Dynamical structure of linearized GL(4) gravities

The physical content of the three more natural models of GL(4) gravity is analyzed, for the case of weak fields. It is shown that the first model is the linearized version of Yang's one-tensor-field gravity and is a scalar-tensor theory, with its scalar part contained in a symmetric tensor. The second and the third linearized models, which can both be derived from the fourth-order action postulated by Yang, are two-tensor decoupled systems. In both cases one of the tensors is the symmetric weak metric gravity tensor field. the second tensor appearing in these two models, representing the GL(4)-gauge field, is either a linearized symmetric affinity (in the second model) or a linearized but nonsymmetric affinity (for the third model). It is shown that in these last two cases the affinity contains a helicity-3 propagating field. Owing to the presence of helicity-3 fields it is shown that it is better to regard Yang's action as an action for a two-tensor system instead of trying to recover from a pure gravity (one-tensor-field) action. Finally, it is shown what is the dynamical structure of the second and third linearized two-tensor models which can be derived from Yang's action. (author)