

Abstract

Within Einstein-Hilbert gravity, higher derivatives and a scalar field as representative of matter different versions of tensorlike quantities are discussed.The concepts of improvement and superpotential help to understand the details of their construction and meaning. On this basis it is claimed that the higher derivatives which are necessary for defining higher orders in perturbation theory donot ruin the physical content of the model.