{
  "abstract": "Previous work has shown that first-order Palatini gravity may be cast as a non-conservative Herglotz Lagrangian field theory, which excludes the conformal mode from its space of dynamical variables. In the present work, we analyse the role of the $SO(1,3)$ gauge connection in the construction of this action-dependent theory. The connection may be algebraically decomposed into complementary sectors which we interpret as `shape' and `scale' components. Only the former is retained within the Herglotz theory, while the latter is incorporated into the action-dependent sector. It is shown that the choice of connection decomposition is a space that can be smoothly parameterised. Such an observation leads to the finding that there exists a `moduli space of frictional field theories', in which each point corresponds to a distinct algebraic splitting of the connection into shape and scale pieces. Movement within the moduli space transitions between Herglotz Lagrangians whose on-shell dynamics all reproduce first-order Palatini gravity. The distinction lies in how the reproduction of the scale dynamics of the original theory is partitioned between action dependence and dynamical torsion.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2608.24140",
  "author_total": 2,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Callum Bell"
    },
    {
      "name": "David Sloan"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/f3hhzn9erycwv.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2608.24140",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "f3hhzn9erycwv",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.24140",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "gr-qc"
    ],
    [
      "arxiv",
      "hep-th"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "3103|Cosmology and Gravitation Theories"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7204228428",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2608.24140",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-08-31",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/f3hhzn9erycwv.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:00Z",
      "native_id": "2608.24140",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.24140"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:gr-qc",
      "subfield": "gravitation"
    },
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:hep-th",
      "subfield": "high-energy"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Towards a Connection Formulation of Action-Dependent Palatini Gravity",
  "title_text": "Towards a Connection Formulation of Action-Dependent Palatini Gravity",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:00Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/f3hhzn9erycwv",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}