Universal features of gravity and higher dimensions

Abstract

We study some universal features of gravity in higher dimensions and by universal we mean a feature that remains true in all dimensions $\geq4$. They include: (a) the gravitational dynamics always follows from the Bianchi derivative of a homogeneous polynomial in Riemann curvature and it thereby characterizes the Lovelock polynomial action, (b) all the $Λ$-vacuum solutions of the Einstein-Lovelock as well as pure Lovelock equation have the same asymptotic limit agreeing with the $d$ dimensional Einstein solution and (c) gravity inside a uniform density sphere is independent of the spacetime dimension and it is always given by the Schwarzschild interior solution.

7 pages, revtex, Plenary lecture in 13th Regional Conference on Mathematical Physics held on Oct. 23-31, 2010 at Antalaya, Turkey, To appear in Proceedings of the Conference